The seen Blog: Photography with Vulnerability, Courage, and Heart
The SEEN blog is more than just an assortment of writings. SEEN’s Bay Area photography work seeks to uplift and encourage those we photograph, and this blog is meant to showcase those aspirations in words. With SEEN’s goal in mind, the SEEN blog is driven by five core principles.
1. ADMIT VULNERABILITY
SEEN asks those we photograph to show up as they are wherever they are in their journey. This requires vulnerability and trust in a photographer. If we are going to ask you to be vulnerable, then we should show our vulnerability as well. Many of the blogs are meant to be an expression of that.
2. FACE THE UNCOMFORTABLE
Most people have never worked with a photographer. Doing something without experience can seem daunting. Some of the writing in this blog will meet those we photograph in this same place. As a new business, SEEN is in a similar position. The SEEN blog will explore the worries and concerns that arise from doing things for our first time.
3. ACCEPT IMPERFECTION
As SEEN is just starting out, that means accepting ups and downs and imperfection. The SEEN blog will speak to the challenges around this acceptance because it is a core philosophy behind SEEN. We live in a world that drowns us in expectations to be perfect. We’re constantly shown a filtered image of reality that we then feel we must live up to. SEEN stands in defiance of this. SEEN is about refusing to let mainstream ideals push us into the shadows. The blogs, as with our photo sessions, are meant to act as consistent encouragement to anyone who reads them to do the same in their lives. And for those struggling to walk out from those shadows or who have been overlooked, SEEN is here to bring up the shadows and shine light on what great things lie beneath.
4. DON’T WAIT TO GET STARTED
SEEN is driven by the idea of taking small steps and learning as we go. It’s easy to fall into the mindset of not doing something until it’s been pretty much perfected. But this way of thinking is limiting. If mastery were required to begin then SEEN would not exist. There are many things we here at SEEN are learning on the fly. As such, inspiring others to fight imposter syndrome and fake it till they make it is another reason for the SEEN blog. And to go along with this idea the blog will also include teachings on topics related to photography.
5. HELP PEOPLE FEEL SEEN
Last but not least, at the heart of SEEN is the belief in reflecting people’s inner greatness back to them even when the world around them seems to be overlooking it. It’s about reminding people that their story is important. That they deserve to be seen. From the time that Tyler, the creator of SEEN, was young he has noticed greatness in others that the world around them seemed to be unaware of. His father, an eighth-grade dropout, nonchalantly sketched blueprints on napkins for buildings he would later flawlessly construct; countless friends and strangers he met whose ingenuity and beauty slipped by unseen because nobody slowed down to look. He has carried pride in acting as a reflector, holding up a mirror for people to see the light he sees in them that the world has missed or that they themselves have not yet realized is there.
We hope the SEEN blog has a positive impact on readers just as we aspire to have a positive impact with our photography. And if you’re in the Bay Area, we encourage you to book a photography session and come experience these principles in action.