Memoirs and musings of Darius Bashar. Toronto portrait photographer and writer, in pursuit of all things real, raw and intimate.
There is no such thing as ready.
There is no such thing as perfect.
And there is nothing we need to create.
We get to create. It’s a privilege—NOT a chore.
Also, our days are numbered on this cosmic rollercoaster ride called Earth.
Tomorrow is never promised to any of us. There are no exceptions.
This is not a bad thing; it’s actually a really beautiful thing.
We are ALL sacred and whole from the beginning to the end.
Your move.
Fun fact about me, my first ever photoshoot was a commercial fashion shoot. This is not the normal place most photographers start, as it’s way more intense than a free shoot with friends or family. The stakes are high, the team is huge, and the expectations are enormous—rightfully so.
I had been working as a filmmaker and cinematographer for a few years, so I was not starting from scratch. But honestly, I had no idea how to use strobe photography lights and had exactly zero experience communicating with fashion models (which I’m sure you can image is important for a FASHION shoot).
Needless to say, there were many sleepless nights leading up the the shoot. But I wanted to make sure I was as prepared as possible. So I practiced with my friends and even myself. I watched as many YouTube videos as possible. I ran through scenarios in my head.
The great news is that the shoot was a BIG success. The client was very happy, and ended up booking me for over a hundred more shoots over the next 5 years.
Here’s the lesson I learned from this experience…
Big risk CAN equal big reward. But to make this work, 3 things are crucial to the equation:
1) A rock solid team. I hired the best humans I could find; without them I would have fallen apart.
2) Crystal-clear communication with the client and team. Managing expectations and making sure everyone is on the same page is CRUCIAL.
3) An opportunity. I needed someone to take a chance on the new guy on the block. For this, I will always be grateful to @cestmoiclothing, @sandrabastone and the man in charge of it all Larry (@larryezerzer), the owner. He saw talent in an untested photographer and took a risk.
The risk worked out great for all of us. Years later, and I am still working with C’est Moi Clothing.
Here are some photos from our most recent shoot.
Huge thank you to the team who supported this shoot. You guys are freaking rockstars. 🌟
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Model: @paigedubrul
Hair & Make-up: @kellyd.makeup
Production design + styling: @sandrabastone & @ariellaezerzer
Digital Tech: @misha_ras
Lighting Support: Sean Tate
Editing: 85Retouching
Photography: @dariusbashar
PS: Special shoutout to Sarah Morales. She was my first stylist and my rock for at least the first 50 of those shoots. Her support, mad talent and kindness were essential and will forever be appreciated.
This Self-Love Meditation is a bit different from the others. It has a very powerful self-love visualization in the middle that can quickly and effectively bring you to a place of self-acceptance and self-compassion.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes.
Sending a shoutout to my brother from another mother @SoulBrotherDane for being the beautiful human in the thumbnail below.
Big LOVE and happy Hump Day!
D
PS: If you’re looking for a FREE collection of Guided Morning Meditations, I’ve got you covered —> https://www.artistmorning.com/free-meditation-for-creativity
PPS: Come meditate with me live. We meet as a group on Zoom every Wednesday and Friday at 9am EST. Sign up here for free —> Free Group Meditation / @artistmorning
It’s really cool photographing people over the course of a few years—especially humans that are on a mission to change the world. Over the past 2 years, I have photographed Dr. Stephanie Estima 4 times.
Immediately during our first shoot, I could feel a powerful energy inside her. Shortly after, Dr. Stephanie launched her now super successful podcast called Better! She just crossed 1,000,000 downloads, which is HUGE. She interviews the top thought leaders on the planet on the topic of health, fitness, sex, intimacy, longevity, parenting, mindset, and pursuing excellence. I have personally recommended her podcast to so many people and they always thank me.
It was awesome watching Dr. Stephanie grow and impact millions. It was also a lot of fun for me to see our photos all over the internet, as she used one of our HEARTshots as the cover for her podcast. :)
Fast forward to fall 2020 when we shot our most recent photoshoot for the cover of her first book, The Betty Body, which launches today. It was amazing to witness her acceptance and comfort with becoming a world-class thought leader.
She had a lot of confidence during our past shoots, but there was something even more magical about Dr. Stephanie this time. There was a radiant lightness to her. Although she was taking on a lot more responsibility with the massive success of her podcast and her upcoming book, somehow she felt like a kid playing.
Keep shining that glorious light of yours into the world, Dr. Stephanie. I can’t wait for our next shoot and to meet the next version of you. And congrats on your book launch.
I absolutely love how the photos turned out and I’m getting another big kick watching as they spread across the internet and the world. I just bought copies of your book for my partner Jenn and my mother. I know they are going to love it.
Big love,
D
PS: If you want more info on Dr. Stephanie’s book, here’s the link → https://bettybodybook.com // @dr.stephanie.estima
I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was a teenager. That’s over 2 decades. For almost that entire time I somehow forgot about every single long weekend holiday.
Instead of taking a little extra time to rest and recharge I would double down and use the day to “catch up” or do more work.
Today, for the first time I want to try something different.
I want to take the day off.
As I write this I feel guilt building up inside me. I feel like a bad entrepreneur. Like I’m being lazy.
It’s funny cause I don’t feel this way about any other entrepreneur that decides to take the day off: only me. I actually admire them and think to myself, “I guess they are ahead of me and have figured out how to make it work.”
My to-do list is long and deep. But honestly, it’s always been that way. No matter how many things I get done, it keeps growing like a game of Tetris.
I have a few meetings today that I probably can’t reschedule, which is often the case when I don’t pre-plan for holidays.
Maybe today I’ll attend those unmovable meetings and clear as much of the rest of my schedule as possible.
And maybe today I go ahead into my schedule for NEXT YEAR and book off Family Day long weekend.
Does anyone else forget about long weekends until it’s too late?
PS: In case you were wondering, Family Day in 2022 is Monday, Feb 21.
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Photo by Faramarz Hashemi
There are so many intense things happening in the world today.
For many of us the solution is to guard our hearts, by placing walls between it and the world.
I get it. I do this too. Sometimes it's actually needed, but most of the time it ends up meaning I lose connection with my beloved heart.
This simple 15 minute guided morning meditation will lovingly help you reconnect with your heart and your truth.
BIG LOVE,
D
PS: If you’re looking for a FREE collection of Guided Morning Meditations, I got you covered —> https://www.artistmorning.com/free-meditation-for-creativity
PPS: Come meditate with me live. We meet as a group on Zoom every Wednesday and Friday at 9am EST. Sign up here for free —> Free Group Meditation
I used to really struggle with speaking from my heart. I used to bury my truth from the world, worried I might burden people and feeling embarrassed if I took up too much space.
Don't get me wrong… There is great value in humility and making space for others, but that’s not what this is about. Playing small is not humility. Quite the contrary, playing small is an act of selfishness.
At the crux of playing small is a limiting belief that states:
"If I get too big, I won't be loved."
What I've experienced in my life is that when I speak from my heart and let my light shine through, I end up giving others permission to do the same. Playing big activates the light in others and allows you to bond and connect with people on a much deeper level. This actually creates more opportunities for love in your life.
Standing boldly in your power and letting your light shine through is a very important gift we give our community and the world. It inspires others to do the same: to seek out their own truth and follow their hearts. This is a great responsibility and privilege we each hold.
The game-changer for me was in realizing that the light that shines through me is not actually mine at all. It belongs to God. And when we deny that light from shining through us, we are denying God.
Joseph Campbell said it best:
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."
Personally, I'm done playing small. It does not serve me, my community, or The Universe.
So shine bright my friend.
Before it's too late.
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The beautiful human in these photos is my dear friend Luciana. You can learn more about her and her magic here —> https://www.instagram.com/lucianawithlove
- Originally written Jan 03, 2018
It’s the middle of winter.
It’s the middle of a second lockdown for many of us.
It’s cold AF outside and I don’t know about you, but I am missing summer like crazy these days.
Especially pre-covid summer.
So, I made a meditation specifically for anyone else who is feeling the winter blues and could use a simple visualization meditation that will bring you back to those carefree summer days.
This meditation is perfect for beginners, and anyone else who wants to feel warm and cozy this morning.
Grab your headphones, find a comfortable seat, and get ready to reconnect with your favourite summer memories.
Big LOVE,
D
PS: If you’re looking for a FREE collection of Guided Morning Meditations, I got you covered —> https://www.artistmorning.com/free-meditation-for-creativity
PPS: Come meditate with me LIVE. We meet as a group on Zoom every Wednesday and Friday at 9am EST. Sign up here for free —> Free Group Meditation
It can be easy to forget your greatness.
It can be easy to forget that you are a divine cosmic traveler who chose to come to earth for a "Human Experience".
It can be easy to forget how powerful and capable you are.
This simple meditation will bring you back to the knowing that exists inside all of our hearts.
Big LOVE and happy Hump Day!
D
PS: If you’re looking for a FREE collection of Guided Morning Meditations, I got you covered —> https://www.artistmorning.com/free-meditation-for-creativity
PPS: Come meditate with me live. We meet as a group on Zoom every Wednesday and Friday at 9am EST. Sign up here for free —> Free Group Meditation
"I’ve been photographed many times but this was unlike any other experience I have had with a photographer and human being. From the moment I walked in to the moment I walked out, Darius was ON.
Never have I seen someone turn it on so quickly, so gently, so fiercely, designing and producing what I wanted my audience to see most. He knows when to push and when and what to pull. His timing, attention to detail, and the value he provides far exceeded any hopes I’d had."
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Thank you Mike for those generous and kind words. It’s been such a joy to see you and your book soar to the top of the charts. Well deserved and much needed in the world. Love you brother.
Sincerely,
D
PS: If you want to make something beautiful together in 2021, send me a quick DM or comment below with the word "2021".
