How do we recharge as creatives?

Today is day 4 of me trying and wanting to Blog daily. I missed yesterday completely but thats also the topic of this entry so I am giving myself some grace on missing, because of why I missed. I think as creatives we often find ourselves caught up in the “Hustle Culture”- meaning we think the only way to win or succeed is to outwork everyone else. As a very competitive person, this is not something I would shy away from, or have in the past. I love what I do and I dedicate a lot of time and energy to it. Into learning, growing, adapting, & stretching my creative boundaries. One of the problems of living this way and never taking time off is you get burnt out so so quickly. Fall as I mentioned a few posts back, is easily the busiest season for me and most every photographer. Yesterday I had full intentions on going to a local Enduro Mountain Bike race at Tannery Knob to take photographs and see my friends. I had planned this for months actually and had to cancel those plans once ( I thought ) due to a scheduling conflict but that worked itself out leaving me open to go do this one thing that I have wanted to do for a long time. The morning came but instead of packing my gear to head to Johnson City to watch people send it down the Mountian, I packed a different backpack, and chose to spend the day with Natasha, and Atlas. Jaryn and Austin were very much so missed, but they both have jobs now. We decided to head to Bays Mountain for a hike together. To reconnect with nature, to reconnect with each other, and. to look for our Creator everywhere we walked.

So in short, todays topic is “ How do we recharge as creatives?” I am so guilty of my “down time” consisting of spending time on my phone scrolling through Instagram, or Twitter. Tik-Tok is a time portal from having a second to myself, to losing an hour on the app. We have been programmed to want and expect something new constantly. I am referring to our attention spans and our patience. Everyone wants it NOW. Answers now- go ask Google, photos now -take it with your phone and remove yourself from the moment entirely, food now- call GrubHub. I think you see where I am going with this. So what are ways we can stop and recharge our creative brains other than with constant and painful comparisons?

For me this has always been by being active to some degree, and the older I get those activities I prefer all revolve around and in nature. In the wonder and beauty the the Lord has given us to enjoy and to protect. Finding his presence among the tress, in the rivers, hiding in plain sight in the clouds. He is omnipresent and so are his works. I find myself longing for adventure more and more often, to see the Redwoods, to explore Iceland, to see sharks breaching off the southern coast of Africa. Because when I remind my self to sit, and be still and listen I can always find my peace outside of technology which is sadly ironic as I am writing this on my Macbook I suppose. The irony of using a camera to document life for myself and others and also wanting to disconnect is not lost on me, but finding the balance within them is where I find I can reset and reconnect the easiest. I would love to know your thoughts, and if you have ideas as well.

Thanks for being here and remember we all fall short, so give yourself some grace today too!

j

Fall for photographers

I am considering starting a journey to break creative barriers and open myself up to new ideas and concepts. One method of this is to try and write daily. I truly want to be a person who uses a journal and who does so regularly but I have yet to find a system that works for me or holds me accountable. I start this entry saying that so anyone reading this might understand that if this blog seems to seem a little more off the cuff or shorter some days than others, it is only because I hope to stick to the plan and create entries daily for the foreseeable future.

So Fall and photographers seem like the perfect match right? The chill in the air, the crisp fall mornings met with dew covered ground, and pumpkin flavored everything. ( NASTY ) The mountain floors start to become blanketed by the leaves as trees release their grip on their foliage some people travel hours to witness first hand. As if nature is transitioning through a prism, creating magic that only quickly fades to make way for winter.

This transition is one of my favorites of the year as well, and as a photographer this means everyone and I do mean everyone wants to attempt to have photos made while the colors are so full of life and color. The only problem with this is, the window of opportunity is so thin, that we can only accommodate so many clients in this time. Luckily for me, I have found ways to make even the greenest, peak of summer moments, feel like fall when needed. Now I cant help the temperature meet your clothing preference, so if you schedule your session too soon, and you cant live without the entire family in sweaters, and Doc Martins, well you better bring a change of clothes for after. On the same hand, even as the temperature meets the ideal level of chill and sun warmed faces, the leaves transition even quicker now so waiting too long means we as photographers have to become creative.

Any other photographer reading this knows the struggle in which the demand of fall brings, and we joke about this on forums, and Facebook groups. We are also aware that as soon as the leaves are gone, and the snow begins, that our intake of new leads and work also fade looking for the first sign of spring. Not entirely of course but I absolutely wish more people would be as intrigued and also see the beauty in the winter months when leaves are gone, branches reach for the heavens alone of their protection. The simple contrast of the temporary reset or death of nature versus the beauty of connection with my subject inspire me in ways that shooting summer days might not.

So to summarize, pe patient with your favorite photographer in the Fall, we are running at full pace trying to find time to shoot for everyone we come in contact with, but also leave ourselves time to put our whole self into editing those images, and grading those videos for you as well. Not to mention have a life with our families doing the fall actives that we also love and enjoy- I mean Halloween is coming :)

Thanks for being here and Ill be here more often. I hope to see you here but in person as well.

Lets make photos together.