Darius Bashar Photography

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 enormousrightfully 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 h...ad 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 @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. Model: @paigedubrul Hair & Make-up: @kellyd.makeup Production design + styling: @sandrabastone & @ariellaezerzer Digital Tech: @misha_ras Lighting Support: Sean Tate Editing: 85Retouching Photography: @dariusbashar See more

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 enormousrightfully 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 C'est Moi Clothing Co., Sandra Bastone 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. (summer 2021) Huge thank you to the team who supported this shoot. You guys are freaking rockstars. Model: Paige Elizabeth Hair & Make-up: Kelly Davidson Production design + styling: Sandra Bastone & Ariella Ezerzer Digital Tech: Misha Ras Lighting Support: Sean Tate Editing: 85Retouching Photography: Darius Bashar 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.

CONGRATS DR. STEPHANIE ESTIMA! It’s really cool photographing people over the course of a few yearsespecially 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 See more

HOW DARE YOU PLAY SMALL? 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 feeli...ng 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. The beautiful human in these photos is my dear friend Luciana Alexandria Santaguida. - Originally written Jan 03, 2018 See more

TESTIMONIAL TUESDAYS - KRISTIN DORSEY Never in my life have I felt so comfortable in front of a camera or so blown away by the images that were captured. ...I wanted to do the shoot for my birthday my 39th birthdayand to capture how I show up in the world with the strength and wisdom I've gathered in life so far. The photos show that and so much more, and it was all due to the fantastic experience that Darius created, and allowed me to create with him. Darius didn't just start shooting, he walked me through the whole process, explained techniques and angles; he basically gave me a little class in how to be a model. It was extraordinary. The shoot was so relaxing and so much fun that I was disappointed when it was time to stop! I wanted to keep trying new things and taking more pictures! I can't wait to come back next year and do a shoot for my 40th birthday!" - Kristin Dorsey ----------- So grateful for you Kristin. Thank you for those super kind words. Big 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". See more

I work with a lot of coaches in my photography business; I’d say 70% of my clients are coaches. I also HIRE coaches and mentors to support my business. This is ...a significant amount of my marketing and business development budget and also the most effective thing I have done to help my business grow in the last 5 years. After all that time working with coachesboth as my clients and as my own mentorsI have learned one simple truth: The fastest way to get to your goal is by finding someone who has already done it to coach you through the process. Super simple, right? Not exactly rocket science. When it comes to helping people start a successful online business, I honestly don’t know of anyone else that has more experience or more success stories than Rebecca Tracey. She’s been at it for years now and has worked with hundreds of life coaches, nutritionists, business coaches and healers. Her program and her breadth of knowledge on this topic is impressive. She’s also a ton of fun to work with and always travels with her adorable furry companion who made a special guest appearance during our shoot. For more on Rebecca Tracey you can check her website out here https://theuncagedlife.com Or follower her on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/rebeccatracey/ Big 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. PPS: Hair and makeup by Kelly Davidson