Instagram story viewer> @simply.baz> Posts

Baseme Osuamkpe

@simply.baz

6.9K

followers

4741

following

making everyday, editorial 📸 HTX
born to be an artist, forced to be a dentist
DOCTOR | MODEL | CREATIVE DIRECTOR
@wearfigs - basemeofirstfigs

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

how to set up an editorial photoshoot in your home

at this point I use my kitchen more for art projects than cooking😩 now accepting friends who would like to donate their culinary services🧑🏿‍🍳 by @simply.baz

324

53

5 years ago

the waves were forced. and though the story did not begin here, beauty remained.

more about the look - the entire set including the dress was made from bedsheets, and the foliage are accents used in bouquets. pattern represents the waves that brought some and hair giving ode to Yoruba history. all to emphasize the beauty that Black ppl radiate despite the scraps given. by @simply.baz

848

76

6 years ago

closing statements

Softness, to me, puts my insecurities at peace. Being tall and dark skinned, there's an extra level of fearlessness that I felt the world told me I had to bring for simply existing. Softness allows me to acknowledge all of those projected perceptions and say fuck it.

I did not generate those ideals, so I do not need to adhere to them. I simply have to feel for my own. And in doing so I create the environment for a new normal.

However, doing so does not shield me from the world. It does not protect me from insults. It does not prevent me from being hurt. It doesn't alter the way the world views me. It doesn't shift the standards of beauty. It doesn't change the perceptions of dark skinned assertive women (at least not immediately).

But it does grant me the peace in knowing that I am who I feel am, the freedom to explore my truth, and the empathy to acknowledge others'. taken in SOFT by @simply.baz

292

28

5 years ago

End of summer dump — finding the fun and living in between work and play…will I ever achieve pristine work-life balance? Probably not but I’ll keep trying. lol no one sees the process — just the finished product of the work it takes to organize & put on these shows…tour life is insane but wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂‍↕️ s/o to my family & friends love yall downn I cherish all the moments we have together 🥹❤️‍🔥✨ by @simply.baz

250

22

a month ago

resetting doesn't mean starting over. it means revisiting the texture and context of your space from a different angle (looking at you serial crown preps😏). slowing down to fully boot up.

welcoming the essence of resetting in smokey taupe @wearfigs @figsambassadors by @simply.baz

305

13

2 months ago

creating space. by @simply.baz

3

4

2 months ago

Class is in session, which means it’s officially class picture szn 📸✨ yet again for many (including me:))

that’s right, I’m going back to school part-time... mostly for funsies, but also because Nelnet has been mad disrespectful with my loan repayments🙄🙄. so we’re heading back for an associate's in multidisciplinary art to curve that interest lmao.
I'm definitely going to drag it out, but I am super excited to work towards my 4th degree! 🎓✨

to everyone heading back to campus, regardless of the reason, I wish you a fabulous semester. and if you need a fresh rotation for the clinic, the @wearfigs Back to School sale is happening right now.

swipe to see the full BTS with the FIGS team, the best class photos ever, and my new stomping grounds. 🥂🗄️
#wearfigs #figsambassador #classpictures #houstoncreatives #multidimensionalartist artfulhealthcare backtoschool by @simply.baz

315

11

2 months ago

slowly learning what it means to be in charge of my own happiness🙂‍↕️

for a long time, my response to navigating the PTSD of dental school and moving on from DC was to overcorrect. I built fierce boundaries to protect my peace, creating walls to keep out the noise. but venturing out into the unpredictability of the real world this weekend reminded me that true peace isn't just sheltering yourself—it’s choosing your own light and staying aligned when things get messy.

this weekend was a masterclass in navigating distractors while making the everyday editorial. I scaled a stack of construction bricks using nothing but the leverage of my stiletto boots—which, ironically, caused me to drop my phone and shatter the camera glass😖. but that break created the most gorgeous bokeh effect for the rest of the weekend✨

later, when we needed a group shot on the fly, my instinct took over. I asked for a lighter after noticing amber globes with oil candles (shout out to my server days), and lit them for moody lighting while also utilizing them as "natural" barriers to frame the space. once the creative foundations were in place, I art-directed the shot like we were on set... angling feet, positioning hands, and adding accessories when needed. it was a reminder that true creators don’t wait for permission to claim their authority—and that I need to high-key step into the title of a creative director.

growth isn't about keeping everything perfectly together; it’s about taking responsibility for the energy you bring into a room, finding art in the chaos, and honoring what you need to recharge.

still a work in progress, but incredibly proud of the beauty we captured. ✨ by @simply.baz

3

7

3 months ago

allow me to reintroduce myself...
my name is Baseme—Dr. Baz if ya mouth nasty🪥—and I’m a multidisciplinary artist.

as a Nigerian-American teen, I pursued dentistry thinking it was the most creative medical field next to surgery—even as my obsessions shifted to fashion and visual arts.
I lived life to the fullest💅🏿😛 working with Houston designers, collaborating with bucket-list celebs, and walking shows. I thought dentistry would just add another color to the kaleidoscope I’d built.

... I was wrong lmao 🤦🏿‍♀️

when the pandemic hit, I poured that isolation into visual media—creating worlds that fiercely celebrated the culture that built me. I started with my little Pixel, dropped my first editorial, and 3 months later upgraded to a DSLR with the contracted money from that shoot.

I successfully linked two things I loved (like when your best friends are chill with each other 😂😂), but had no idea how deeply enmeshed they needed to be.

4 years ago, I betrayed myself by compartmentalizing. it led to the deepest depression. it took 2-ish years of grueling inner work to forgive myself and step back into a body that once again contains multitudes.

so... WE ARE BACK! with FIERCE protection of the little me who needed to know it’s okay to be extra, everywhere.
we’re leaning IN... dusting off heels, stumbling through casting calls 🙈, asking patients for patience, pitching visual strategies to brands, and growing with curiosity. ✨

day ones: you’ve seen what I can create out of thin air.
new faces: welcome:)) enjoy the world building, the grit, the advocacy, and the play.
accepting bookings for:
📸 editorial modeling & campaign strategy
(...stay tuned for creative direction & styling on the horizon)

true art is released the second creation is finished. take it all in, and know that it is simply… Baz. 🥂🗄️

fit details:
hardware: @jwpei_official
socks: @adidasoriginals
coat: @wearfigs by @simply.baz

3

12

3 months ago

when life gives you lemons... a nod to Ojai🍋✨

the original plan for Saturday night was a sleek brown one-piece @adidas swimsuit as a bodysuit, a structured checkered skirt, and my avant garde mules. but I did laundry and forgot where I put the suit🙈 so I pivoted to another adidas swimsuit, though less sleek, paired w/ a pair of vintage pinstriped pants and zhuzhed up the look with a houndstooth mesh overlay by @andreapitter. but then the clasp on the pants broke so I switched it out, and pivoted yet again. however just as I was grabbing my keys to leave I realized I could only find one of my mules - promoting me to grab the first pair of boots I didn't mind dancing for hours in, and that's how this fit was created✨

there were times—back in dental school, and even as far back as my preteen years, where I found myself constantly trying to interpret other people's expectations—where I would have beaten myself up over not completing preliminary actions "required" to reap the benefits of a well rounded beautifully mosaiced life. I would have fought the current, tried to force the original vision, and ended up exhausted before even leaving the house (if not flaking completely).
but I'm learning that forcing the process and limiting perspective to proposed ideal, simultaneously and quietly erects walls that ultimately become the box that limits genius.

Instead of being a Ms. Trunchbull to my own extra curriculars, I leaned into the ordeal. "Yes, and..."

I scrapped the pants for a pinstriped @lainarauma cover-up pulled into a skirt, swapped the mules for @azaleawang fringe boots, and let the living room become my studio. No forced plans, just natural lighting and a wildly better composition.
I am learning to trust myself again. I don't need validation to be valid, and I don't need a pristine order to create art. The beauty is in living by your own rules, playing the hand you're dealt, and absolutely refusing to niche down.

@adidaswomen @adidas @azaleawang @lainarauma @nikbentel @rayoandhoney

#everydayeditorial #creativeprocess #stylepivot #modeloffduty #houstoncreatives by @simply.baz

3

19

3 months ago

your childhood dentist could never 💅🏿✨

doing the most, but keeping it entirely chill. deep purple is officially back in the rotation today

@wearfigs @figsambassadors #wearfigs by @simply.baz

3

18

3 months ago

I originally wanted this post to feature all the amazing people at this retreat. I was hoping to have a full album with my day 1s and new friends, but chaos ensued, wardrobe malfunctions were had, naps were taken, and it turns out I'm not as fast at beating my face as I used to be lol. 🤦🏾‍♀️

I didn't want to make a post just about me, but it made me realize something: between the getting-ready chaos and just living in the moment, I was incredibly present.

This retreat has been restoring in SOOOO many ways. Ngl, I've been focusing on my career and building adulthood foundations so much that I thought I had lost my eye when it comes to creating.

I challenged myself to take at least one fit photo with an editorial spin daily. The goal was to not let the perfectionism I learned from my career keep me from creating, so I made my challenge ridiculously easy. These are the results of my cute widdle 5-minute sessions lol.

Sometimes the most beautiful art happens the moment you let go of perfection and just allow yourself to be present.

A beautiful reminder to lean in, and not forget to pair goals and growth with a little bit of play ✨ taken in Ojai, California by @simply.baz

3

41

3 months ago