Maria’s Note:
I am just going to say it: I LOVED THIS SHOOT. I genuinely loved everything about it!
It was not planned.
On the whim.
Very little lighting besides the moon and blue hour.
Yet, I captured some of my favorite images so far.
I didn’t mind the grain or the blur.
I welcomed the imperfections…
Patricia Cano:
Pati, an authentic Colombian from Medellin, came into my life through the subtle nature of the Universe. About 2 years ago, we met at our neighborhood’s gym on leg day. She was running on the treadmill, so was I. Eventually, she and I started bumping into each other at different yoga classes. I liked her presence: Very calm and serene. Nothing truly imposing in nature. Through our brief conversations I learned she not only practiced yoga, but she currently teaches it. My phone would buzz with invitations to different yoga or meditation events, however; I could never attend.
Nevertheless, I think the Universe was working her subtle ways again, because in 2019 everything took a turn. From up there or from inside myself, I was being called to do yoga more profoundly. Where? I had no idea. When? I was not sure. How? I didn’t know.
The Ah-ha moment presented itself one sunny morning in my bed. Out into the empty room I kept asking myself: “what is it with yoga that you would like me to do?” Maybe I would get a response of some sort. Well, no whispers from the metaphysical world came. No writings on the wall. Nothing, except Pati’s name in my head. Poof there it was, the answer that I needed.
The Union
I texted Pati with an invitation to meet for some coffee to catch up. A trade-off of some sort was to be made. She could teach me yoga and I could take her portraits. The deal was sealed and here we are today. She has been mentoring me not just with downward dogs and chair pose, but with female empowerment talks and words of encouragement to let go.
Needless to say, our time together has bloomed into this collection of photographs that both project softness and self fulfillment. A collaboration of both giving and receiving. We co-created a space in which each of us projected our arts through a set of visuals. I think both our souls and passions were engraved and left for the world to marvel in this collection.
They are nothing out of the ordinary, but possibly evidence of self-growth and self-acceptance!
I think: “nothing truly is a coincidence.”
~M
