I'm a guy who's constantly figuring out who he is...
This question actually comes at a nice time.
I sometimes get into a habit of thinking that a lot of what I am are things I have to unlearn...
Recently I've come to the conclusion that I'm a very creative being.

Outside of ego and all that other stuff, I have a need to express.
To make things. It's a part of my being... Soul?

Outside of that...
What else am I, like, innately...?
Hmm. I'm a very deep thinker.
I like to try to understand why things are the way they are,
why they work the way they work.

I am really detail oriented.
For me, that's a blessing and a curse.
It helps me creatively: I walk through the world, I notice details everywhere. When it comes to photography, making clothes... The way my mind works is by putting all those little details together to create feelings, and to tell a story.

But in other parts of life it can be tough. When I'm putting blueberries into a bowl, it sucks.

Beautiful things excite me. I get pumped when I'm making something that has a feeling to it... I was actually just editing a shoot for the Aloe There ring and I got hyped up, just thinking this feels good, this feels special.

Hmmm.... It's funny, it was always there.

Always there as a hobby. It took me a long time to consider it as a potential career - something I could spend more time on.
It showed itself through misalignment. It wasn't until I was stuck at a desk job in an environment I didn't like that I realised photography was the only thing I never had to try to pay attention to...
It actually just interested me, and I just... wanted to do it.

I quit the job, spent all my money on a new camera, and just gave everything to it.
And the more time I've spent with it, it's only felt more and more right. It's been a big part of my life ever since.

It's changed a lot...
When I first started, it used to be fashion. Because I wanted to make a career out of photography, and I thought that's where the money was.
I went deep, moved cities, went to Paris... And it felt kind of empty.

I realised that what I create needs to have meaning behind it. It lacked the soul I was craving.

I would like to think that my work is me. Someone once told me that when they look at my work, they see me, and that was a huge compliment. I try not to be too influenced by what other people might think of it...

To answer the question: capturing something real.

I'd have to say Bali.

Even though it's my home, and I'm so used to it... It holds the most special memories of my life. It's where my best friends are.

It's brought me closer to people, made me feel free. It's facilitated some of the most wonderful moments and connections of my life. Even when I've felt done with it, it still pulls me back.

For examle, you know, I loved Mallorca, it's one of the most beauitufl places I've ever been, but Bali's different... It's home. It has depth...

I don't know why my brain says 4... Damn it...
I can't get away from 4. Take from that what you will.
Can I think of a better answer?
What's the biggest number I can think of... Is this the chimp test?
****... Dude you've crashed my system.
What's the psychology behind this?

I wanna be me without guilt or shame...
I'm taking this more deeply than maybe it's intended but I just wanna be exactly who I am, free from my own limitations, I guess.
Unapologetically stoked... In who I innately am.
Gone through enough lessons to know this is who I am at my core, and I'm just okay with that - accepting of that.
Free to just be exactly who I'm made to be.

*Ash starts shadow boxing*