A Creative Session that Spoke to my Soul
Back in March I attended the Reset conference for photographers and one of the keynote speakers encouraged us to make time for personally fulfilling projects. Reflecting on her words, I realized I haven’t made time or space to take pictures that are just for me in quite some time. Though every session I do for my clients is work I am proud to create and deliver, I wanted to make space to do my art for no other reason than my own love of the process.
When I returned from the conference I tucked that idea away in the back of my head for a later time, but it resurfaced this summer when my husband and I were parked on the top deck of a parking garage for a night out together. Those of you who know me well know I am a light chaser and fanatic. I was literally stopped in my tracks as I got out of the car. I couldn’t believe how gorgeous the setting sun was from the top of that parking deck. I instantly knew this location would be the place I returned to for my personal session.
Despite my busy fall schedule, the idea of doing a project just for me nagged at me throughout September. I decided I needed to find the perfect subjects for the project, people who would be willing to be creative and vulnerable and real with me as I experimented with new ideas and techniques opening myself up to the possibility of failure amidst the excitement of trying something new. I considered different friends who might work well, I even thought of approaching a particularly lovey couple at a wedding I shot to present them with an opportunity to model for me. No one quite fit what I was looking for until…I remembered Katie and Izzie.
Katie and Izzie are the daughters of a woman who has made a profound impact on my life. Their mom has taught me how to love the person I am, how to love others, how to let go of people and things who don’t benefit me, how to communicate effectively, how to disengage, how to parent, stepparent, and coparent. Their mom is responsible for molding the woman I am today, so inviting her daughters to help me with a creative, vulnerable project was not only a perfect fit but also incredibly fulfilling.
So today I give you a little passion project of mine, one I hope to revisit in the future when I need to reignite that fire within. I give you…Katie and Izzie.
