I met Allison Plass years ago while she was living in San Diego. Her calm, genuine, caring disposition captured my heart immediately and I’ve considered her a dear friend ever since. She is a beautiful woman in every sense of the word: thoughtful human being, loving mom and partner, and brilliant fine art photographer. She pours her soul into every action while living an existence of adventure and growth. I admire her for so many reasons. Her work “Loving Boys,” recently shown at The Shala Yoga House in NYC, is a touching depiction of the vulnerability young boys experience during the early years, and their search for identity and connection. She explores the societal expectations of men and the importance of developing a rich emotional life while they are young, which plays an instrumental role in their lives as adults. It is a subject near and dear to my heart and I am grateful for her courage to shed light on the topic. You can also see one of her images featured in the movie poster for the short film, Guarded, now screening at various film festivals. Take a peek at her website to see her work.
Describe your photography style: I think my style emerges from the questions I’m asking in a particular project. In the case of Loving Boys, I was struck by an intimate moment I had captured between my son Theo, who was 11 years old at the time, with his dad. They were in a hot tub, wrapped around each other in a tender, almost romantic embrace. I became curious to see what that emotional landscape felt like “writ large.” I soon realized that what I was really drawn to was the question of the emotional life of a boy on the brink of adolescence: what happens to his vulnerability and sense of intimate connection while he has to contend with often conflicting societal messages of what it means to be a man? That influence of masculine culture can begin so early between father and son. I wanted to capture the depth of feeling between them as it exists right now, and see it’s scope and trajectory. I think I’m just getting started!
What excites you most about photography? I love how photography requires me to pay attention, to the sensory details of a scene and the feeling of what I’m seeing, and to make decisions based on that correspondence. At the same time, there is this wonderful dramatic tension between what we see as truthful in a photograph – the “accurate” information in front of us and the authentic feeling evoked – and a certain amount of artifice (framing, posing, lighting) that goes into communicating that felt experience. I love that indeterminate quality between truth and fiction that a picture can hold. And especially with portraiture, there can be this imaginary space that allows for a lot of play in terms of how we see ourselves or how we imagine ourselves to be. Images have a lot of power that way.
What does a typical day look like for you? Well, I think that daily rituals are important to inspire creativity and a positive outlook in general. So after I’ve had a nice cup of coffee and gotten the kids off to school, I sit in meditation, followed by yoga, gym, or a brisk walk. When I take the time to check in with my mind, body and heart, I tend to feel a more intuitive sense of direction throughout my day, and that saves me time in the long run. From there, my days can look very different: I might take some pictures, attend a workshop, do research, make a shot list, or connect with other artists and their work for inspiration. I also appreciate the sense of community at my kids’ schools, and volunteer there when I can. Then there are the myriad concerns around hearth and home… I like to end the day watching the sunset with my husband and a nice glass of wine.
What inspires you?
Artistry.
Simplicity.
Humility.
My 9 year-old’s passionate piano playing.
Jazz music.
Some good lines of poetry, coming from my 12 year-old recently.
Morning meditation and a brisk walk in nature.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Let it go.
What is the quality you most admire in a person? Genuineness.
What do you like most about yourself? My self-reflection.
If you could have one magical power, what would it be? I love the idea of flying, the physical freedom and the vantage point – getting literally a bird’s eye view on my life. Parasailing is the closest I’ve come.
What is the biggest life lesson you’ve learned? That a joyful sense of being arises naturally when I am gentle with myself and genuine about my experience. Easy enough, right?
When do you feel most at peace?
After a private yoga session with you, Zella.
When my kids are asleep.
In silent meditation with community all around, in the hills of Vermont or my local Shambhala Center.
Looking at the ocean, stars, redwoods – something vast.
How do you nourish your heart and soul?
Good humor, wherever I can find it.
Seeing a good film or listening to a favorite musician play or taking in an artist’s work – any art form that makes me reflect and breaks my heart a little.
Singing the blues.
Deep conversations.
Silent retreat.
Being at the ocean or surrounded by trees.
Reading good fiction that keeps me from doing anything else.
Dancing at weddings.
Hugs from my boys.
What makes you smile?
Watching my 12 year-old daydream.
The ritual kisses I give to my 9 year-old’s belly each night and he gives to mine.
Five things you are most grateful for:
Still getting the constant love from my husband after 20 years together.
The boisterous, unconditional love of my boys.
Not having to parent alone.
The Shambhala Buddhist path – meditation, teaching, and community.
Breathing deeply, a healthy spine, and a good night’s sleep.