Photographer Joseph Ross turned the lens on himself, literally. For this Inside Spaces, we sent him a disposable camera and asked him to capture his world as he sees it: at home, in the studio, and everywhere between. The result? A study in duality - control and chaos, stillness and spark. We lit Bound and talked about secrets, self-expression, and the art of coming home to yourself.

What’s the most unexpected thing that’s happened in this space?

A very talented director friend once asked if he could film me and my dog for a music video for a pretty big artist. That’s all I’ll say about that, because I really don’t want anyone going to look for it lol.

What object in this room holds a secret about you?

Probably this little box from college that I’ve carried with me since moving to Nashville after graduation. I went to a Christian school and was closeted the whole time - lots of secret lovers, lots of hidden moments. The box is full of memories from a version of me that feels completely different now, including love letters from those secret relationships.

It’s a reminder of how messy my first experiences with love were, how much I had to keep quiet, how much I had to hide. But that little box also whispers something else, something I haven’t fully faced yet… one day, we’ll unpack all of it in the memoir.

Aside from that - and the stains on the ceiling, proof that I’m terrible at opening wine- I’d probably point to two books I keep coming back to: Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman and The Third Door by Alex Banayan. Both helped me tap into potential I didn’t even know I had and shape how I wanted to show up in the world. They’re like study guides for life and every time I revisit them, I find something new.

When you’re alone in this space, what’s the thing you do that no one else knows about?

I used to be a singer. These days, it’s something I mostly keep to myself, but behind closed doors, I’m singing nonstop. Musical theatre, gospel, YouTube karaoke… you name it. I still keep the pipes warm, just in case the spark comes back and music calls me again one day. I haven’t gotten any noise complaints yet, so maybe I’ve still got it.

What’s the feeling this space gives you that nowhere else does? 

This is where I get to play with who I am - through fashion, new recipes, my hair, how I set things up. It’s my laboratory. I experiment without rules, and it feels safe to do that here. Everything I put into the world starts here, it’s real, but also thought out. Curated, but still me. Authentically curated, if that makes sense.

I call myself a social introvert, which basically means I love people, but I also need serious recharge time. Sometimes it’s as simple as lighting a candle and zoning out at the wall for an hour. Honestly? That’s part of the relief. This space reminds me it’s okay to slow down, reset, and come back stronger.

How would you describe the Bound scent?

The smoke arrives first -
curling through silence,
salt brushing against wood,
a whisper that commands.
It is everything at once:
a presence unlit,
an unfamiliar memory.