Rising Above: The Art of Resilience

In life, we’re shaped by forces both seen and unseen - the quiet ripples of our surroundings that carve our paths. This isn’t a story of control, but of surrender and rediscovery, where moments of doubt are met with flashes of purpose. In these moments, motivation emerges - a beacon in the haze, guiding us through uncertainty toward something greater.

Rising Above - shot and directed by Kiera Simpson and Jake Spencer - is a meditation on that journey, unraveling the complex interactions between adversity, resilience, and grace. It’s a story told through layered mediums - video, photography, and spoken word - each adding its own dimension to the narrative. Together, they form a mosaic, a celebration of the human spirit’s ability to ascend in the face of adversity.

The visual language of the project leans into minimalism and precision, using cool, crisp lighting to evoke clarity. Subjects are captured at pivotal moments of quiet strength, their expressions and movements embodying the tension and triumph of resilience. Their lessons, etched into their bearing, become a part of them - symbols of experience and transformation.

At its core is a 1-minute-and-30-second video: a dynamic yet contemplative journey that flows like the stream it evokes. Every frame is deliberate, every transition seamless, echoing the rhythm of growth itself. Accompanying the video is a stunning collection of stills that express the narrative into singular moments of power and beauty.

The spoken word element weaves through it all, grounding the abstract with raw emotion and universal truths. It reminds us that the path forward is rarely linear, but it’s in the zigzags that we find our footing.

This series is an invitation to pause, reflect, and connect. It asks us to see our struggles not as obstacles but as opportunities to refine who we are. To wear our journeys like armour, to stand taller because of them. Rising Above is a celebration of the resilience that shapes us, the grace that defines us, and the aspirations that propel us forward.

Team:

Photography / Co Director: Jake Spencer @Jakespencerphoto

DoP / Co Director: Kiera Simpson @Kiers

Movement direction: Caterina Danzico @Caterinadanzico

1st AC: Matt Butler @mattfuckinbutler

Clothes Styling: Eden Molen @edenmolenstyling + Olivia May @olivviamay

Jewellery styling: Miruna Cotletz @Mirunacotletz

Lighting: Alex Wilson @alexwilsonstudio

Light assist: Billy Carr @billycarrr

HMUA: Lucia Hannam @lucia.hannam.mua

Photography assistant: Carmel Anderson @styledbycarmel

Set design: Maddie Stringer @stringersets

Sound design: Cam Evans @soundbycam

Words: Ella Spencer @Ella_spencerr_

Voiceover: Line Fizzy @linefizzy

Models: Lenny Kragba @lennykragba @imgmodels + Appiok Dier Tong @models1

Studio: Unit F @unitfstudios