Diwadoll
Nika from @diwadoll reached out to me in December for a Christmas themed fashion shoot in New York City after she saw my photography on Instagram. Hashtags are magical, everyone! This was basically my first 'big break', and though I had never done fashion photography, I was bouncing off the walls when we'd finalized all logistical matters. My plan was to take my accounting final a week early so I could go to the city for a few days before my flight to Europe.
We met up at a Starbucks, and I was immediately starstruck by this beauty. She gave me a big hug, and we immediately started sharing our stories. Her enthusiasm for her career as a fashion blogger prepped us for the shoot ahead, and her adoration for her work encouraged me to continue chasing my creative passions. We walked across the street to St. Peter's Church in Manhattan and began our shoot in front of these enormous, studded gothic-style doors. Nika made the job so simple as she posed so naturally with each click, switching from fierce to excited to suave and back. She then had the genius idea of telling a story with our photos. To portray being outside a Christmas party, we used a fence, decorative doors, and lighting within the church. It's all about improvising and being creative with whatever the environment has to offer!
Afterwards, we headed back to Starbucks to look at the pictures, and Nika was nice enough to stay a couple extra hours to chat with me. We talked about our faith, and the differences in Christian culture across age groups. Her and her husband's love testimonies are so heartbreakingly beautiful and I love how Nika so boldly uses her fashion blogging platform for the glory of God. It was such a refreshing conversation, and my fire for Christ was invigorated by the conspicuous joy Nika effuses. This was honestly one of the best days of my life, and whenever I look back on this occasion, I don't think about how great the photos turned out; instead, I reflect on how real God is. He has a funny way of working, and He never fails to tell me exactly what I need to hear in the most unexpected ways. Hope you enjoy the photos!
