We were lucky to catch up with O’mar Aleem recently and have shared our conversation below.
O’mar, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?
I”ll never forget it. For some reason or another I decided I wanted to try modeling. Didn’t really expect much but went on to find related facebook groups and posted a few recent photos and waited to see if anything would become of it.. Recent photos at a time of my life where I didn’t much like what I saw nor felt about myself yet it didn’t take long for a photographer (Arron Vince, AV Photography) to reach out with interest in a tfp fashion and fitness photo shoot. Quickly I began to panic not knowing anything further than a google search about how to be a male model, so I made a facebook post asking for any advice on what would be expected of me. However, a few likes, no comments told me I would have to learn this myself. I remember coming back home from a walk as I did often to regain balance and strength to my left leg, that I found a box next to my front door. Sent to me, by a sender I didn’t recognize. So I brought it inside to open it but noticed there was a note attached.
A complete stranger saw my facebook post and looked further into who I was, wrote how he was inspired by my devotion to my community and the guidance to the youth within it. He ensured me I would do great for my photoshoot and wanted to give me a ring light and posing guide to help with my preparation and practice.
In the hardest time of my life feeling so unsure about what it is I was going to do with it, a stranger cared enough to help uplift my spirits and improve my chances in becoming a successful model. I’ll never forget that day and the kind act of a stranger.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Sure, well my name is O’mar Aleem, and I am pleased to share my story with gratitude to those who well listen. DarkRise_Studio begin in the darkest time of my life. Once a community leader, martial arts instructor, and ran my father’s Beauty Salon to tragically losing it all impart to covid. But also suffering a mental breakdown, I had a stroke. Having to deal with paralysis in my leg and minor memory issues it put me in a very dark place that no one cared to be any company. Understandable but still abandonment nonetheless.
So what was I to do then. I’ve always been an extremely motivated individual but now not a single Direction I had any interest in going down until suddenly a photographer reached out to me over Facebook wanted to know if I would be interested in a photo shoot demonstrating martial arts and fashion. Myself image wasn’t the most pleasing so that sparked nothing within me but I agreed because why not at that point. The photographer was Aaron Vince from AV photography and little did I know that would be the start of my rise out from the dark place I found so much comfort within.
The way I fell once I saw the results restored something in me. I felt that the person in the mirror far from resembled the man in the photographs and I decided to see that venture through. I made among Michigan’s top male models being chosen for designer swimwear, as well as the choice of sexy Santa for the year 2022 among others achievements believe it or not how haha.
Well I needed a place to practice if I was going to give this model thing my all. I’ll never forget how good it felt the messages I got from viewers most of whom I’ve never met telling me they liked my model style and how as a male model I somehow inspired them. So I began to build, a place, no a studio that I can spend my days refining my technique, even my model walk as my Mobility from drop foot for the most part has returned. As I’m building this space, this studio. I started with my cell phone to take test shots which are practice photos that I could use to begin my portfolio. And man did I fall in love with the art of photography. So many different ways to capture expression, emotion shown through the slightest bit of body language and gestures. I began to offer photo shoots in the same way it was offered to me thinking I’ll do this on the side.
However such was impossible as it was love at first click. I was finally starting to rise again and even though these are Ventures I have never once thought of in my life they were now the only thing I dreamed about. No longer in darkness no longer comfortable and no longer a victim I Rose up and I haven’t stopped since. Thus came it’s name DarkRise_Studio.
Currently as the same from the start I built everything from scratch everything all that I saw in my head I created with my two hands very little financial support being I was unable to do many of the jobs that were available due to my still not 100% use of my leg but that did not slow me down because I don’t need any money to show people a different perception of themselves. Not a self-hating one that we see in the mirror like I have but the beauty and confidence with my story as an example but also from their first shoot, the start of Their Own. We all have so much Beauty and potential and light within us I only desire to continue Illuminating my own as a model and photographer of fashion, Boudoir and Fine Art. Offering my way of photography and Studio itself to anyone and pursuing to capture beautiful and unique expression that is better shown than told.
That’s my story. I hope the biggest thing to be taken from it is that no matter how deep and darkness you may find yourself you are beautiful, wether damaged or scared, know they are merely nothing buy beauty marks.🖤
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me what I found most rewarding is being able to capture images in such a way that illustrates a story and to inspire others to share theirs as well. For instance, someone referred their friend to stop by my studio and have a shoot done. I could tell that she wasn’t very comfortable in front of a camera because of the way they viewed themselves having no one else to tell her anything different. Sometimes rather than a structured shoot I like to conversate with a model to get to know them better and take pictures along the way. Soon I found that due to the loss of their significant other she felt as if no one else would ever, nor could ever want her. It became emotional as the conversation got deeper about the way we self harm ourselves when feeling depressed or trying to show others how much they have hurt us. And it cost me to get emotional along with her for I have been in the very same position and in some ways still was. I told her scars are nothing but beauty marks for she still has so much life to live and so much beauty within herself Demi Moore from just looks but her strength and courage to carry on and her genuine character to be able to have confidence in sharing such a story with me rather than pretend otherwise like so many of us do. After the shoot I sent her the raw files immediately ensuring her that I would still do at edits and retouches that would come soon after. She told me it was not necessary and we’re in tears of joy as she was going through them thanking me for capturing her in the light that I did. That right there is a reason I believe that has inspired me the most to want to help others see themselves under a different light than we do when no one is looking and we no longer have to impress anyone or keep the printed smile on our faces. It filled me with so much joy that I could be a part of the process and restoring the beauty that lies within her that perhaps otherwise she may never have uncovered again.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
I think more positive social gatherings and outlets would be a huge help. Things such as art parties or support groups or anything that could help us be okay with ourselves in a world to where we all seem to stress so hard in being someone else. Because it goes beyond photography and modeling to truly be comfortable in your own skin and vibrant when there’s so many filters and cover-ups that’s only a click away for us. I believe it would be such a huge help if we all just started supporting each other and complementing each other I’ll be positives rather than picking at and pointing out our negatives. There’s so much beauty and potential I’ve come across and sad to say that some of which may never be recognized and appreciated in the way that it deserves.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://darkrisestudio.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral
- Instagram: www.instragram.com/rise_of_omar
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086705543926&mibextid=ZbWKwL
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@darkrise_studio?si=qqCEO0MQGzYwAKIu
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/peopleofreach https://www.facebook.com/AleemsAcademy https://www.facebook.com/TheOmarsTouch?mibextid=ZbWKwL https://www.modelmayhem.com/mystuff#/edit_profile
Image Credits
Photo 1: O’mar Aleem Photo 2: Felisia Hellman Photo 3: Stephenie Eistedt Photo 4: Tori Palmer Photo 5: O’mar Aleem Photo 6: Nia’zia Carey