We asked the community to tell us about the values and principles that guide their lives and businesses.

Ilyas Ibrahim Aho

I’d say integrity is everything.

that has been my principle with which i value every step i take in my journey .
Every frame I shoot, every story I tell, has to be honest not just to my audience, but to myself. I don’t create to please trends or fake emotions; I create to tell the truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Integrity means I won’t compromise the message just to make it more ‘marketable.’ My lens has to capture the real essence of our people, our culture, and our struggles not a watered-down version for the world’s approval. Read More>>

Dima Onysko

I find it crucial to strive for acceptance in my work. Often times, I have a little perfectionism bug nagging at me to keep polishing a piece after I would consider it complete. While there’s definitely room for that, I feel as though it can be very detrimental for any work to be “overdone”. In my case, this urge comes from a sense of insecurity about the product on a foundational level, which makes me want to cover up my paintings in more intricate detail; however, I think it important to let some things breathe and manage your efforts more on the important parts of a piece. Read More>>