Matt

You dress like a man, you sit like a man, you work a man’s job, if you want to be taken seriously in your transition to being a trans man, cut your hair. I asked Ash to provide me with a few stereotypes he faces the most often and I was surprised to hear that cutting his hair to look like a man has been the most consistent, hearing it from people in all walks of his life. Ash has had a lifetime of self-doubt and a lack of confidence but his hair has always been a source of pride.

I had a few shots in mind, some were fairly technical, using mirrors and multiple lights but after spending the first 45 minutes talking and getting to know each other, the idea just set in; take a photo of Ash, content, happy and proud of that beautiful head of hair.

As I had a more elaborate shoot in mind, I made sure to reach out early to borrow some props. An interesting chair, a full sized mirror and a spotlight. I was able to get access to a Covid-safe area at my work office, so no studio rental was needed. Ash also did his own hair so we could avoid any cost there.

A slide is based on a pretty simple concept: climb, sit, descend. As we grow, it just becomes too simple, so we move past the slide and find other ways to thrill ourselves by climbing higher and leaping farther. Kids are wired differently; my girls go on the same slide repeatedly and are just as happy each time. I often find myself asking them why they keep going on the same piece of playground equipment and each time they reply “because it’s fun!”.

Minimalistic photography is a genre I love to look at, but one that has eluded me since I first picked up a camera - always looking for a great sunset or something with detail galore. I can’t imagine how many great images I have missed thinking the subject is too simple. Once again, my kids taught me a lesson: look for the little joys and shoot them.