#stephsantos

[mycityandme]

A double edged sword: The Pursuit of Happiness (by Steph Santos)

The question was, what brings you joy and what worries you?

Ultimately, there is the one answer to both parts of this. In fact, I think it’s the answer to everything: The pursuit of happiness.

As a young adult in today’s world, I often looked back at my childhood and teen years and thought damn, things were so simple then. And I do feel like they were much simpler days. But as of lately, I’m starting to think that maybe this nostalgia of simpler times, is actually the nostalgia of a simpler form of myself. What made that form simpler? I think that has a simple answer too. Younger me, although completely oblivious to it at the time, was purely focused on the pursuit of happiness.

So to expand on the first part of the question, what has brought me joy during this time we’ve been living? Well, it’s been the return to the pursuit of happiness.

I’ve not kept up with news or politics or anything of the sort. I feel like I have been free to exist in my own bubble. No FOMO from the motion blur around me because as it happens, the world halted and slowed down too. This allowed me to focus only on what makes me happy. I’ve also reflected lots and am aware that my set of circumstances allow for this. I have parents that keep a roof over my head, and put food on the table. I don’t have to worry about surviving. It’s not something I take for granted, I’m aware that I’m lucky to be able to prioritise happiness. However, before this whole pandemic, I didn’t embrace that advantage. I was somewhat caught up in the stress of showing up in the world, adhering to all these expectations and comparing myself to people. After months and months of feeling my mental being continuously overwhelmed, I pushed back on all of this at the end of last year. I booked a long trip in February with my best friend and had decided that when I came back from it, I wasn’t going to start job hunting, I wasn’t going to rush into anything. I was going to slow down and only say yes to things that made me happy. My parents wouldn’t let me go homeless or hungry so I had nothing to worry about. I wasn’t going to be pressured to ‘get my life together’. I didn’t want to compromise for the sake of looking good on paper anymore. No, I wanted to find and build something that I loved. Little did I know that the world would soon slow down with me in my pursuit of happiness. It felt like my younger years again. I picked the subjects I wanted to study, and then outside of that, I did whatever made me happy. No schedules and no expectations. It may seem counterintuitive given our society’s obsession with ‘productivity’ but as it turns out, this is the least stressed I’ve been since graduating, and the most I’ve evolved professionally and personally since university.

Which brings me to the second part of the question, what worries me? Well like I said, it’s the same answer. The pursuit of happiness.

With so many things that make me happy, how does it all come together? When will it all start to fall into place? Is it silly to explore all these different things rather than just get really good at one thing? But I get bored so easily, what if I do that and then start hating that one thing because I feel limited? Will I start feeling pressured again when the world picks back up? Will that pressure then force me back into the cycle of making rash decisions and ending up feeling trapped somewhere again? Am I even compatible with the world we live in? I mean, I don’t agree with so much of it. When will I have enough influence to make changes? Will I be able to build up to this level without playing by the rules first? Realistically will my mental even be able to handle that? Am I too much of a snowflake? Do I just need to grow up and get it together like everyone else? But then look at so and so complaining about their job. Is that how I want to feel in 5 or 10 or worse 20 years? They do have more life experience than me so maybe I should just listen to them... But then what if they gave up on their dreams too quickly? Or didn’t try hard enough? Or maybe they had to give up because they had to prioritise survival? But then is my advantage also my disadvantage? No that can’t be right, I know I’m a go getter. I’m just more specific about what I want because I can be. But what if circumstances change?

See how easy it is to spiral? One worry turns into another and its never ending. More interestingly, it’s the same thing that induces both the positive chain of thoughts, and the negative if I allow it.

So I go back to one thing everytime. I trust me. I know what I want from life. The same way there are unhappy people in the world and there are somewhat content people in the world, there are also people who are living out their dreams in this world. If they can do it, so can I. I’m wired differently to my parents for a reason. They walked so I could run. I have the chance to pursue happiness and I want to do it not just for me, but for them too. And if I run, then maybe I can give someone else wings to fly in their own pursuit of happiness.

[glompcat]

stephsantos replied to your post: “help I wanna order in food to celebrate having a  j o b (even if it is...”:

what are your food options

all of them?

[reinasof]

stephsantos replied to your post: anonymous said:So I'm like a lesb...

I actually know a lot of lesbians who fool around with guys from time to time. How come when a girl hooks up with a random girl she’s just being curious or experimenting but the SECOND a lesbian does the same with a guy she’s no longer lesbian?

because people think men change you

[stephanie-hatesyou]

Hey

[wildcardigan]

stephsantos replied to your post “isn’t Google’s logo always rainbow colored…? or is that just me..”

i think it usually doesn't have purple and orange or something but they also had a cute little quote about equality so that was nice

it was about sportsmanship but ok.

[creativityworks-sx]

Sunset by Steph Santos

Costa Da Caparica, Portugal – August 2020

These were taken after an afternoon of surfing. Photography is one of my major loves. I’ve been uploading shots to this page here and aim to keep building a portfolio. 

[mycityandme]

My 4 Quarantine Fashion Essentials (by Steph Santos)

[hamishwatson]

Your's is the only giveaway i've ever been a part of, because the items are all something I'd love to win.

Aw, that's cool! Well good luck to you, then. And I know, you can find some pretty cool stuff in stores and on the internet. Damn.

[creativityworks-sx]

Don’t be a Nigel

by Steph

I’ve found myself with a growing interest in fashion photography, and more specifically Vogue and Anna Wintour. (I feel like this was bound to happen given that one of my best friends is a stylist and I’ve become more and more in awe of her work). 

Shooting for Vogue has now been added to my bucket list. Short term wise – I need to get myself a Vogue subscription. 

Naturally, everywhere and everyone told me to watch “The Devil Wears Prada” and “The September Issue”. 

Yes, very aware The Devil Wears Prada was released in 2006 however, I had never watched it until yesterday. 

Turns out, I loved it. Like genuinely top 10 favourite movies of all time. So many takeaways and hard life lessons but ultimately the biggest one for me:

Don't be a Nigel. 

Nigel, although an absolutely lovely human, spent 18 years not believing in himself and compromising his values at times. In the end, he’s the only one who loses. Even Andy walked away. Don’t be a Nigel. 

[creativityworks-sx]

“Reels School” with Facebook

by Steph Santos

Last Thursday, we had an amazing Facebook career masterclass led by Leslie Caswell and Laurian Osborne, both Client Solutions Managers in Luxury and Entertainment, respectfully.

Throughout the day, we were introduced to the vast different roles at Facebook and the culture of the company. I was super impressed by their acknowledgement of the negative repercussions of the digital age, and the fact that they scheduled in an hour of meditation and emotional wellbeing awareness for us too.

Super exciting for me personally, was the “Reels School” element. Reels is the latest feature to arrive to our Instagram apps. I had created one reel last month (August) however had found the feature a little bit difficult to use as there were a couple things I couldn’t do at the time – like edit previous clips.

As I soon discovered, Facebook have been working hard and rolling out updates which have increased the functionality of Reels. Sammy King talked us through these and explained the ins and outs of reel, and then we were given an hour to create and share our own!

Here’s one I came up with quickly – I  rushed the edit a little at the end, but I guess you get the idea that I like taking pictures :)

[creativityworks-sx]

Just something I’ve been working on for the last few months: 📸 @xs.captures (on Instagram).

I started with a double purpose — to practice shooting, and also find out what I like shooting.

I think I like portraits 👍

[creativityworks-sx]

P.S.A FOR ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS – Do not stress, an extensive portfolio is not the be all or end all. (by Steph Santos)

This morning I was super lucky to be able to spend some time picking the brain of celebrity photographer, Paul Hampartsoumian. Check out his work here!

Paul has been active since 1995 (literally my birth year) and had a wealth of experience and entertaining AAA stories with high profile names to share with us.

When asked about his career journey, he admitted to never really using a portfolio. Instead he stressed the importance of other things such as developing your craft, networking, and just being a decent human.

“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

Continuously develop your skill, when the opportunity arises, you’ll be up for the challenge.

“Display enthusiasm, show commitment.”

Paul spent a lot of time sending Hip Hop Connection magazine photos he had taken of artists. Eventually, it paid off! He also highlighted that a lot of times it’s about being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes someone’s regular photographer can’t make it, that one-off is your opportunity!

“Say hi to people, be human.”

This piece of advice was embedded in a Nicki Minaj story where she was looking a little sullen before a shoot. Artists are people too, treating them as such and build good relationships. Building trust goes a long way.

“Be yourself so people want you, not a photographer, they want YOU.”

Being reliable, producing good work and getting final edits to your client in record time are all ways to ensure that you’ll be the first person they call for a job. But also, if you’re good vibes on top of all of that – that gives you an edge over every other talented photographer.

[creativityworks-sx]

Cultural Tribes - Steph Santos

Creative Direction went something like this: 

“I want it to be fun, colourful, child like –  I need chalk.” 

Then 

“Would chalking up these buildings be vandalism...? Bro, if they stop us I’ll just have to say allow me I’m trying to secure the bag here :(” 

[creativityworks-sx]

Press Release: “Part of The Bigger Picture” by Inspire Media (Aaron, Karmeta, Steph & Mujamel)

Wednesday 13th May 2020 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPCOMING YOUNG BLACK AUTHOR PUBLISHES FIRST BOOK, A COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES DETAILING THE LIVES AND STRUGGLES OF A COMMUNITY LIVING ON AN ESTATE IN SOUTH LONDON, IN HOPES TO GIVE VOICES TO THOSE WHO ARE OFTEN OVERLOOKED.

Upcoming author Xavier Pencille releases his first book, “Part of the Bigger Picture” which explores social identity within a working class society. This release is via his own production company “TSTAC” (Two Sides to a Coin). He aims for this to be part of a movement to bring attention to the vulnerable and misinterpreted members of society, providing a platform for their voices to be heard. 

The short stories look at those within an often-mistaken community, reviewing the narrative that surrounds these individuals, especially young black people, by bringing awareness to experiences that have shaped them, their ambitions and the obstacles they face. 

Xavier says: “There is a lot of gentrification going on and a lot of stories are being lost and overlooked, especially those belonging to people who tend to be perceived as ‘smaller characters’ in society. I wanted to shine a light on them and show that there is a bigger picture, their voices need to be heard too“.

Earlier this year in March 2020, Xavier hosted a book launch with the support of “New Beacon Books”, specialists in African and Caribbean literature. [Please find hi-res images attached].

NOTES TO EDITORS About New Beacon Books New Beacon Books is a specialist bookstore located in North London. Founded in 1966, they have been showcasing poetry, literature, non –fiction, history and children’s books from Africa, Caribbean, Asia, African American, Europe, South America and Britain - cultures and communities of people that are otherwise overlooked by mainstream publishers. For further information, visit their website at: https://www.newbeaconbooks.com/ Instagram: @newbeaconbooks

About Xavier Pencille Xavier is an up and coming author whose stories are a reflection of the circumstances of his upbringing. He’s a 26 year old single dad, raising a little boy who he hopes will avoid the struggles and hardships that he had to endure during his childhood and adolescence. He has been working on this book for the past 3 years, while simultaneously raising his son and working a retail job to provide for his family. Instagram: @pendeauthor

CONTACTS

For further information about the book, events or for any media requests:

Senior Publicity Managers: aaron@inspiremedia.com |  karmeta@inspiremedia.com Xavier’s Manager: steph@inspiremedia.com New Beacon Books Publicist: mujamel@inspiremedia.com

By Aaron, Karmeta, Steph & Mujamel

[creativityworks-sx]

Brainstorming the No Signal story - A blog post by Steph Santos

After a very informative and super helpful Zoom masterclass on “The Art of Storytelling” with Vivien Morgan, we were assigned the task of telling a story of our choice, through videojournalism.

Here’s how I incorporated Vivien’s tips to help create my story.

For me personally, I think the most useful piece of advice was to make a list of all the elements (or video “ingredients” as Vivien called them) before making the video. This way, I knew what I wanted to include and made it a priority to collect these elements ASAP.

I did find that the creative direction changed as I started to put the video together. For example, the tweeting shot wasn’t in the original list.

This is where the second most useful tip (again for me personally) came into play.

Know your resources. Do you have time, access and budget? This will save you a lot of headache and teach you to either think outside the box (quickly), or to move on from an idea even if it is amazing - at least you can keep it in mind for next time when you DO have the resources.

Given the script and the way the edit was coming together, it made sense to me to film it quickly and add it in. I did have 10 seconds spare, another camera and tweeting is free. Although it did take closer to a minute to get right. iPhone auto correct was born in 2005 and it shows - it didn’t know an “N-dubz”.

(Yes, I did google that piece of info just now. To add to that fun fact- autocorrect is the tech baby of a guy called Ken Kocienda.)

The mathematical component of 3 words per second helped me when writing lines for my script. I now knew roughly how long each segment would be and avoided accidental monologues that are a pain in the a** to cut down in the editing process.

Vivien showed us a beautifully organised word document table as an example of a work-in-progress video being mapped out, however my brain seems to prefer a different approach.

I have been doing all my note taking and brainstorming in this style since starting Creativity Works and it works wonders for bouncing ideas off eachother - but when it comes to the execution, I find myself making final decisions as the project comes to life. I find it easier to gauge what will look/sound right as I build.

I feel that as I gain more experience creating and editing videos, and build upon the understanding of what makes stories and videos not just good but great, I’ll hone this intuitive side and be able to “see” projects start to finish in my head.

I also now understand the need to thoroughly brief anyone contributing their words to your story. Rob and Abi had amazing 3-4 minute clips with in depth answers and analysis. I am thinking to repurpose those in an extended version, more geared towards marketing & music heads.

The 48 hour turn around means I spent alot of consecutive hours working on it, but I did really enjoy this challenge :)

Thank you to Vivien, and as always, much love for the MediaTrust team!

[creativityworks-sx]

#TheGoodInWhereILive by Steph Santos

This picture was taken just off Church Road in NW London. Everyday, on my way to school, I would walk by this tree. It’s the only one of it’s kind on this particular street. Whenever I noticed the pink flowers blossoming (which always seemed to appear suddenly), I knew summer was around the corner. The long winter months were over, at least until next time of course. Everything in life cycles and moves.