My palm was sweating ferociously. As much as I was well prepared with all my material, at that very moment, my heart was pounding hard and mind was completely blank. In my engineering life, I have done tonnes of presentations, facilitated workshops & trainings, with Powerpoint slides, charts and bullet points in crowds more than 50, may be even 100. But this time, it is completely different.
Because I am talking about nudes at Camp Do More 2018.
Yes, I am not talking about formula, risk, processes or management system, I am talking about art vision, art creation, and nude bodies. I feel like I am dreaming, because of all people, Boon is probably the least qualified person to talk about art. Flash back to my teenage year, art was simply not an option for my family and in fact, it’s not something I dare to dream of.
Throughout my entire life, I am always the odd ball, who always do things that one will not expect a quiet, soft spoken, spectacled, nerdy Boon will do. I would travel alone to a foreign city to watch a dance theatre and had a sleepless night dreaming about it; I would shave my head in the middle of my engineering career life and secretly touring with local dance company around various cities playing the character of a playboy monk;
No one actually gets me, simply because I did it to myself to be surrounded by a structured, default, and deemed to be the normal life. But now thinking back, me pursuing photography kinda make sense because it is just a different form of art expression.
Fast forward to last week, the experience was unreal!
3 years ago when I first started Figuratif by Boon Ong, I would never have thought that I would be speaking about my photography passion in front of so many people. I wasn’t dreaming, it did happen. I was there at the 2018 Camp Do More, talking about something that I am passionate in – Artistic Vision, Creative Nude.
Camp Do More is the first ever boudoir photography conference that are done in an intimate summer camp set up, at Camp Timberlane in Haliburton, Ontario. Talents from all over the world were gathered here, sharing their heart, stories and passion. The connections, the sense of community, the “stripped down”, the support to each other are just so amazing that it is not something that I have ever experienced and seen in any other conferences.
It’s finally a place that I feel the sense of belonging, a place that I can openly talk about who Boon really is. It was liberating.
Of course, none of these matter without the few important people that I am forever thankful of – Brianna and Ewan Phelan for throwing a fantastic camp together; all the helping staff – Tiara, Kate, Joe, Aroha; all the fellow speakers, all the amazing models, and many new and old friends that I have chatted and connected. Last but not least, the class won’t be successful without all the attendees who have joined my class.
Thank you for believing in me, listening to my stories and accepting me for who I am.
If you are looking for more learning opportunity from me, Teri Hofford, Kevin Lowery and myself are holding the Every Bodies Workshop in St. Louis, Missouri between September 27 – 29. The workshop will be in an intimate set up including accommodation & food. Not only you will walk away with the learnings from all 3 of us, you will also have a mini photo session by each of the instructor, and potentially load full of images in your camera through various creative shooting. Early bird registrants will also receive many extra perks. Check out the full detail HERE.
And here it is, a little peek into the class, with the help of the amazing Taylor and Greg. I am lucky and blessed to have them in my class.
(Music credit: Lovely – Billie Eilish & Khalid)
Well, if you have missed the camp, the 2019 Camp Do More is now opened for registration. The speakers line up is absolutely amazing and you do not want to miss it. I definitely won’t!
If you are interested to have your very own intimate lifestyle or nude art photography session, feel free to contact or message me through Instagram @bofiguratif and Facebook page.
As always, write me a comment too and let me know how you feel about this collection. I would really love to hear from you!