Becoming Kade
When I took my first self-portraits at 10 years old, I wasn’t thinking about archiving my life—I was simply playing dress-up and exploring my new obsession with photography. Looking back, these young self-portraits stand apart from the rest of my childhood images. Alone with a tripod and a remote I could be whoever I wanted to be, free from rules or judgment. These portraits didn’t just capture my image; they captured my inner self.
For years, I thought many of these portraits were lost. When I rediscovered them, I was overwhelmed with nostalgia and admiration for my younger self—their courage and creativity in preserving those moments. It was then I realized that, consciously or not, I’ve spent the last 15 years building a personal archive of my journey through self-expression and gender exploration.
What began as an unconscious act has now evolved into a deliberate, lifelong practice. Through this series, I document not just who I am but who I am becoming—each image is a step closer to embodying the truest version of myself.












This series was first shown in Kade's curated gallery To be Held: A Celebration of Trans-masc Community through Art located at the The Canvas 3.0 at the Westfield World Trade Center.


