A warm welcome to UK based photographer Liam Keown and fall in love with his wonderful debut series starring natural beauty Dora Baker. “After working with Dora whilst shooting at a fashion show in Bristol and being a fan of her poetry work, I approached her with stylist and friend Sacha Paynter to work together on a simple, beautiful, clean editorial shoot. Dora’s given a piece of her poetry work to accompany the shots, and we asked her a few questions about her writing and living in the beautiful, creative city of Bristol.” Styling done by Sacha Paynter.
Dora: ‘’I’m originally from Oxford, but I feel like a Bristolian now as I’ve lived in Bristol for the last 5 years. I’m 23 and I love learning languages, reading thrillers, discovering new music, singing and playing piano. I studied French and Portuguese at Bristol University and when I graduated I decided to stay! Some of my family and school friends also live here now so I feel right at home.
It sounds like a cliche but anything can inspire me. Recently I was moody about how miserable and grey the day was and I ended up writing a poem about the sky being blue behind the clouds. Sometimes I can have writers block for a month and then suddenly I’ll have lots to say and I’ll need to write, even in the most inconvenient of places.
I don’t really have a writing process, I just like to get it all out without editing myself so I end up writing things very quickly. If I take too much time over something then I think it ends up not being so good because I’ve overthought about it.
I’m also a runner at a post production film company. My life is pretty hectic at the minute, but mostly with very lovely things so I feel tired but lucky.
It’s such a release writing poetry and music. I can feel frustration/tension building and then it’s like a weight off my shoulders when I finally get it down on paper/out loud. I definitely need that creative outlet to stay sane.”
– Dora
“You’ll Recognise Me”
.
.
I’ll be the girl
With stars in my eyes.
You’ll recognise me.
I’ll be the girl who you see
Gazing at the ever-blue skies.
I’ll be the girl with planets in my pupils
A perfect balance of jewels
In every line of my palms
Diamonds in every vein of my forearms
And gems in every twinkle of my energy.
You’ll recognise me.
I’ll be the woman
with heat in my bosom,
A universe of strength in my womb,
And the heart of an intense love on a summer afternoon.
I’ll be the sister
With laughter in my step.
Impossible to resist her
Tender, soulful depth.
I’ll be the friend
Who in hard times
Helps others see the end of the tunnel
When sometimes
It seems never ending.
You’ll know me then,
When you see me shining,
When you see me smiling,
As dragons dance on my shoulders
And wings carry my feet.
A perfect mingling
as power and compassion meet.
And you’ll know you could never have me beat
With your floundering sense of who I should be.
. – Dora
Model – Dora Baker @dozzexplorer
Photographer – Liam Keown @keownphoto www.keownphoto.co.uk
Styling – Sacha Paynter @sachavelina
