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Toronto Portrait Photographer || HEARTshots || Black + White Photography

Memoirs and musings of Darius Bashar. Toronto portrait photographer and writer, in pursuit of all things real, raw and intimate. 

Not Easy, But Definitely Worth It

It’s not easy taking photos of another seasoned photographer. 

There’s more pressure because they understand the essence of the art form and they know what’s possible. 

There are also more hurdles because they know “the tricks” to disarming people, and often will have fortified the walls around their own hearts. 

And I get it—I do the same thing when the roles are reversed. It’s almost unconscious. 

Thankfully, I‘ve photographed many awesome photographers over the years and was prepared when I got this amazing opportunity to capture one of my faves, my dear friend Mich Chiu

This shoot was a ton of fun and also very challenging in the most soul-fulfilling ways. 

I absolutely love these photos of Mich. They have a lot of sentimental meaning to me. I saw a part of myself in her that day and that brought me closer to both her and myself. 

My favourite creative collaborations are the ones where we somehow transcend “you” and “me” and become something else… something bigger, and maybe something timeless. 

Thank you Mich for saying yes. Thank you for trusting the process and really leaning in. 

I can’t wait for our next collaboration.

Love, 

D

PS: If you want to make something beautiful together in 2021, send me a quick DM or comment below with the word “2021”. I've got a great promo this month.

Tell The Truth, No Matter What!

WARNING: This is way harder than you think. 

I’m working on it every day and I’ve got a long way to go. 

There are many reasons that make it difficult to tell the truth no matter what. Here’s are a few…

  1. You have to know the truth, which requires a deep-dive into your own heart and soul.

  2. The truth might upset people, which can be really hard if you are a people-pleaser like me.

  3. And most importantly, it’s super freaking easy to lie to ourselves. We are masters at this.

In this video, I share why I believe telling the truth no matter what is actually a SUPERPOWER and one of the most important things we can do as creators, artists and humans who want to live fully expressed lives. 

Big love, ⁣⁣

D⁣

PS: If you dig this video and want to support me and the Artist Morning YouTube channel, you can subscribe here → https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtistMorning⁣ // at the link in my bio @dariusbashar

PPS: Come meditate and journal with me. It’s totally free and everyone is welcome. You might just love it → https://www.artistmorning.com // @artistmorning

#artistmorning #behindthephoto #torontophotography #torontophotographers #createmore #artistsway #creativityeveryday

Morning Meditation For Health + Healing

This meditation has helped me on several occasions when I felt run-down and exhausted. It honestly felt like a multivitamin for my soul.

It will help recharge your battery and fill you up, especially if you have been feeling stress, anxiety, exhaustion, pain, or have a general feeling of being unwell.

In 20 minutes I went from feeling like I was about to get sick to feeling strong and healthy again.

It set me up for a really great day and week.

BIG LOVE,

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 / link in bio @dariusbashar

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

#meditations #meditationpractice #meditationtime #meditationteacher #meditationclass #meditation🙏

One Thing I Wish I Knew When I First Starting Making Art...

Be gentle with your art.

And don’t forget to be kind and supportive to your artist self.

Because not everything is about money and fame.

It’s okay to keep your day job and make your art on the side.

It’s also okay to want to make a lot of money doing your art.

Just remember, for most of us our inner artist is very young. Usually between the ages of 5 and 15.

Before you place heavy expectations on yourself about earning a living with your art, let your inner artist play and create from a place of joy and exploration.

While your inner artist deepens your connection to your craft and becomes a skilled artist, it’s still your job as the adult to make sure the bills are paid and that there is food on the table.

Not all art needs to make money, but all artists do.

Love,

D

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Not All Art Needs To Make Money, BUT ALL ARTISTS do

There’s a reason so many artists and creators go broke. Many of us have terrible relationships with money. For years, I lied to myself about how I felt about money. Those lies took me to the brink of bankruptcy and BURNOUT.

It’s very dangerous when artists or creators burn out because that can lead to them quitting something that brings them tremendous joy. I have seen so many insanely talented creators burn out because they can’t figure out how to make money in a sustainable manner.

In this video, I share 3 toxic beliefs that nearly took me out of the game and 3 practical tips to shift past these toxic beliefs.

I’m really excited to share this video because these tips honestly changed my life! I know there’s a few of you out there that will use these tips and immediately see and feel a difference.

Big love,

D

Why is it Important to Tell the Truth?

I am doing research for my next YouTube video. The topic of the video is telling the truth.

I have one question for you. —> Why is it important to tell the truth?

Feel free to drop your thoughts in the comments below or DM me your answer.

Thanks in advance to everyone who takes the time to think about this and shares their answers with me. I appreciate you guys a ton.

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Coping Mechanisms

I don’t know about you, but when shit hits the fan and life starts to get overwhelming and uncertain, the easiest thing for me to do is stop taking care of myself. 

It’s so easy to fall out of my morning rituals. To stop meditating. To stop journaling. To stop exercising and eating healthy. 

By default, my coping mechanism is to bury myself under my sheets and eat and watch Netflix till I can’t feel anything… not even my own heart. 

After 38 years, it is clear to me that this approach will not help. It only prolongs and exacerbates the experience. 

What I need most in times like these is to stay as connected and close to my heart as possible. 

I need to double down on self-care, friends, family and community. 

Since the new lockdown announcement on Friday and the chaos that ensued, I worked hard to evolve past my default programming to run and hide, and instead chose to focus on the things that matter most. 

And I am really proud of myself.

I am sharing this post because I know someone out there can relate. 

It’s okay if you need to hide. It’s okay if you want to shut down. I get it. I’ve lived it for years. 

But…

Maybe you are ready to update that internal operating system. That default programming inside so many of us. Maybe there are gifts in these really challenging times. Opportunities to grow and ascend to a different level of being. 

Whatever you choose, just remember: it is a choice

Love,

D

PS: Two of my favourite self-care practices are meditation and journaling. If you are looking for a bit of space, support and structure to incorporate both into your week, come meditate with us at Artist Morning.

It’s 100% free and everyone is welcome. We meet every Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 10am (est).

You might just love it. —-> www.ArtistMorning.com / link in bio @dariusbashar