DANCESCAPE

Model: Derek Cook (aka Sensei Derek)

Here is a little info about Derek Cook:

“I discovered my love of movement and the body after a childhood of health problems, weight issues, joint problems and other physical ailments played a large part in my young life.  After years of misunderstanding and mistreating my body I discovered the benefits of running and began to head down the path of physical health and wellness.  Running lead me to the gym which gave me the ability to begin my first version of a yoga practice.  This yogic workout opened my mind to the idea of yoga as a practice and over time, I found my own teachers who helped to guide me to the path of a healer.”

I met Derek for the first time on the day of the photo shoot about 2 years ago. He reached out to me via Facebook after he heard from a mutual friend that I did yoga photo shoots. Prior to the shoot, we went over some ideas that he had (with some photo references). He had one very interesting request. He wanted some shots with his motorcycle. Maybe it’s just me, but I never pictured yoga and motorcycle together. Nonetheless, I was up for the challenge. We decided to do the shoot right by the high line in New York City. The cobblestone street and the scaffolding worked surprisingly well with his beautiful motorcycle and arm tattoo. The rough ambiance was a nice and unexpected contrast to the serenity that yoga gives off.

To learn more about Derek Cook and where he teaches, visit his website at http://www.senseiderek.com/