my story

Hi, I’m Codel, a professional photographer that started to follow my dream in mid-2019; during the height of the pandemic and the destruction of hurricane Dorian I was displaced. I lost a home and everything that I owned, literally! Photography became survival for me, I’ve always had a passion for it, but this was the only way to survive and put clothes on my back. Photography was how I kept my head above water (no pun intended). It was the way I brought myself back from what I considered to be the darkest days of my life. At a point in time, I became homeless and a rolling stone from one friend's couch to another, but still, I made a way to learn everything that I could and mold myself into the photographer I am today.

So I dived in headfirst. After talking to one of my friends about my passion for photos, they got me a gift. Surprisingly, it was a Sony A6000, an entry-level camera. I flipped and made magic with this camera for about a year before upgrading.

Contrary to what people may think, I was editing my photos on my phone from I started my journey up until January 2021, when my mom bought me a laptop for my birthday. Hence, anything on my social media pages was phone-edited, crazy, right? That's how hungry I was and passionate about my dream.

I’m inspired by many creatives here and abroad, David Lachapelle. Photography is not just a passion for me; it’s my life. It pays the bills and books the flights; it’s my career and everything I am. Know that I’ve worked extremely hard, toiled, was denied, pushed aside, and still waited my turn to get to where I am! PHOTOGRAPHY SAVED MY LIFE! Because it did.

So if you see me on social media or in-person doubling down, defending and educating people about my colleagues in the beauty and fashion industry and even myself, know that it is not in vain, see that I have a story, know that I have lived through the storm and made it out, understand that the products that you see here were made from blood, sweat, tears, and resiliency.

Love and Light,

Coü