Inside is the untold story of you...

There is something under the layers of clothes in the soul that I want to bring to light. It’s the place we turn to that’s our guide. It can
be an entire country of culture and depth. It’s the place within.

Before photographing, I had a different way of connecting with each person. Questions, eye gazing or another activity. I shot these
sessions in LA, SF, Portland and Seattle over the course of 2 years. This project shows the space between camera and subject as
healing. To be seen can be sad, erotic, playful or intense. Go into your darkness, say what you can’t say. Reveal yourself, whoever
you are. This is intimacy. Everybody is vulnerable

Welcome to the deepest work I have done as an artist...

Below is a photo from her youth shot by another photographer
hands spelling “L-O-V-E”
This woman later revealed that she had been raped on the same block 8 years before. Very brave shoot.
You live only once
for sure
Being naked
is not that
scary

Being free
is not hard.
To love takes
courage.
You are the story.
Tell it BOLDLY :)
This woman was born with a crooked jaw.
 by JP Chiquiza

by Brian Brooks (shared roll, double exposure) by Matt Haber

I have been photographing since 2005 in Akron, Ohio starting with black and white film. I became drawn to the tactile feeling
of developing BW prints and watching the images emerge in the darkroom. Though I mostly shoot digitally now, the aesthetic
of shooting in BW fit perfectly for this project. I’ve traveled and lived in several cities across the world before establishing a
base in Portland, Oregon. To get a deeper perspective of me, I photographed myself for this project hidden in the previous
pages. Its uncomfortable for me as photographer to be on the other side of the lens. But its greatly enhanced my work as
photographer. I think its truly beautiful to get on the same wavelength as the photographer and create something completely
unexpected. Pictured below are some images taken of me this past year while working on this book.