I’ve written this post in my head a hundred times over throughout the year. 2013 will be the year of conquering fears. When I seperated this blog from my wedding blog earlier in 2012, I felt like I lost a sense of experimentation. I feel like I’ve held a lot back to fit more into a mold of what I see from other wedding photographers. And when I think how I felt shooting my first wedding all on a twin lens, making connections, laughing, dancing, I think about how it was only me there, photographing in my own skin. Not worried about getting the “right” images or copying anything I had seen before. It was me connecting, focusing, shooting. The beauty of the internet is the connectivity of it all and for this I’m greatful. However the largest downside for me has been seeing what other wedding photographers are doing and comparing and fitting into other people’s molds.
2012 brought with it the wonderful opportunity to meet, connect, and listen to inspirational talks from several other wedding photographers. And throughout the year something changed in me. I recognized that #1 for me in weddings, is not just about the photos that I’m making, but mostly importantly about my clients. Without each and every one of them falling in love, bringing together groups of their wonderful friends and families, all of them trusting me, I would not be making any photos at all. Maybe it’s part of growing up, being a growing business owner whatever it is, I realized things had to change… but in doing this, making sure my clients were taken care of I feel like I may have gone too far in the other direction. Lost a sense of myself… In moments of decision I feel like lately I’ve taken the easy route and not followed my heart. Followed instead to create images I know I’ve already seen, not written words that are personal to me on this blog. Been more caught up with facebook likes than liking my own images I’ve created. Not everyone’s photography (or business) journey is personal, but mine is. My photography and the images for my clients, are ones that I hold incredibly close to my heart. And for this reason in the new year I’m taking the risk to experiment again… On the suface level it may mean shooting more twin lens again or more film on my diana but as a whole it’s a promise to push myself and my business further. Let’s see what the year brings…
Some really great interviews over on Musea’s blog inspired me enough to group my thoughts together for this post. Links to a few of my favorites with Ryan Muirhead, James Moes, John Dolan and Holger Thoss, and Bryan Johnson.
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