I recently hit a milestone birthday and decided to treat myself to a photoshoot. Over coffee one morning I word-vomited to my very talented friend Natassja something about wanting to feel beautiful, to feel queer, and to try new things, and they went above and beyond to create a truly unforgettable photoshoot for me. Much gratitude to them for their creativity and hard work, and to everything else that came together to make this day and this experience possible.

It seems almost selfish, certainly vain, to say that I wanted to have what I think of as the model experience: to feel like the desirable object in front of an artist’s gaze. But who doesn’t secretly wish to inspire others? Surely I’m not the only one who yearns to ignite someone’s creativity? At the very least, I love being on the other side of it and feeling that sudden rush of envisioning something, and knowing I would burst if I do not bring it into being. What a pleasure and a privilege to finally experience being the one perceived and captured.