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Stop Stifling Yourself

Don't keep the things you're meant to share all to yourself.

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Stop Stifling Yourself
Ariel Bouffard

Last week, I published a piece that included some of my photographs. "Sweet," you might say nonchalantly. That's what artists are supposed to do, right? Yes, but this was a first for me. I don't often publicize myself or what I make, and doing so actually taught me quite a bit.

First of all, it's terrifying. The thought that people will be looking at something I created is scary.

It's exhilarating. The idea that they might love it, they might hate it, they might be challenged or inspired by it.. that's crazy cool.

It pushes me. The fact of the matter, is that people have opinions, and I want their opinions to be good. Showing other people my work inspires me to be better. It keeps me accountable so that my art continues to push new boundaries and improve in ways that it wouldn't if I just kept it to myself.

It's necessary. I'd love to make a living doing what I love, but that's not possible if no one knows what I do. So, I've gotta get it out there. Even if I'm afraid, or if I'm unsure of what people will think, I've gotta just man up and be vulnerable. High risk, high reward, no?

So, I've gotta keep going! This won't be an always thing; sometimes I just want to write. But today, in keeping with the theme, I'm going to share with you another body of work I created in the realm of double exposure.

This journey into double exposure is an interesting one, because it's easy to find yourself quickly entering the land of cliches. However, I decided to forget about cliches, forget about everything I think I know and focus on the things that inspire me most: People and nature. Why not combine the two?

Each of these photos is unique and has its own story. I'm not going to take the time to delve into each one, but I would love to hear your individual interpretations &/or input.

Finally, I challenge you all to do something that pushes you out of your comfort zone this week. Last week for me it was showing some pictures to the world. What will it be for you?

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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