You should probably have a rootbeer float :)

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about personal vision.  I’ve been taking a good look at the personal work I shoot in comparison to what I shoot for clients.  Where are the differences?  What are they?  And WHY are there differences?

If you can’t tell already, Gladys is one of my favorite subjects for shooting personal work.  I’m always inspired when I see her through my lens.

My best girl friend, Natalie, was back from NYC this week.  The house where she grew up looks a lot different than where she lives now.  I never found rural Wisconsin beautiful until I started doing photography for a living.  Now I can’t get enough of it.  I want to shoot against a rustic landscape every day of my life.  I just feel right in my element in that space.

I had a mini shoot with Natalie and her Wisconsin animals  today — only about 5 or 10 minutes long.  And it was noon (yes, the worst light ever).  But I felt so inspired in those few minutes.  Sometimes you can shoot for hours and not be especially inspired … but I was just.so.inspired.  Wind-blown messy hair always gets to me.  So does a girl who doesn’t care if her hair is blowing around her face. Because that’s real … and real is what I love to photograph. Natalie, an emu, some chickens, a pony, a horse, a donkey, peacocks, and a crazy dog.  Perfect.

Except that the dog bit me.  But we’ll let that go for now.

Natalie, it was so so good to spend today with you.  Thank you for being so beautiful … in so many ways.  I think these photos make me tear-up because I already miss you.  Safe travels back to NYC, my dear. xoxo.

Books and magazines make my world go round.  I know that my To Read list will never end, but I’m trying ridiculously hard to get to the bottom of it this year.  Sometimes magazine reading gets in the way of my book reading.  I subscribe to way too many mags and my favorites include New York Magazine (for the writing and photography), Nylon, and the J.Crew (have you seen their recent photography?  Amazing.) and TOAST catalogs.  I also enjoy not subscribing to certain mags so that I can go to the bookstore and buy something.  Tokion, HOBO and COLORS magazines are my favorites to pick-up from the actual shelf and bring to the register.  I’m also especially inspired by music magazines and the photography inside.  Some wedding photographers are inspired by other wedding photographers … but I really find inspiration in the music industry … from the magazine and the album covers.

Below are the most recent books I’ve finished and some things that stood out to me or that I learned:

From The Art of Happiness (by the Dalai Lama) I learned the importance of filling your moments and days with things that are “life giving” and bring happiness.  To eliminate things that suck the life out of you or bring suffering. I made my own “life giving” list and it includes biking, walking, yoga, listening to moving music, taking naps, photographing, sitting in the sun by water, writing, living simply, shopping at bookstores, eating brunch out on the weekends, getting weekday lunch or happy hour drinks with a couple close friends, and reading in cafes or coffeehouses.  What would be on your list?

From Linchpin (by Seth Godin) I took a lot away (a definite read for any business owner or anyone who just wants to take more ownership in his or her position at any job).  I underlined many quotes but one of my faves is this:  “An artist takes it personally … takes a stand … takes the work personally, and doesn’t care if someone disagrees.  His art is a part of him.“  Recently I’ve been getting questions from other photographers about how I find clients that always fit my style … and this is a huge reason.  I take my art personally … I pour my soul into it and I don’t want to spend my time shooting things that don’t matter to me. I am upfront about what I do and don’t like to shoot and I hope that the people who disagree with my approach/style will be weeded out.  This means I work with clients I love on a consistent basis and I continuously love my job and produce work/art that matters to me.

The quote goes on to say, “That’s why Bob Dylan is an artist, but an anonymous corporate hack who dreams up Pop 40 hits on the other side of the glass is merely a marketer.” Right now I think so many people are out there simply imitating other artists and doing photography simply because they can … because they are making money at it … not because they love it more than anything else and feel like they couldn’t think of anything more fitting to do with their lives (this is true for many many occupations).  They are, in a sense, putting average Pop 40 hits out there — completely lacking the soul/ownership/passion.  I don’t want to expand right now … but something to think about … I never want to do photography (or any job, for that matter) because I am able … but rather, I always want to be thinking like an artist and pouring myself into every photo, client, wedding. Being an artist is about living out a calling … a passion … fully … your way … without apology.  Standing for something in your work. You don’t have to paint to be an artist … you can be an artist in any field.

Finding Beauty in a Broken World (by Terry Tempest Williams) is simply beautiful and if you like Annie Dillard or Barbara Kingsolver (two of my favorites), I suggest checking this book out.

I Heart Your Style (by Amanda Brooks) was just a book I ordered because of the photography, but I found it a fun short read.  I learned that my personal style is a mix of classic, minimalism, street, bohemian, eclectic and cheap chic.  Haha.

I’ve been wanting to read more biographies lately.  What are your recommendations?

I always love an empty parking lot.  Woodman’s East on the 4th of July.  I started shooting Gladys.

Then Gladys grabbed my camera and started shooting me.

Gladys:  Put your arms like this (lifts arms up).

Me:  (Lifts arms up) I don’t know what this is…

Gladys:  Me either.

I know, I know … it’s no secret by now that I’m in love with untraditional barn/farm weddings with creative details and artistic flair.  Add a couple that is willing to have fun in front of my camera … well, I’m in heaven.  So it’s safe to say that Pink & Ian’s wedding made me smile a lot.

Pink and Ian were married at Country Pleasures Bed & Breakfast and their entire day blended traditions from rural Wisconsin and Indonesia.  I loved the handmade elements, Pink’s amazing dress, the personal ceremony and the beauty of the country landscape.

Thanks, Pink & Ian.  I hope your travels back to Singapore are safe and that you’ll forever be as happy as you obviously are right now.  Congrats!

I usually shoot weddings alone, but for Pink & Ian’s wedding I had the absolute pleasure of flying out my amazing friend, Gladys Jem, to second shoot with me.  We had a blast shooting together and decided we should become a Madison/San Francisco friend photo team ;)  At one point before the cake cutting I turned back and found Gladys drowning in a sea of DSLRs.  I thought this look was priceless.