California has been in a major drought and we pretty much have gotten used to the idea of dry land. However, this Winter/Spring has brought an abundance of rain. It's been crazy to witness. One afternoon the girls and I were sitting in my bedroom and within moments the weather took a drastic turn. It went from light rain drops to a torrential downpour. The weather then turned from pouring rain to a hail storm like I had never seen before. It sounded like the golf ball sized hail bits were going to come crashing through my windows. It was so fun to watch the girls be in utter amazement of what was happening, right before their eyes. They couldn't get enough of it and I couldn't get enough of watching them.
I traveled to Utah a few weeks ago and attended a photography worksop. This is something I have been wanting to do for years. I finally made the investment and had my mind blown. It was amazing to spend three days with some phenomenal photographers. Learning and growing from their words of encouragement and stories of growth resignation deep inside my soul. I left feeling empowered and ready to take my photography in the direction I had always hoped.
One particular instructor/photographer Joy Prouty shared some beautiful quotes that I completely soaked up. Words are everything to me. I thought I would share a couple of my favorites.
"What good are seeds sitting in a jar? Yes, safe from mockery and failure. But that's not the purpose of seeds."
"The whole culture is telling you to hurry, while the art tells you to take your time. Always listen to the ART." - Diaz
"Are we to paint what's on the face, what's inside the face, or what's behind it?" - Picasso
"Paint the flying spirit of the bird rather than its feather." - Robert Henri
"Courage is quiet. Courage is long suffering and resilient. Real courage doesn't ball up it's fists but has open palms to receive. "
"Are you a born writer? Were you put on the earth to be a painter, a scientist, an apostle of peace? In the end the question can only be answered by action. Do it or don't do it. It may help to think of it this way. If you were meant to cure cancer or write a symphony or crack cold confusion and you don't do it, you not only hurt yourself, even destroy yourself, you hurt your children, you hurt me, you hurt the planet. You shame the angels who watch over you and spite the Almighty, who created you and only you with your unique gifts for the sole purpose of nudging the human race one millimeter farther along it's path back to God. Creative work it not selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It's a gift to the world and every being in it. Don't cheat us or your contribution. Give us what you've got. " - Steven Pressfield
"Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there. It doesn't matter what you do, he said, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it into something that's like you after you take your hands away. The difference between the man who just cuts lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said. The lawn-cutter might just as well not have been there at all; the gardener will be there a lifetime." - Ray Bradbury
Summer Murdock shared this quote, "You said once that there are some things you figure out with a pencil, not your head. What did you mean by that? I meant that sometimes no amount of talking or writing or words can compare with actually trying something out. Creating an image. Moving it around. Seeing if it works." - Carl Sprague
These quotes were some of the best words spoken to my creative side. I believe we all have it within us. It just manifests itself in different ways and it's up to us to take that leap and see where it goes. I never planned on being a photographer, but after having P, I fell in love with freezing time. I have grown much in the past few years and look forward to expanding my horizons even more. I think that is why photography can be so intimidating for me. I am always pushing myself to be better and execute what is living inside my head. Sometimes, well mostly I have been caught up in trying to give people what I think they want. This workshop gave me that encouragement to not worry so much what others think and start doing what feels good to me.
I am obsessed with lifestyle photography and documenting true human emotion. I can't pose it or force it. I love to let people be people and let them control the session. Realizing it's okay if people don't like my work. It's scary to change my direction of work but really want to do what speaks to me. Sorry this is all over the place, but don't want to forget the experiences I had.
Summer Murdock another outstanding photographer talked to us about taking a picture a day and relishing in the creative side of one self. She talked about experimenting and doing what's uncomfortable.
Joy talked about plants, how they don't just start out as plants. They start as seeds in the cold dark soil. They have to push through the cracks, the dark and hard things to get to the surface and then with time, then the blossom appear.
I have taken her up on the challenge to take a picture a day. I haven't accomplished this every day, but have had so much fun going back to the basics and capturing moments within me and my kiddos day. So without any more ramblings out of my mouth here are some photos of me trying new things!
