Inspired by an article featuring disabled models, I set out to do my own photoshoot documenting the injury that almost cost me my life. my first photoshoot since the accident. It’s a deeply personal project, so it’s a bit different from my normal, fashion-esque or derp-faced costume shoots. I went out on a limb with this one, but tried my best to keep it thought-provoking, yet tasteful. It’s an artistic documentation of my accident scars, along with some of the emotions I’ve felt along the way. I dedicate this series to every one of you out there that has scars.

We survived.

(I set out to create an evocative (but not sexy) photoshoot. It was quite a challenge. (Not to mention for mobility. These pictures were taken a few months ago when I had just started using a cane, so I was still quite wobbly on my feet. But I was determined to get these pictures and wasn’t going to let my disability stop me. It was a bit of a nervewracking process as I don’t tend to reveal much of my body on camera (I lean towards the more modest side of things), but still needed to show the majority of the scar. I finally came up with the solution of wearing a long-sleeve, high-cut leotard to both cover and expose the right parts.)

Every scar I have makes me who I am. Imperfection is beauty.

(That is, in fact, a scar on my left eyelid. My friends have been calling it my ‘superhero scar’ or my ‘chic/fashion scar’ due to it’s placement. In person, it looks like I’m wearing light red eyeliner fashionably on one eye. Fitting for The Lady Nerd, no?)

From every wound there is a scar, and every scar tells a story. A story that says, “I survived.”

“My scars tell a story. They are a reminder of times when life tried to break me, but failed. They are markings of where the structure of my character was welded.” – Steve Maraboli

Our scars remind us of our past. They do not define our future. (I was determined to stand for this photoshoot on my own two feet. No walker, no crutches, no cane, no help. Just my own God-given strength.)

“A famous explorer once said: The extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are.” – Tomb Raider

As the conclusion to my photoshoot, I leave you with one of the more daring things I did – to balance myself on my cane. I don’t know what on earth possessed me to try this, other than the sheer curiousity to see if I could. But I was able to hold it for the mere seconds long enough for the camera to capture it. Even though I’m only 4 months out from the accident, I’ve learned one very important truth – that the only disability in life is a bad attitude. My handicaps will not silence me.

Photographer: Trent Chau