The creative hour

There must be something magical about the golden hour for the sun’s rays, on a seemingly average spring day, to fall on your face, rendering it radiant under the glow. I wonder if that is what inspired my housemate one day have us close our terrace blinds and then begin what would be a productive photo-shoot during a time of nation-wide quarantine. 

Really, what transpired was one housemate desiring photos of himself using the help and talents of our other housemates. I am an American living abroad with three Spanish speakers. Two of whom are Spanish and the other, Venezuelan. I think our household is pretty neat. I consider myself an artist. I draw and I paint and so does my Venezuelan housemate. As for my other housemates, I would consider one an armature photographer, and the other is a light specialist, working in “technical illumination”. With all of us sharing interests in art and photography, we were all well-equipped to make this thing happen.

@jimmyalles

My Spanish housemates set up the living room. Adjusting the lights and their image devices. And of course for such a project their needed to be the right vibe, so playing from one of our speakers was a variations in rap, reggaton, and trap. The photo shoot had been my Venezuala’s idea, so he was the model for the project. He got out various garments and prepared his face with minimal makeup. As for me I had been preparing dinner for myself, staying out of the production. When I came back from the kitchen I was in awe in how transformed everything at been. I stood behind my fellow female housemate, watching her as she took photos. They had come out gorgeous ! My housemate looked so handsome.

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@luis_bt16

I was astonished at how amazing the photos came out. What amazing quality. I admit I was a bit jealous.

Usually, I take interest in photographic pursuits, but in this case, I was unwilling to involve myself. Maybe tomorrow I said, when they asked if I wanted to join. I said this knowing the energy of creativity was there and then. Tomorrow would come and the air would surely be lost. Still, I stuck to my words and hid myself, occasionally watching my housemates successfully working collaboratively and having fun while at it.Why was I so unwilling to join? Well sometimes our egos are our worst enemies.

The quarantine was precisely the problem. This is I thought at the time. I was not prepared for this photo shoot. It was so spontaneous. And as much I wanted one, I had been feeling quite homely that day. Can anyone relate? I had my hair covered in usual headwrap, as I did every night, and hadn’t even touched my hair for over a week. If I was to join in I would need much preparation, whereas my housemate had already been groomed and ready after minimal makeup. If haven’t put it together by now, I’m that kind of person to worry about small things. I had thought things like, by the time I felt prepared to take photos, my housemates would have gotten bored and wanted to move on. That this would my Venezuelan housemate’s idea, I wouldn’t want to interfere with his shoot. He looks like hes having the time of his life! Even so they had all encouraged me. They did so because they understood that it wasn’t just about anyone, but it was about all of us. And yet, I wasn’t sure.  I was letting my self-esteem get in the way of my joy, in my own house too!

Photo above posted to one of our IG stories, during event.

From the darkness of my room, I watched in awe of all of the lights and colors around the living room. That was when a song came on. The rhythm proved effective in making my model housemate dance, and found that I couldn’t help but dance too. I found myself drawing closer to his festive form, leaving my dark cave to match the rhythm as he did. Suddenly, I could see another one of our flatmates began recording us with his camera. Things were really beginning to feel magical, as if we could film a music video in our living room. One more time, my Venezuelan asked me to join him and his fun. Go find something to wear, he told me.

Processed with VSCO with c2 preset

I quickly grabbed my green crop top and black high-waisted jeans. I also decided to include my scarf in this shoot having it drape around my person. 

I then tried two more looks where I reveal my hair a bit. Here is one of the looks.

All photos in this shoot were taken by @irisbwn

The nation-wide quarantine allowed us all to bond in ways we couldn’t before. And in a way, I must be grateful that it has allowed me to grow closer to the people I live with. It has allowed me to learn from them, to grow, and to trust them to support me as they did in those hours of creativity. For some time we were all in harmonious cohabitation. We respected the personal lives of each other, seeing each other whenever we did. Then came a a sudden government enforced quarantine.

All of a sudden we had to live more closely, dealing with each other’s crap. The good, bad, and incredibly mundane. Without much to do with ourselves it was only a matter of time before a day came where we interacted with one another beyond casual pranks and offensive remarks delivered with love. In our own little sandbox, we would utilize our interests for harmonious creation. I am quite fortunate to live with such an creative community. I say this after having had a great and perhaps my first real artistic collaboration.

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