Aligned

What habit has been sustaining you lately?
Making self-portraits with my Nikon FM2. The process asks me to slow down, to pause, to be fully present. Setting the frame, adjusting the light, listening to the quiet before pressing the shutter. It has given me the distance to see myself differently and to slowly learn to love and accept myself as a whole. These are moments when I feel aligned.

What time of day do you feel most like yourself?
It changes. I feel most like myself in quiet moments, whenever they happen.

When recently did you feel out of place?
Last December, when I went back home. Living abroad for a while has changed the way it feels. I’m no longer fully from there, and not entirely from here either.

What are you still holding onto even though you know you’ll eventually have to let go?
I still care too much about what people think. It’s something I’m slowly learning to let go of.

What scares you more today: change or staying the same? Why?
Staying the same. This past year changed a lot for me, especially in how I stand up for myself and how I allow photography to take more space in my life. I feel happy about where I am today, but I want to keep moving forward.

Recommend a movie, an album, and a book and tell us why you liked each one.
Movie: Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Album: Even in the Quietest Moments from Supertramp

Book: Waiting for Bojangles by Olivier Bourdeaut

What is your favorite restaurant and what do you recommend we order?
There’s a restaurant in Hamburg called Maa’ Deyo. It’s a Latin American place with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. I love going there to share dishes, and I’d recommend starting with a pisco sour before ordering a few dishes to enjoy together.

Which friend have you admired lately, and why?
Most of all, I deeply admire my grandmother. For her strength, her sensitivity, and the determined way she has always moved through life.