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About Work Musings Contact Film Education

About Work Musings Contact Film Education

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Why do most of us hate photos of ourselves? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Is it like when we hear a recording of our own voice? It doesn’t sound like us - the photos aren’t the way we see ourselves?
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The self we feel deep. The self who loves good food and learning new things. The self that shrinks from spiders but stands tall when it comes to what’s right? Or is that just me? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When that camera comes up and the attention is turned to me it’s so hard to let the real me shine through which translates to photos I don’t love. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Having your photo taken can be transformative. It can show you those deep things. And I am on a mission to make that happen. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Share with me a time you loved having your photo taken and why it was so amazing! Was it because of the person on the other side of the camera? Was it where you were in your life? Or tag me and share about it in your own feed!

This image is a major fail. Not what I planned at all. It’s also quite possibly my favorite portrait of myself. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
My camera broke but I didn’t know it. The shutter on it stayed open well past the allotted 1/60 I’d set it to. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
But I love it. And I keep coming back to it. I’m not really a perfectionist to be honest but I hate failure. I fear it like the plague. It’s this scary place where pain and despair exist. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
But when I see this image I have to think that maybe failure is something else. A chance to reshape our views. A space to create from a new perspective. Or the realization of beauty outside the realm we’d imagined. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When I look at failure this way it makes me want to be brave. To step outside and push myself to do more so yes I can fail more, but because ultimately I want to learn more. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Maybe it isn’t failure = worthlessness maybe the equation is failure = growth.

Where are the places that you feel grounded? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When my grandmother passed away and I walked through her home for the last time I felt the loss of the only consistent place in my childhood. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We had moved a lot and I hadn’t even realized what a rock her home had been for me. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It was the same when a forest fire completely changed the landscape of my childhood summer retreats. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Our places and spaces ground us. They shape our thoughts and help us construct our world. What are the places that have shaped you? What has changed? How has that effected you? And where do you go when you need to find clarity?

I love westerns. I love the strong women in them. They always have such grit. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And I know the movies romanticize the true difficulties these amazing people faced. But I can’t help but be inspired by the way they faced the unknown and tamed the wilderness. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In a way we all face that unknown. We carve out for ourselves a space in the world and hopefully create something beautiful - perhaps to be romanticized one day. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And I don’t mean we create one beautiful thing that will outlast us. I mean we carve out a life - we create a life that touches another and another. We build our families, a home that is inviting in a place we love. Not because of what’s in it but in how we live in it together. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It’s something I always find true in every western I ever watch or read.

Coming out of hibernation. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When the weather turns cold all the world gets to rest - I decided to take a cue from nature and slow down too. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Turning inward and letting myself hear so I can find the path again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
There are so many beautiful voices out there that sometimes they mingle too much with mine and I start to collect instead of create. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
But by pulling away. Reading. Car dancing. Exploring. And naps - my new found creative trigger. Have helped me find that space - my space - again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And I can’t wait to share!! Image from a beautiful portrait session marking a pivotal moment in life. Coming to my blog soon!

Don’t ever let someone tell you you can’t. Don’t bury inside of you that tugging you’re feeling. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Get out, move, follow that thing. Be brave, it’s worth it!
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Thank you for letting me share The Visionary Way. Thank you for letting me share that thing that tugs deep inside me. It’s my little way of changing the world and I’m grateful you’re here sharing it!
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Beautiful image from @jessicahaderlie

Film gave me my life back. Dramatic I know, but seriously after spending so many hours chained to my computer I really did feel like a prisoner. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
We spend way too much time in front of screens. I didn’t want even one more thing to keep me there. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Film gives me the power to create in the moment the photo is created. And that’s it. No adjustments after!! Of course it took a few rolls to get that right, but I want to help you from the beginning so ...
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Just a few more hours before the doors for The Visionary Way closes! I’m not sure when they’ll be opening again so if you’ve been thinking of making the jump into beautiful film images it’s definitely time!
If you’re feeling busy right now no worries! The course is self-paced and yours forever! So you can get started when life slows down in a few weeks or a few months. No rush. And I’ll be there with answers whenever you need it ☺️
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