Hello!! My name is Yasmin Murphy and I am a photographer residing in Knoxville, Tennessee. Photography for me is the thing that allows me to be who I truly am: connecting with others, building relationships, and being creative. I love the opportunities that have allowed me to tell others stories and make their vision come to life. When I am not photographing I am bouncing around to estate sales, cooking a meal at home, or exploring Knoxville.

Breaking Beautiful was my first organized effort to advocate for myself and other women. Throughout girlhood, I had received the message that beauty should look a certain way from the media and society. My hair, my body, my skin were all an affront to this standardized definition. As I looked around my college campus, I saw a world of beauty to be celebrated. My intention with this portrait series was to reclaim our power as women to define beauty for ourselves and to give voice to the uniqueness of each individual.

Authors usually choose what topic they’re going to study, especially a topic that will consume their energy for years. But sometimes the reverse occurs. Sometimes the topic chooses the author.