7 Deadly Sins: Sloth

This weeks 7 Deadly Sin is Sloth, and the lovely Miss C embodied this sin perfectly. Hair & Make-up by the always amazing Katt Panic Makeup Artistry. Miss C captured the meaning of Sloth, so I'll let her tell it in her own words...

Katie Pahara Boudoir Photography Lethbridge AB

"Sloth is defined as spiritual or emotional apathy, neglecting what God has spoken, and being physically and emotionally inactive. It can also be either an outright refusal or merely carelessness in the performance of one's obligations: spiritual, moral, or legal. Sloth can also indicate a wasting due to lack of use, concerning a person, place, thing, skill, or intangible ideal that would require maintenance, refinement, or support to continue to exist. Religious views concerning the need for one to work to support society and further God's plan and work also suggest that through inactivity one invites the desire to sin.

When I was asked to be a part of this project, I thought that it would be fun, but I didn’t really consider the deeper meaning of the sin that I was being asked to embody, sloth. Being that I am not a religious person, I hadn’t thought very much about the deadly sins in general, never mind about how they applied to my life. The more I prepared for the shoot, the more I realized that sloth was a sin that I could actually really identify with, and not just because I procrastinated when looking for props and outfits, and even when writing this.

I feel that sloth is a sin that many people can identify with as we are all expected to perform many tasks and live up to society’s expectations of our multiple roles. I am expected to act in many roles in my life: student, employee, homeowner, friend, daughter, sister … the list goes on. Trying to live up to all of my everyday responsibilities can be exhausting and my willingness to do so is not always present. Many people feel the stress of trying to fulfill their duties and often fall into an apathetic mode, such as I do.

The photo shoot itself was a great experience. I always enjoy working with Katie and Katt; they are both very talented and professional and really know how to bring out your confidence and personality. Developing a style for the shoot was a lot of fun. I chose props for the background, including pizza boxes to represent a lack of desire and willingness to cook or put thought into preparing meals. I chose clothes as props to convey an absence of desire to clean and do laundry, and I used books, which were mostly textbooks that I have read about a chapter out of, to illustrate the avoidance of school and work responsibilities. I wanted my outfits to convey a sense of luxury and laziness at the same time. I chose lingerie pieces and jewelry to create a look that one would have if they just came home from a fancy event and threw their dress off. Katt added to this look by giving me big, slightly messy hair and bold make-up. Katie helped me work with my props and outfits to produce photos that pop and capture the image of a glamorous sloth.

Since participating in this project I have realized that although sloth, along with all deadly sins, is an attribute that is generally seen in a negative light, it is also fundamentally human. I feel that we, as human beings, need to stop being so hard on ourselves and see that it is not always possible to live up to all of the expectations that are put upon us. Giving in to our sloth on occasion and taking time to focus on ourselves is necessary if we want to have the energy to fulfill our roles on a regular basis.