Back from WPPI and Soul Searching

Hey Friends, Family, Clients and other Random Blog Readers! I am back from my week-long trip to WPPI in Vegas and feeling exhausted...peaceful...and so blessed!

I went to the convention thinking that I would learn new trends, techniques/ideas, and fully expected to be inspired by the classes. I was so wrong! Although the classes I took were pretty good (even better if you bought the photographer's latest and greatest new product or book)...surprisingly the most useful knowledge was gained from my interactions with photographers OUTSIDE of the classroom. I learned so much about photography, human nature, perspective and life from some amazing people--photographers of all skill levels and life experiences. What an amazing gift. Thank you.

This is a very appropriate time for me because I have been feeling like I've been in a rut--doubting my creativity and worrying about everyone with their expensive gear and keeping up with the latest and greatest. Competition. Fear. Lack of originality. Forgetting that it is not the camera that makes a great image, but the person behind it.

But the truth is...nobody else can be me. I know it sounds silly, but it's true. There are always two people in every image I take--my subject and myself. I cannot be removed and nobody else on this planet, no matter how close we are [okay maybe you, Jen, are the exception but for the most part, nobody else] will have my perspective, drive, or desire to stay fresh...nobody else has the kind of life experiences that I have which shape my perspective, or the same kind of love that fuels my passion. I am an original, and constantly comparing myself to others is unnecessary, destructive and smothers my own creativity.

So why am I sharing this? Well, I thought I was alone in this struggle. I thought that I was the only creative person on the planet who battles this internal demon until I saw a fantastic video from Zach Arias an amazing Atlanta Photographer. Wow. What a true artist. To me, great art is something that can clearly speak the message that is in your heart...a message that is so strong, so reflective of your soul's true emotion [whether positive or negative] that you are sure the artist is reading your mind. Great songs, books, paintings all touch me so deeply that it almost feels embarrassing...I relate so strongly that I can almost feel exposed...

Well, Zach's video does just that for me. I see myself in his struggle and sat with my mouth wide open in surprise to hear such an amazing photographer outline his self-doubt, question his motivation and work through the incredible pressure to conform. I am so glad he posted this...I feel less alone. I feel renewed vision, a sincere drive to be my original self and peace in knowing that it is this that makes my work different from the rest.

Watch this amazing video--I am pretty sure it will move you whether you are a photographer or not. Like true art--it is far more about life than it is about the art itself. [the first part is a spoof of the mentality I mentioned earlier--'I am a successful photographer, so now I am going to 'sell' you my secrets in this amazing book, CD, workshop, etc.' This kind of thing is all over in photography right now. Have a good laugh at that, and then settle in for the moving commentary and stunning presentation of the creative struggle.