Image: Debra Somerville
At only 17 years old, photographer Lydia Picoli (pictured above) seems much wiser than her age.
The junior at Greens Farms Academy is a yoga student at Wilton’s Hello Yoga and she approached them about hosting a show exhibiting her photographs there. Her work, as she says, “is about embracing your natural self.” The show will be exhibited this Saturday, Dec. 20, at 7:30-9 p.m., and it’s open to the public. Hello Yoga is located at 80 Old Ridgefield Rd..
Picoli started this project last spring, and knew that she wanted to exhibit it publicly.
“The message is so important to so many teens and older women as well, and boy too. It applies to everyone–about being yourself, and not being afraid to show everyone who you are. Understanding that who you naturally are is what’s beautiful about you,” she explains.
Having the self-confidence and centeredness to believe in that message at such a young age is remarkable, and her hope is to help others feel the same way.
“I have always felt that way and understood that about myself. At a young age, having red hair, I felt so different from all the other kids, so I learned to like that. I feel like I’ve always had this sense of confidence that unfortunately not enough kids today have. Especially with my friends I try to help them understand and feel that way themselves too. I just wanted to extend that message to anyone I could reach,” Picoli says.
The images she’ll be exhibiting are, in her own words, “all natural, I didn’t edit them at all. None of the models are wearing makeup. I had them shower that day or the night before and let their hair air dry so it was the way it would be naturally. They’re against a plain background so the emphasis is on the natural beauty of the models.”
The girls she photographed are all school friends of hers.
Picoli knew that Hello Yoga would be a great place to show her work.
“Yoga is a really good sense of understanding yourself. To me, yoga has really linked my mind, body and soul. It was an appropriate place to evoke this kind of thought for viewers, that they don’t need to cover up who they are, and that maybe they need to let that be seen more,” Picoli explains.
Hello Yoga was really pleased to feature Picoli’s images, says the studio’s Nicole Thornbrough.
“We are thrilled to have Lydia show her work at Hello Yoga. Lydia has been part of our community for a while now. When she approached us about the exhibition, we immediately said yes. The practice of yoga is not just about doing poses on a mat. It’s about integrating a deep love and respect for all people. Lydia’s love for her subjects and art form show the truly lovely and amazing young woman she is. We are thrilled for her.”
Photography and yoga aren’t the only pursuits for Picoli, who lives in Westport. She also plays tennis on the Greens Farms varsity team and is also a filmmaker.