2013- New year, New Inspiration - A long winded babble!

Another year has come and gone. Do years seem shorter once you have children? I am starting to think so. For this reason I am blessed to have this talent and love for being behind the camera, I can capture all the little moments of our life and relive them over and over!

This has been quite the year. Back in February I received an email asking me to take photographs of a newborn boy. I had been doing photos for friends and family, developing my skills, but it was not until a complete stranger contacted me to photograph THEIR life that I started to think of myself as a "photographer".

Over the last year I have been B-U-S-Y! I love it and am grateful every day for all my clients and supporters! However the last few months, as the busy-ness of summer and fall sessions died down, I started to reflect. Where am I going with my photography? What is next?  How do I get out of this creative "rut" I am having? Something was missing but I was not sure of what it was.

Then I joined an online group called Clickin Moms. Its a forum of photographers of all levels of skills, all ages, all over the world. I read, listen, view websites and blogs, chat with others. I became inspired to try new things and seek out my own "style".

Developing a "style" takes a long time. Its tough to really identify with what makes your art represent You. I am still in the process of this, but as the past month has unfolded, I believe I am starting to find it. And it may not be what you currently see on my site, or even in the photos I did for you this past year.  I am constantly evolving. And even though I will still be shooting those fun family sessions, I am hoping you see MORE in them this year. More emotion, more connection. With each other rather than with the camera. My goal this year is to develop the emotion of taking photographs and bringing it out in you, the subject, as well as the viewer.

Recently I asked my husband if I should quit doing newborn photos because I felt I was not "good" at them, and did not get excited to do them. The only times I did get excited were when the client allowed me to shoot in my style, Lifestyle - just real life, new parents cuddling babies, changing diapers, moms nursing.  Those were the sessions I loved, and I recently gave myself "permission" to offer only this style of newborn photography. I feel relief and am now excited for these sessions again! This is part of the process.

I recently read this great blogpost from photographer Brooke Snow Spirit of Authenticity.  She discusses what is real and what is "staged" to create perfection. Especially in photographs. For example when I tell you to "act happy" or "pretend you are laughing"...that is not real.  I take full responsibility if your photographs look too fake or posed.  However, 2013 is the year I am determined to get past that. Get you acting more natural, more REAL.  I am going to take a step back, away from you, the subject. Let you just be you and forget I am even there.  We will see what those photographs look like. 

In Brooke's post - another photographer Jesh de Rox is quoted as saying :

“If you want to feel something when you look at an image, you need to feel something when you make the image”.

This is my goal. My inspiration for 2013. To feel more, be more, create more.

Thank you for listening!

xo
Love, Bee