International Exploration: The beginning

  
  It started as a fashion photography shoot but it turned into much more. Breaking all the rules of high fashion, I aimed to capture these models in their native dress but in radical poses.
      I used my Nikon D5000 on 3 separate occasions. I had two make-up artists on set. Mosi Benitez for the Chinese shoot and Melissa Bell for the Caribbean shoot. The French inspired model did her own make-up.
       As stated before, I wanted to explore the possibility of shooting fashion. But after criticism from  a professor I learned I was breaking all the rules; yet I loved it. As I learn more about fashion photography perhaps I will better my skills but as for this shoot I just captured what felt right to me. I inspired my models to get awkward and stay away from cliche poses and looks. I looked for the scenes to compliment and or contrast their juxtapositions.
       I intend to continue this shoot on my own time exploring Africa and more parts of Europe and Asia. I decided not to enter the fashion photography contest with these images, with belief these were too radical for what they desired.

Below is  a link to my Facebook page where you can like and explore more of these images and what I have to offer.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saje-Creations-Photography/189060964466716

www.sajecreations.com

What I Learned:
Is that anywhere can be turned into a beautiful location. Even if you have to capture something you didn't want in the frame you can always cut it away in post-production. Something I didn't say is that even with my original motives I couldn't help but tell a story with every image I took. I had an emotion, or image, or storyline in my mind that I could see this image accompaning. As I continue to look into more types of photography that interest me I find my heart coming back to documentary...or are these images more editorial....?
I really don't know. What I do want to know is where do my nudes fit in with my work. My extensive body images that I plan to continue and progress in. The professor that critiqued these images said he would help give my nudes a genre...we'll see what he has to say and as for my opinion...you know I will share ;)

GOD is Able(Day 7)

Really GOD is ABLE!

It is 12:28am on Monday January 23rd and I just ate two glorious animal crackers!
Carbs oh my Lord how I missed you lol. And tomorrow morning I will slowly re-introduce meat to my body with a hearty breakfast before my 8AM class.

Its a bummer I'm typing this so late I had so many things in mind but I really have to go to bed and i am anxious to wake up just so i can eat. Not to mention I got a lot of praying to do tonight. Grateful, proud, thankful and blessed by GOD's mighty grace. GOD is able.

Today completes a journey that challeneged my mind, my spirit, and my physical body. I am so very blesssed to say that I Stephanie Brown completed a fast! All my life I thought that was something I could never do. I watched my mom fast meat for lent and than watched her fast for an entire day on Good Friday saying that could never be me. HA how nieve was I to part my lips and say those words. I can do this again and I will. And when Easter comes around this year, in my new mind, body and spirit I will be the one fasting Good Friday along with my mother.

So much more to discuss! Photos to upload and discuss as well!
Got my first Art History Exam this week and nervous bout it so it may be a few days till I get that out the way. I'll be back though.

My voice needs to be heard.

GOD will make a way.

Be blessed!
Laters!

DAY SIX

One more day!!!

So proud of myself!! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!

This morning I woke up to my 5:30AM alarm for the morning prayer session and my access code wasn't working and I didnt want to get out of bed to double check that it was the correct code. I memorized the code by now waking up every morning for it. Disappointed and feeling guilty I said my own prayer than went back to sleep. I felt bad because I had gone all week with the morning prayer and I was upset that I broke my continum.
When I later woke up, the first thing I did was go look at the bulletin from church and was relieved that the code I was putting in was correct. That was a plus for me so that I couldn't blame my missing morning prayer on laziness. I than noticed that the prayer session ended on the 20th! It was only for Monday thru Friday. So my continum lasted after all, and now I only have one more day of this fast and my extensive, faith-building week will come to an end.

I am anxious to type up my Daniel Fast After Math post. I have positive expections and already see changes in my lifestyle that I will dive into after tomorrow.

I want to thank the very few that read my blog and the stranger in Alaska who stubbled upon it somehow lol. I have lots of interesting, juicy, spiritual, career building things to discuss as I get deeper into my lifes journey. Speaking of journey its suppose to be a PHOTOGRAPHIC journey and I've done a lot of post without complimenting it with images. So do not fret! I will compensate for that very soon I promise :)

I'll even post a random one right not that I took on my way to the dining hall. The sky was so beautiful I went back to my room just to get my camera! Enjoy the image and note to self

"bring your camera around more often!"

Ironically, now maybe 2 hrs after i took this picture its thundering and raining outside. lol.

laters

Day 5

Day 5 felt like I hit my peak, as well as my favorite number.

Two more days left and boy does it feel great!!
Its 11:55pm now and hopefully I finish typing this post so the date stamp is correct lol.

I woke up weak today. Joints weak, head woozy and i thought to myself did I drink all my water yesterday? And the answer was no. WATER is a life line and Daniel was wise to par take of it in his fast lol.

My dinner today was great! Even though I had to take it togo. I get full so fast now and I think its because of the water being reserved in my body.
I had roasted red potatos, spinach and garlic, and sauteed vegtables and a cup of red kidney bean soup.

The two chefs at SCAFE know me well now lol and both are very proud of my Daniel Fast. The first chef I met earlier in the week offered to make me anything special. And the other chef was like, "Girl what you know bout Daniel fasting? what church you go to?" and yadda yadda yadda.

It was funny. But I noticed the sides this week are full of natural greens just for me :)
Coinsidence? maybe but thats GODs work for ya.

Anyways I got some photo neews coming soon and a shoot tomorrow and I'm gonna take ANOTTHER stab at a modeling career -__- we'll see what happens!

Remember:
Everything happens for a reason.

DAY 3 and DAY 4

Okay! So these past 2 days flew by and I got behind. Thats the trouble with me and daily blogs I can't keep up!

I don't have too much to say about the fast. The bigger fasting updates will be in tonights post seeing how I'm just posting to recap on the past 2 days.

I do feel a difference in my day when I get busy like this though. I feel almost as if i don't have the Lords prescence as much as I did the first two days when I did nothing much but pray and munch and go to a few classes.

I think its a mental thing though...

Something that I am struggling with which I will get into later is letting go or not being so WORRIED about everything. I put things in GODs hands verbally yet I still hold onto the other end of it. Its not a trust issue though, at least I don't think so. I think its just me having a hard time of breaking out of my regular routine.

The dining hall closes at 7pm today so I have to take my food to-go :/ It is the weekend here at SCAD but having class on Friday as a make-up to the MLK holiday we had is messing with my chi big time!

At any rate talk to you guys soon. And the term "you guys" is a little lame because I have no real audience just the internet void to type and record my thoughts and processes. And like I told a friend today, I'm not cocky at all, but even with no viewers right now... I feel that my mindset, personality, physcology and methods of life are so unique and mature for my age that they should be shared even if I am only sharing it with my non-existent viewers.
Similar to how I talk to GOD. I feel like I do it subconsciously. When I think to myself or contemplate an idea I'm discussing it with GOD...yup thats what I think!

Later.

DAY TWO

Day two brought emotions out of me this morning.
The last 30mins of the prayer conference I caught was strong and got tears rolling when I thought about certain things. I am very grateful for the things in my life and the good people in my life as well and I like to see good things happen to them. My sister is one of them and GOD put her on my mind this morning and I prayed and prayed for her and even sent her a text message because I had to share with her that her efforts were recognized and I know GOD has his hands on her situation. I feel that by sharing that with her any doubts or fears she may have about giving up will cease to exist and that she will not stop trying.
My dear bebe, its hard to tell when GOD is working in my relationship. I have found over the year and eight months we have been together things are overturned over a length of time. But he is a blessing in my life that is worth the wait. GOD is working in both of our lives in different ways. Today he called me his guardian angel, somewhat out of context, but it made me think more on if I am meant to be that power house of Faith for him. Perhaps my strength building in Christ will grow to be a solid resting place he can go to and resort to as he reachings GOD in his own way to stand on his own feet in Christ.

Anyhoo, the devil was tempting me this morning by blowing away my breakfast while walking to class(grapes, green ones too :( they were yummy). But I held on through class with my warm water and had faith and i had no tummy aches or nothing!
Dinner was very fulling! They had a spinach and garlic side dish and a good vegan soup and white rice. lots of natural things for me to choose from! The spinach and garlic was my favorite. The soup was good but tooo too salty so i culdnt eat it at all. I was lucky to meet the chef of my dining hall. i was asking about how the soup was prepared to make sure it was all natural ingrediants and he answered my questions and even figured out that I was doing the Daniel Fast. I think he was impressed and wished me luck. He even said if I ever needed anything he'd make it special for me :)

Now I don't mean to rush but its a BLACK OUT of the internet and I gotta get offline. In protest of SOPA/PIPA bills nots to be passed. The way we surf the web and run our lives will never be the same.

<3

Day 1

I know I am a little late posting this but it has been in reserve in my mind.
Day 1 of my partial Daniel Fast was January 16th, 2012.

I woke up for the morning prayer conference and listened in to my pastor's voice. It was very comforting ot hear her and I prayed as she prayed than fell back asleep. I didn't wake up until 1pm and I wondered if I was tired or if I was triyng to sleep away the hours of the day. With that in mind I got up quickly. I knew I could not allow any fear to keep me from my days activities. After brushing my teeth and  changing my clothes I went to the dining hall to get some food. After filling my to-go plate with fruit I remembered I would need some veggies for dinner so I got another to-go plate for that separately as my after 7pm meal. Here is a picture of what I collected:

(yes i put broccoli in my cup...)

Anywho throught the day and the day before I did speak to some people about this. One of my roomates are English and she was amazed at the endevour of me fasting for 7 whole days. She said she did it only for a day. My other roomate is not religious at all, her parents never made GOD an important factor in her life or her brothers life. When she asked why I was fasting I was proud to tell her how this was an opportunity to get clloser to GOD and speak with him through prayer and my fasting would give me time to do so. My other friend spent the evening in my room doing homework and supported my fast though she said she could never do that. I told her how at rest my mind and body and spirit was and she compared it to meditation. One day I pray that her meditation turns to prayer and a relationship with the Lord. She really needs Him.

I prayed throughout the day and I was always thanking GOD. He woke me up with the feelinf to run and take on the day. I am a carnivor, a serious meat-eater and I thought I'd be crying and struggling but boy do i tell you the POWER IN PRAYER! I felt better than ever! If I felt a little hungry I had some grapes and the feeling was gone. In the morning I warmed up my bottled water in a mug to prevent gas from building in my stomach. My dinner was the broccoli and some corn and tomatoes that my dining hall was serving today. I also filled my cup with lentil and spinach soup. Dinner:

I could not believe how FULL i got from just the items on my plate. I saved the soup for later which I did eat before going to bed. Before eating it I went crazy on the internet looking up what lentils were making sure it was all vegetables and water. I smelt it and poked at the items. But I comforted myself knowing that lentils were grown from the Earth and that the soup had a Vegan label on it in my dining hall so it could not have a meat broth of any kind or else students could sew the school for false advertising hehe.



The devil I would say popped up in my life via TV commercials. I was defiantly attracted to the food commercials but it didn't phase me. GOD made me so strong yesterday, I really believe I can make it through this week and even longer. I am really proud of myself and I know that God is proud of me too.
My night ended speaking to my Bebe on the phone. I pray for him more than I pray for myself at times. I want GOD to come into our relationship more than he already is and I pray that perhaps I am suppose to be the driving force of change in eachothers lives. We are a blessing to eachother and I know GOD has a plan for us, I'm just praying to figure it out.

Now its 6:54AM and the morning prayer conference ended before I began typing this. But I can't share the details of the conference until tonight at the conclusion of Day 2.

May God Bless those who find these blog posts.
<3

The Daniel Fast

Its been a long while since I've been on this blog but I feel this is a good time to come back even if its for a short period of time.
Today is Sunday, January 15th and tomorrow I am going to embark upon a fast.
Since coming to savannah I have church hopped and finally settled on a church to call home.
Living Hope Community Fellowship Church in Garden City has welcomed me and I came running. The church had just what I was looking for and more. I am a musical being and its important to me to connect to GOD and a church through the music ministry. The church has a lovely selection of music and a large college crowd. I think today they were saying they had 120 college students.
At any rate, the Pastor is the "so much more" Living Hope gave to me, better yet what GOD led me to.
Pastor Joyce Hall is the first female pastor I have ever had and what a blessing is she. Her lively hood, her voice, her jokes, her love for GOD and her church are so pure and true, my spirit hears her and loves her voice. I truly feel that your spirit talks to you if you are willing to hear it. It's a stronger voice from your heart is much stronger that her mind of course. Sometimes I wonder if its GOD...cause he knows I'll trust that voice perhaps he speaks through it...idk.
I'm looking for a change and this is no New Years Resolution this is something I have been inching toward one step at a time. GOD has blessed my life with graduation, with marriages in my family, with loved ones around me, with affording to get to the College of my dreams. I've always had a guilty conscience and I feel that to continue living my life the same without giving him more than a thank you is foolish! What I want to do is not pay back. Its not temporary its a new lifestyle that cannot happen over night. But I am passionate in what I do and I pray for many more blessings in my life, but who am I to ask for blessings for which my actions do not deserve.
I watch the lives of Godly men and women and I take mental notes trying to figure out what I am doing wrong. But that was my issue I was not being me I was attempting to be someone else. I have to find MY new lifestlye and MY way of worship and MY way of speaking to my Jesus. I have religious role models in my life but my sister is one in particular. From her college days she dedicated herself to the Lord and I envy her stories of her prayer and hearing Gods answer. She's an extrodinary mother and wife and a peacekeeper to die for. Yet she still enjoys her life, her music, her movies, and sports.
I read forums online that condem secular music and Earthly activities and television as a whole. I believe those things can penetrate your mind and influence you to do and think a certain way. But am I the only one who truly believes the my spirit has a guard up? My spirit is not harmed by the love songs I sing, by the hip-hop I groove to, by the movies I watch, and various other things that interests me. That which interests me makes up my personality, my creativity, my outlook on life. But the source and the final say is reflected off my morals and beliefs of my Saviour.

I am taking part of the Daniel Fast, hence the subject title. Daniel fast is based on a fast Daniel the prophet did for 21 days. As a first timer I am going to do 7 days of a partial fast.
7am to 7pm outside of that time I going to only eat things that grow directly from the earth. no processed foods, bread, nor sweetners. Pretty much fruit, water, and veggies.
Just thinking about it is making me sigh and pout and I stuffed myself today with all the things I love to eat of course lol. But even with my pouting I am actually excited.
I am challenging myself and that excites me. The outcome also excited me. My Pastor refers to "a party" that will happen in your spirit at the end of a fast. Its like God's reward for my dedication to remove my self and wants from my life in order to get closer to him. A life with the Lord excites me. I feel that her has so much in store for him and I know he has a Promise for me that is clouded by our lack of communication.
I'm hoping my "party" is his presence in my life. I want to HEAR Him so bad! His word is truly a weapon I want to learn to weild.

Anyway, the one thing I am missing is a goal. I read that in my prayer and meditation my body, mind, and spirit is tested and pushed to many limits and that in my prayer I should have a goal. But I don't really have one. But I don't want to use not having a goal as an excuse not to do this fast. I need to go through this and I know GOD will show me the way.

I got homework, books to read, and loads of gospel music and a case of water to get me through these days. And I am going to keep up with my progress and pains via blog each night.

Good Night. 5:30AM prayer in the morning :)