Kimberly Lauren Bryant Photography

31/01/2023

"The problem is: you think you have time"

A small thought-snack for you on a Monday...

Let's focus on being ourselves and creating something meaningful. 🌷

(Whatever that means for you, right now; whatever you need. No judgement!!)

25/01/2023

🌷 The benefits of: asking yourself "why" with gentle curiosity... 🥰

Why...

are you doing what you're doing right now?

I invite you to percolate on that for a moment.

Sometimes I start doing something without even realizing I'm doing it...

Whether out of habit, or reflexively driven by some thought that just popped into my mind, I'll myself deep in the midst of doing whatever it is -

And it might feel, in the moment, obvious to do or important to do or necessary to do...

But if I step back for a moment, breathe, and ask myself:

✦ What am I actually doing right now?
✦ Why am I doing this?

And then...

✦ Do I need to be doing this?
✦ Is this helping me or anyone else? (Or is it just random busywork or distraction of some sort...)

If you don't intentionally use your time, your time will use you.

It sounds cliché but it's true.

And we all know it on some level - but it can help to be reminded, too!

So just notice and observe...

And ask yourself 'why' with gentle curiosity.

This is not a judgment game...

We are just trying to support ourselves - and each other - to feel more peaceful.

And the more we can notice and take back our power over our most basic choices (like how we spend our time, especially those in-between-pockets-of-time moments)...the better we will feel about ourselves and in our bodies.

And yes: this all has to do with staying creative and alive and engaging in the creative process and making progress on projects and so forth...

But it also has everything to do with just being a human in this world.

20/01/2023

Scenes and smiles from outside a gallery for the ears…⁣
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https://www.ohrenhoch.berlin/👂👣🐍

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17/01/2023

Flashbacks to summer...yeah, my mind is swimming under the sun these days. ☀️⁣
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Imagination is everything. We forget that too often I think.⁣
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10/01/2023

To anyone working on a creative project or business - or anything that requires recommitting, day after day, to manifesting your vision into reality. A vision that perhaps only YOU can see right now!

Here’s a gentle reminder:

✦ Focus on the process.

✦ Fall in love with it.

✦ Stick with it through better and for worse.

✦ Adapt. Be flexible.

✦ Ride the waves of ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ with as little attachment as possible…

✦ Let go of any thoughts connected to "failure" - whatever you might imagine that to be, feel, or look like. "Failure" doesn't even need to exist in your vocabulary! It's just a construct...you hold the power to give it meaning or not.

✦ You either win or you learn. (Which is what we call a win-win :))

✦ Sustainable creativity lives, and thrives, within your day-to-day process.

You got this. 😍

Keep going!

08/01/2023

"You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” - Maya Angelou⁣⁣
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03/01/2023

"Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage you can't practice any other virtue consistently. You can practice any virtue erratically, but nothing consistently without courage." - Maya Angelou⁣
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02/01/2023

Wishing you all a smooth slide into the new year 💥🍾💫 - einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr! 🥰

May 2023 bring you pockets of peace and gentle reflection.

2022 was, well, interesting...

Onwards, shall we?

Some thoughts on my mind we turn the page and bite into a fresh batch of 365 days...

✦ Your health is everything.
✦ The health of the people you love is everything.
✦ Remembering what you have to be grateful for is really a game-changer - practicing gratitude, in my experience, is the single biggest and simplest way to keep your head on straight during tough times…and it’s totally free.
✦ Social media is not real life. It can be great (fun, useful, joyful, connecting) and it can be an energy suck. All depends on how conscious you are while using it. Use your critical thinking for the sake of your mental health.
✦ Be intentional with your time and energy. You deserve it.
✦ You never know what someone else is going through.
✦ Give other people the benefit of the doubt. It doesn’t cost you anything and can make the difference between
✦ It’s usually not about you. ;)
✦ Stay open hearted.
✦ Be willing to change your mind, your perspective, your energy.
✦ What other people think about you in none of your business. Except the super important people in your life. And even then, you get to decide how much value their opinions have.
✦ You have very little control over life. Be flexible.
✦ What little you DO have control over, take seriously; be intentional about that stuff.
✦ Transformation and growth and learning is lifelong.
✦ Aging is not a bad thing! Aging can look and feel however you want it to look and feel. Decide consciously.
✦ Younger generations are amazing and inspiring if you actually talk to them and listen. Learn from them. Same for older generations.
✦ Get clear on what your values are. Use these to guide your choices, thoughts, words, and actions.
✦ Your values can change. Reevaluate them every now and then. Keep whatever's working, leave what's not.
✦ You don't a reason to engage in the creative process. Being creative for the sake of being creative is reason enough. You are human. Show it. Be it.
✦ Make things work for you. Don't try to contort yourself into a position (figurative or literal!) that doesn't feel right.
✦ Know the difference between good discomfort and bad discomfort.
✦ Know the difference between want and need.
✦ Complain less (or stop entirely…)
✦ Keep empathising and being compassionate.
✦ When in doubt, take action. Make a movement. Step in any direction that feels mildly reasonable. The momentum will become your guide.
✦ Life is crazy.
✦ You are okay.
✦ You are loved.

And so…

happy new year,
bonne année,
und frohes neues Jahr :)

P.S. Skyscapes from January 1st at Tempelhoferfeld 📸

#2023

29/12/2022

Can you hear me?⁣
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27/12/2022

Walk the talk, talk the talk, and wear that crown like royalty 👑⁣
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22/12/2022

Want to learn more about how to analyze the images 👀 you see in ads?

Here is a useful video: https://buff.ly/3Wr7b4S

Justine Leconte, a French fashion designer and former brand strategist, explains what typically goes into creating ad campaign images...

And why photographs from recent Balenciaga campaigns were widely criticized.

I was really happy to hear Justine's insights / p.o.v. on the debacle. Think she did a great job at detailing the different aspects of this multifaceted topic.

It also made me reflect on the value of critical thinking when it comes to imagery!

Being able to form your *own* opinion about photographs - to really understand WHY you feel the way you feel about an image, to be able to determine if it aligns with your personal ethics and values, why or why not, and to be able to express that clearly - is priceless! 💰 Especially these days.

Images are everywhere...obviously...and it’s only getting more complex and layered with AI technology entering the art world and our digital lives. Having rational discussions about these topics is what will allow to move us forward with a semblance of clarity (and stay grounded in ourselves) versus getting caught up in the vortext of endless swirling visuals.

Thoughts? Anyone? :)

Balenciaga's Christmas gifting campaign & Spring-Summer 2023 collab' campaign with Adidas have caused a public outcry. Who is responsible? Let's look at the ...

20/12/2022

One of my favorite models to shoot ♥️⁣
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Violet - you are a vibe.⁣
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This image is probably too sexy for a LinkedIn profile pic (!), but perfect for a dating profile... ;)

I⁣ love finding different backdrops to shoot against just by wandering the streets and experimenting. I think the grit and chaos of the graffiti on the door provides a nice contrast to her elegant look.
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15/12/2022

Abstraction is the answer...

It's always a pleasure working with artists to document their projects and create promotional materials.

Here's another image from behind-the-scenes with Danilo Andrés as they prepare for BICHO RARO - a video installation and performance that took place in Flutgraben e.V. Berlin this month.

The marketing of creative work can be tricky, since you need to walk the fine line between honoring the integrity of the vision and communicating the main value efficiently/effectively. fIt needs to stay on point with the artist's brand (I know: ugh, but still...we ALL have a brand!) but it can't be too artsy or conceptual so as to confuse versus convey. Although, sometimes that confusion can actually work well - but it's a risk that you need to be willing to consciously take.

This was the image that Danilo chose for their brochure. I was really pleased when I heard this since it was my favorite from the shoot. It's really fulfilling when things align like that.

For me this image conveys a lot of emotion as well as mystery...so, to my eyes, it works well as a promotional tool. If I saw this with a title and information about a performance, I'd feel curious and intrigued. The pink color is also quite grabby, which doesn't hurt.

So a small challenge for you:

The next time you're out and about, take a closer look at the posters and such advertising art / cultural events in your city...do they speak to you? Do any stand out? Do some totally turn you off? Why or why not?

This is a simple way to practice art/design appreciation in an everyday context and train your eye to observe your surroundings. And, hey, you might just find your next weekend plans, too ;)
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13/12/2022

Creative process ⏳⁣
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❖ Behind-the-scenes with Danilo Andrés preparing for BICHO RARO - Installation & Performance in Flutgraben e.V. Berlin, December 2022.⁣
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06/12/2022

Night visions 🌪⁣
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BTS shooting for Danilo Andrés // BICHO RARO - Video Installation & Performance in Flutgraben e.V. Berlin, December 2022.⁣
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29/11/2022

Had the privilege to shoot some behind-the-scenes 📸 for Danilo Andrés // upcoming performance & video installation 🔥 ⁣
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Details below:⁣
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BICHO RARO - Video Installation & Performance by Danilo Andrés in Flutgraben e.V. Berlin.⁣
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10th December/ Opening 18-22h ⁣
Performances 19h & 20h⁣
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11th December / Opening 18-22h⁣
Performances: 19h & 20h⁣
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In BICHO RARO, Danilo Andrés, non-binary artist from Latin America, investigates the world of bodybuilding - the lifestyle, the training routines and the aesthetics - in order to bridge the gap between today's cult of the body and q***r perspectives on the body.⁣
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Inspired by body cult worlds such as comics, posthumanism or cyberpunk, BICHO RARO tells of transformation and the human being as a system ready for mutation.⁣
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In the Flutgraben e.V. in Berlin, performance, dance, body and voice merge with a space-spanning q***r gym parcour installation.⁣
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27/09/2022

Hold your summer spirit close ⁣⁣🔥 as the light fades
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20/09/2022

Autumn flow 🍂⁣
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Let things fall where they may⁣...
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13/09/2022

Spread your wings 🙌⁣
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06/09/2022

Where would you go if there were no stop sign?

No red light…

No roadblocks…

Just wide open space ahead 🗺

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30/08/2022

We are all in this together.⁣..
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25/08/2022

For artists and art appreciators 🎨

The Shape of Content is one of those books that continues to shape my own perception & understanding of the creative process.

Highly recommended:

“Without the nonconformist, any society of whatever degree of perfection must fall into decay.”

“Without the nonconformist, any society of whatever degree of perfection must fall into decay.”

23/08/2022

Tip of the day: walk your talk.⁣

People will start taking you more seriously.

But much more importantly -

*You* will start taking yourself more seriously.

Hint - If you find yourself thinking about something more than 3 times, chances are you need to DO something about whatever it is...or consciously let it go and let your brain move on.

P.S. Just don't take yourself *too* seriously!!! We're all just specks of dust floating around on a giant rotating globe. All I'm saying is, life is short. So you might as well start doing something about that thing you keep talking, or thinking, about.
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18/08/2022

Best book you’ve read recently? 📖

I just finished “The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion.

I discovered Joan’s writing only this year (what have I been doing with my life?!) - weirdly, thanks to a bad bout of covid during the dark times of January (hello winter in Berlin)...

Forced bedrest caused me to read more than I usually have the brain space for (a silver lining) and I quickly became enamored with her writing.

The Year of Magical Thinking is excellent. And it makes me want to read so much more on the topic of grief.

Let me know your book recommendations - can be on any topic, I’m open!

16/08/2022

Freedom… 🌅

How do you define freedom for yourself? ❤️

Let your mind percolate. 🤔

Write it down 📝

Think of one *small* thing you can do today to make that happen...

And go do it. 👊

If no one has told you lately: you deserve to feel free, in whatever way(s) that means for you.

But it's up to you to claim it.

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11/08/2022

“Whatever one has rejected is in itself a tangible shaping force.”
― Ben Shahn, The Shape of Content

09/08/2022

One of the things I love about living in Berlin is the seasons. ☀️🌈❄️🌲

Do I wish winter was about 90% shorter and 100% sunnier? Sure…

(Though I’ve also experienced winters in Ontario, which are way worse to my mind - memories of shovelling mounds of snow off the porch just to leave the house and scraping ice off the car windshield in the freezing cold, losing feeling in my fingers and toes…yeah…Berlin’s not as bad ;))

The point? Ah yes, seasons.

Seasons indicate change, a passage of time. ⏳ They spark new identities. They change the clothes we wear; what, and how, we eat; where we go to spend time with friends; our outdoor activities; how we move our bodies…

We become different characters - my summer self is definitely not the same as my winter self. Same for autumn and spring.

Seasons remind me that change is always happening in an oddly reliable way. There is a pattern, a routine that you can count on, amidst the newness.

Don’t get too comfortable and be grateful for exactly what you have right now.

Because tomorrow will eventually become the first day of the new season and the familiar will once again be left to yesterday.

And you will step forward with the courage that resides in every one of us, the courage to be alive and face the entropy, to find the beauty in the falling leaves, the beating sun, the windy rain, and the harsh winter air.

But for now, you bask in the glow of the summer heat, protected in a moment of sun-soaked armour, time suspended, as if nothing were unravelling all around.

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04/08/2022

Alright, the big question -

How do you get things done?

Do you have a go-to method for organizing your to-do list?

In other words…

How do you prevent yourself from drowning in the chaos of your own brain? (I might be projecting here ;))

This is super important for turning creative endeavors into reality!

I’ve been experimenting with the Bullet Journal method for the past half year…which I like…

But I recently came across a new framework - similar to BuJo - called Getting Things Done, aka GTD, by David Allen.

You can learn about it here:
https://buff.ly/3cEiO75

I am really liking what I am seeing, and experiencing, so far with GTD.

It might be my new method!

Have you heard of this before? Or do you have any other recommendations for productivity / organizational methods?

Tell me in the comments - I would love to hear what you think :)

And lastly, credit where credit’s due: I found out about GTD from Jodi Ettenberg’s wonderful monthly ‘Curious About Everything’ newsletter. If you like smart writing and inspiring links, you can subscribe here: https://buff.ly/3J9LCAA

02/08/2022

Do your shadows follow you

Like mine do?

Can you see the beauty in their darkness

The way they make the light appear brighter

The patterns they create as you move

The steady reflection they provide

If you’re willing to look down and see with an open heart

With your mind’s eye

All that they hold

Their darkness has depths worth diving into

You will not sink

That’s just an illusion

The further into their darkness you dive

The closer you move towards the light

The same source illuminates and obstructs

The dance of life…

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