Meet Naomi Perier | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Naomi Perier and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Naomi, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I came from a family split between a scientific side and an artistic one. I initially pursued the academic way, completing a bachelors in psychology. But I soon came to realise there was a sense of flavour missing in my life. In my early years as an adult I started exploring creative ways of expression, through movement and music. I then rekindled with an old passion of mine, photography, which I had left in the dust during my teenage years. I fell in love with the craft again and I started exploring this intricate way of connecting to the world. For me the arts are essential for a wholesome life. They give meaning to all the things that we cannot put words onto, they are the glue that tie experiences together and the bridge between what felt but not known. Photography itself is a deep honouring of life, an appreciation for reality, a spotlight on the beauty that surrounds us and reverence to the duality of our experience.

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I started travelling from a very young age which made me appreciate the beauty of this world. I was initially born in Santa Barbara, California and spent the first few years of my life close to the ocean. I then moved to Belgium and spent most of my childhood over there. I grew up with a sense of curiosity for the world surrounding us and a longing for adventure. When I was 18 years old I went to Thaïlande to volunteer for a project during for 3 months. This was my first time travelling alone and I fell deeply in love with the country but also with the feeling of aliveness that I felt. I loved the authenticity of the interactions, the sense of simplicity in which things were shared and the richness of experiences. I think travelling alone is so important because it not only opens you to the world around you but also to yourself. I have pretty much never not stopped travelling ever since going back and forth from Belgium and many wonderful countries.

These days I get to photograph my surroundings and create with the landscapes of local colour tones. The imbedded stories within a place are an endless source of inspiration for me. But from all things I love when I travel, human connection has always been what I have valued the most. This is why I feel passionate about photographing women, in all of their rawness and complexity. I have a natural approach with my images, my photography doesn’t aim to change reality but to emphasise it. I try to highlight subtle beauty, the one that only comes with authenticity and to showcases the duality of our human experience. I feel very excited about shooting in different places of the world and to be able to tell stories with the people and places I get to exchange with.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I mostly photograph women in a natural surrounding because it is what I know best and what inspires me most. Nature helps us come back to ourselves and has always induced a sense of calmness in me. I think that when we are relaxed and open, we experience the full spectrum of our person because we allow emotions to move through us. This is when stories come and go, and that is what I capture: an experience or a remembrance, which are often embedded one in the other.

I see photography as an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate different qualities. I shoot mostly on film, with old cameras, because I feel like those photographs carry a lot of feelings. When I take a portrait, it is a particular moment and a specific emotion that is captured. It is then crystallised to be returned to, again in again. It is an opportunity to see and to remember. I like being able to capture what we sometimes oversee and the subtleties that move and shape us.

I am interested in the themes of escapism, adventure and all of the emotions that come with those. I am on a quest for authenticity and hope to continue capturing human stories through my lenses.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am currently in Los Angeles California where I love to start the day by soaking up some sunshine with a cup of coffee. Then every day is different, I go on little adventures in different parts of town and discover new places. I love how diverse this city is ! There are so many different types of people and scenes out there. I love to go to little Tokyo to get some fresh mochi at “Fugetsu-Do” the Japanese bakery, walk around downtown or get some tacos from one of the Mexican trucks that display an amazing selection of handcrafted heated salsa. I also really enjoy going on a day trip to Santa Barbara to enjoy the pittoresque charm of the town, marvel at the colourful tiles in Paseo Nuevo and eat some fresh Uni on the harbour which came straight off the boat !

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to my family for always supporting me and allowing me to explore !

Instagram: naomiperier