Kylee's AUX is a 12-month project that consists of 12 photoshoots, one for each month of 2023. These shoots are inspired by music: songs, album covers, and music videos. Music is one of the most powerful ways to tell a story. Music can gasp emotions. Music can alter your perspective. Music can inspire. For this project, I will take the stories told by 12 musical artists and visually tell these stories through photos. My name is Kylee Chua; I am a photographer and a visual storyteller. And this is Kylee’s AUX.
"Stuck with U"
A photoshoot inspired by Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, and quarantine
Welcome to the third track of Kylee’s Aux. March's collection is inspired by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber's song, “Stuck with U”. Grande and Bieber write a sweet duet about love and cherishing the moments spent with each other.
This photoshoot walks you through a couple's day in quarantine. To tell this story, there are three scenes: "Good Morning", "Time Flies", and "I Love U".
"Good Morning"
"It's just you and me"
About this time three years ago was the beginning of quarantine due to COVID-19. When I look back at my experiences in quarantine, I am only filled with happy emotions. Truthfully, I enjoyed the moments spent with my loved ones. I felt that I grew closer to my parents (and my corgi, Mango). We spent a lot of time talking, watching movies, and encouraging each other to stay happy despite what was going on in the world around us. I am so grateful to be stuck with my family.
My experiences in quarantine were a huge inspiration for March's collection; "Stuck with U" was released in 2020 during the worldwide pandemic. This shoot feels like a flashback to three years ago as it follows a couple who embrace the fact that they cannot leave their home because of COVID-19.
Meet Brooklyn and Wyatt. I met Brooklyn during our sophomore year of high school and we became good friends. We were sitting in art class one day, and she told me about a boy she started talking to. Flash forward a few years, the two are now engaged to each other. I always adored the two's relationship, so much that I asked if they were down to help me with this shoot.
We shot at the couple's apartment, where they are "stuck" together. We shot each event in chronological order of the day, starting with waking up in the morning to dancing barefoot in the kitchen. I did not want this shoot to feel too posed. I helped set up the scenes, then just had the two pretend I wasn't there and interact with each other. I really these photos to feel like the viewers could be there in the room with them.
"Good Morning" follows the couple's morning routine. They wake up, brush their teeth, and have a cup of coffee.
"There's nowhere we need to be...
Kinda hope we're here forever"
"Time Flies"
"I could stay here for a lifetime"
Quality time is one of the five love languages. "Time Flies" is focused on the concept of love and time.
Time feels like it moves differently with the right person. You lose track of the hours that pass on by.
In "Time Flies", the couple spends their noon in each other's company.
Brooklyn reads to Wyatt.
Wyatt plays the guitar for Brooklyn.
And they play with Diesel.
"I still wouldn't change being stuck with you"
I have really been loving to edit my photos in black and white recently. I feel like it makes the photo feel timeless; it also adds to the effect of these photos feeling like a flashback to the year 2020.
While the couple is literally stuck under the same roof because of the pandemic, being "stuck with you" means so much more. Even after quarantine, they are still bound together for the rest of their lives. The song even mentions hard times in a relationship. They may "run their mouth and drive you insane", but there's no other person you rather be with.
I remember being a kid and asking my dad how you know you are truly in love. He told me, "when there's no other person you can imagine yourself with."
"I Love U"
"If you told me that the world's ending
Ain't no other way that I could spend it"
We end this session with some good ole' kitchen slow dancing. The whole concept of slow dancing barefoot in the kitchen is so innocent and romantic to me. It's a form of affection that brings you physically and emotionally close to your dance partner. You move together, and feel eachother's chest rise and fall, it's such an intimate experience.
"Come take all my time
Go on, make me lose my mind
We got all that we need here tonight"
We shot this scene at about 11 AM, although my story, "I Love U" takes place during the night. The apartment had a huge window that let in a lot of natural light. We set up my diffuser to block as much of the window as possible. To the left, the only source of light is my ice light. I wanted the lighting to look similar to a refrigerator light and be very direct.
It was such a beautiful moment to capture. I told them to practice their first dance for their wedding. Wyatt played their favorite country songs; you can feel the love in the room. It's like they forgot about the world around them.
That's truly how love feels. When you are with your person, sometimes time just freezes. You forget your stresses and problems; suddenly, you are in no rush. You feel safe and like you found the missing puzzle piece. You feel like you are exactly where you are supposed to be. Everything just makes sense.
The Couple
Brooklyn & Wyatt | IG @brooklynfox18 @_wsimmons
I want to say thank you to my friends, Brooklyn and Wyatt. Thank you Brooklyn for continuing to be such a great friend. Thank you Wyatt for being the best man for Brooklyn. Congratulations on your engagement! I am forever wishing the best in life for both of you.
(and thank you, Diesel, for being so cute).
Look out for Track 4 in April; I got some fun stuff planned.
Check out my Instagram, @kyleewithacamera, for more of my work.
Below are more photos from "Stuck with U".
