CLAUDIA

I’m an Australian-based photographer. My favorite color is a deep sunset blue—darker than an ultramarine. I grew up on the East Coast of the continent, which provided me with endless dreaming and an intrinsic respect for the land around me. I was fortunate to have supportive parents who valued and respected the decisions I made, and allowed me to become an independent thinker; someone who lives a life now shaped by art.

It’s still my family and the people around me who continue to shape the person I am. I’m never closed to change, but I stand strong in my values and the life choices I make. My dad taught me to trust in my own decision making, and to feel what was right in how my body responds. An instinct that is nearly always right. I love those who have shown me new things and have pushed my perceptions to a wider place of experience and understanding. I feel there are always parts of ourselves we are discovering, finally allowing ourselves to be.

Every day, I pick up my camera and it’s a different experience. That’s what really inspires me to keep going. I love that things are constantly changing. The people I work with vary vastly, exposing me to different creatives processes, opinions, ways of seeing. I first picked up a camera as a teenager and I never really looked back. I know it was something that was going to be a part of my life forever— my chosen creative outlet —and I am forever thankful for that, and that I’m able to do something I feel so connected to as my job.

I was recently gifted a Minkkinen book, which includes his continual body of work for the past 50 years. To see someone now in their 70s, still obsessed with creating extremely beautiful work that they are proud of is really inspiring. I hope that is me one day. We all just want to be creating things we are proud of and this takes time. Be patient.

I never try to change how I see the world when I am behind the lens. I can be a fairly reserved person, which I think sometimes shows through my personal work.

I think that’s why I love shadows; I don't like to give everything away at once. There’s just as much beauty in the darkness and the unseen. I believe that less is more. I’ve never been one for living any other principle.

I believe true representation is beautiful, and that beauty can be found everywhere. In tears, how light drifts over skin, swimming under the sun, memories, the 70-year old Dutch woman with beautiful grey hair who I see at the supermarket, a wilted flower; anything that is just completely, truly, itself. I feel most beautiful fresh out of the ocean, when my skin still feels salty.

My approach to beauty is minimal. I wake up slowly — I love to stay in bed as long as possible. After a shower, I really love to apply the RITUAL SERUM with a Gua Sha. The lingering scent is completely soothing. When I’m locked inside editing images, I’ll apply the BIOACTIVE MASQUE.

My greatest hope for humanity is simply that we can all, one day, be kinder to each other and the land we live on. I hope we can get to a place where everyone feels safe to be themselves. It is such a privilege to be completely yourself, with no questions or worries. Right now, I’m personally working on letting go of doubt and fear of the unknown — something which ties back to my words to live by, words that are so difficult for many of us to accept fully: you are worthy.

Self portraits by CLAUDIA SMITH. View her work here. Claudia uses the RITUAL SERUM and EVERYDAY COMB.