The Power of a New Lens—in Photography, Life, and Branding

In the past four months, I’ve traveled to three different places - Cartagena, New York City, and Montreal. Each trip gave me more than just a change of scenery; it shifted how I saw these cities and how I captured them through my camera.

In Cartagena and New York, I stayed in neighborhoods I’ve never stayed in. And it felt like I was seeing both cities for the first time. A new street, a different corner, a neighborhood I’ve never walked through - suddenly, a place I thought I knew felt brand new. The energy was different, the vibe was different, and even the photos I took reflected that.

This got me thinking about the beauty of growth and putting yourself in new environments. When you step into something from a new angle, you don’t just see things differently, you become different.

The same is true for your brand. No one else views the world exactly as you do. No one else tells stories the way you do or delivers the experience you do. That perspective is your differentiator. And when you lean into it with intention, highlighting what makes you distinct, you bring people into your world, giving them a new experience that will make a more profound impression.

What doesn’t work is trying to look like everyone else. You can spot it immediately when a brand feels staged or overly polished - it blends in and we may scroll right past it. Just like cities, we’re always changing. Maybe it’s a new haircut, a new wardrobe, or a new offer in your business; those shifts can influence how your brand shows up and how one experiences it. But at your core, you’re still you. That essence should always come through.

Each season, each shift, each new perspective adds another lens. The question is: are you willing to see and show yourself in a new way?

In this post, I’ll share how my own growth and shifting perspectives have shaped the way I approached photographing these cities on my recent visits.

CARTAGENA

In Cartagena, I stayed in a part of the old city I’d never stayed in before. The vibe was completely different, and so was the experience. Looking back at my photos, I can see how they stand apart from my usual style because I saw the city in a new way.

Part of it is simply growth - I’m older now and my perceptions are different, which influences how I see and capture the world. However, staying in a different part of the city allowed me to really see what was in front of me.

We can often miss details or overlook the things we are used to seeing. This visit, I was able to look at the city I know well with new eyes, and the difference in my photos blows me away. I tapped into a new creative realm and a new perspective, which resulted in a new style of imagery.

NEW YORK CITY

In New York, I stayed in Greenwich Village with my son, and it rained almost the entire time. The hotel we stayed in had an old-school retro aesthetic. The room even had a vintage radio with knobs! Between the weather, the neighborhood, and the hotel’s atmosphere, everything felt moody and nostalgic. My images reflect that mood. They don’t look like the New York photos I’ve taken in the past, and that’s what made them interesting to me. I captured the feeling and vibe that the neighborhood and weather were giving.

MONTREAL

And then there was Montreal. I hadn’t been in more than 20 years! It rained there too, but the city’s energy cut right through the gray. Montreal is such a mix of windy cobblestone streets lined with history, dark candlelit bistros, and a vibrant food scene with rooftop garden pubs. There’s a little bit of everything: flashes of ’80s vibe, modern cuisine, student energy, and a sophisticated nightlife.

I challenged myself to photograph it with a different eye, to create an aesthetic that felt true to the place and the moment. And I came home with images that surprised me and proof that a city, like a person, always has new sides to reveal if you’re willing to look closer.

CONCLUSION

Traveling reminded me of something simple but powerful: perspective changes everything. Cities evolve. People evolve. And your brand evolves too.

The core of who you are stays the same, but how you express it shifts with every new season. The magic happens when you’re willing to see yourself in a new way, just like rediscovering a city you thought you already knew.