Last year I hit a wall. I am pretty sure every creative has had this same feeling at one point or another. I felt uninspired, I wasn’t happy with what I was producing, and I didn’t know how to move forward. I had 19 weddings in front of me, and I wasn’t feeling the camera love at all!
I did a lot of reading during this time and I came across more than a few articles that talked about inspiration. To define inspiration, it is the process of breathing in or inhaling, but dig deeper and you will find that in a more figurative sense its the breathing in of ideas, or influence exerted directly onto the mind or soul. I thought about what had fed this for me in the past, and was quick to draw a conclusion. For me inspiration comes from being around likeminded people, talking shop as you will and learning from one another. I have been most inspired about photography walking out of conferences or workshops, something about learning how others see the world that breathes new life into me, and into my work.
After attending the One Day Workshop last year with Fer Juaristi and Gabe McClintock I made a small promise to myself to find, at least, one workshop or conference every year to attend, taught by photographers whose work motivates me, or that has speakers that I think will inspire me.
Yesterday, I drove to a small cottage outside of Peterborough and was greeted by a group of incredible photographers, for The Refresh Workshop. Our teachers, Jennifer Moher, Hugh Whittaker, Jess Bosse, and Erin Lester, and every other photographer in the room shared their knowledge and stories. It was an incredible day of learning and most of all inspiration for me that I will take forward as I embark on a new wedding season.
If you have never attended a workshop or conference, whether you are just launching into the industry, or you’ve been around the block, I can only say you are missing out! This is an incredible industry where people are so willing to be more than just your ‘friend’ on Facebook but if you open the door, your mentor, someone you bounce ideas off of, or someone to grab a beer with when talking to your animals has been your only conversation for the last month straight. Get out there, make friends, be inspired!
Here are a few of my shots from #therefreshworkshop
