Learning to Speak Up, One Frame at a Time
with Skye Metrowich and Thimna Mazomba
Every person we meet on our path teaches us something—sometimes in the most unexpected ways. On this particular day in Cape Town, I was reminded of how important it is to stand my ground, to trust my voice, and to hold onto my vision, even when it’s being challenged.
The shoot itself was beautiful. Thimna and Skye, both South African models represented by Boss Models, carried an effortless presence - open, engaged, and ready to create. But beneath the surface, the day was marked by an energy that threatened to overshadow the entire project. A clash of perspectives. A quiet but persistent pushback. The kind of challenge that makes you second-guess yourself, even when you know you’re right.
Speaking up is a skill - one that takes practice, especially as a woman in creative spaces where others may try to impose their ideas over yours. It’s easy to waver, to let doubt creep in, to feel like you have to prove your place. But that day, I learned that standing firm in your vision isn’t about being combative - it’s about believing in the work you’ve put in and owning the space you’ve created.
The tension could have defined the shoot, but it didn’t. What stayed with me instead was the realization that holding your ground isn’t just about protecting your work - it’s about protecting yourself. And sometimes, the most important lesson is simply learning to speak up, one frame at a time.
The Art of Holding Your Ground
As women in creative spaces, we are often taught to be adaptable, to compromise, to make room for others even when it means shrinking ourselves.
It’s easy to let that happen, especially when you're still learning to navigate moments of pushback. And in that moment, I felt it - the pull between standing my ground and simply letting things slide. Even though I knew I was right, I found myself questioning my own position. Not because I lacked confidence in my work, but because speaking up - really owning your voice—isn’t always easy.
But here’s what I learned: You can’t let doubt dictate your decisions. You can’t let someone else’s overpowering energy mute your own. Trusting yourself, even in the face of resistance, is a muscle you have to build. And sometimes, the hardest part of creating isn’t the work itself - it’s holding onto your vision when someone tries to take it away from you.
Models: Skye Metrowich, Thimna Mazomba
Agency: BossModels South Africa
Videographer: Dominik Berberich
Photographer: Nora Maafa
Second Shooter: Benson Baumann
Hair&Makeup: Megan @facesbymegann
Assistant: @_katharina_katharina
Clothing: @LuluSwim, @Lapis.andtheredthread, @wearbroke
