From Landscapes to Fashion

A while ago I read the most interesting, and most helpful advice of all, but I will get to that in a second.

If you’ve been following me since the start of my online presence (I was never really a social media person and only started in 2023 to become one) you have probably noticed a huge shift from first landscape photography to now…fashion??? If anyone had told me that I would land here, giving advice on fashion photography, well, I probably would have laughed at their face (or not, because let’s be real that’s mean).

But a while back I read the most helpful advice that I could have ever come across, and I’m here to share it with you. If you’re ever lost in your photography journey… go back to your childhood. What were you drawn to, what made you happy, what did you do? It takes some sitting down, maybe a couple cups of coffee (and who would complain about that?!), and some deep thinking. But I promise you - it helps.

This is what it looked like for me: I came across this advice when I was back in my 700 people village I grew up in. Think: every leaf that drops - you’ll hear it. Every owl singing at dawn and dusk - you’ll hear it. Now here’s the absolute best. My parents live right next to the forest so you’ll absolutely feel like a beaver, or a raccoon, or whatever the heck lives in a forest. Absolute serenity. And when I say absolute I mean absolute. So now I started thinking. What DID I do as a child, and what am I still holding on to now that amazed me as little-me. Here were my conclusions: anything nature - especially the kind that makes you feel a type of eeriness (does that word exist?), friends, TON of friends, being creative beyond exhaustion, and… The Nanny. Um, what?! Yes. Fran Drescher. If you don’t know what I’m talking about Google The Nanny Outfits and it’ll pop up and it will also answer any question a la “why did Saskia actually make the switch?”. Though I get it. It’s easy to go back and find evidence for your future self’s decision. It’s almost like reading a horoscope. You will always be able to make sense of what’s written there. But, here’s the thing. While there were tons of things that defined my childhood and that were important to me, I do believe some of the ones I mentioned are indeed the ones that I was and am a bit obsessed with. I watched The Nanny up and down and admired her outfits, and boldness of combining them a lot. I was so creative even around my friends, to the point that it annoyed them (yes those are not my friends anymore). I absolutely needed to be outside.

But before I ramble on and on… my point is that you can absolutely find your way back in case you feel lost. Sit down with your favorite beverage and let your mind wander, and: tell me how it goes when you tried it. I’d LOVE to hear from your experience with this experiment.