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ole´ to you nonetheless {elizabeth gilbert}

it may seam that i’m on an inspiration kick…actually, i always am.  in fact, if possible, even more so in ‘these’ times of late.
and really, is it such a bad thing?  answer. no. we should remind ourselves of goodness as often as possible.
so here is some goodness from elizabeth gilbert of the famed ‘eat, pray, love.’  is there anyone out there that hasn’t read this yet?

“…if the divine cockeyed genius assigned to your case decides to let some sort of wonderment be glimpsed for just one moment through your efforts then ole´. And, if not, do your dance anyhow and ole´ to you nonetheless. I believe this and I feel like we must teach it. Ole´ to you nonetheless. Just for having the sheer human love and stubbornness to keep showing up.” – Elizabeth Gilbert

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this is a leeetle bit long.  but worth it i promise.  make a cup of tea, sit back and be engaged.

April 8, 2009 - 8:13 pm

Gail - I loved Eat, Pray, Love! ANd your Web site is adorable Gina! I’ll have to add you to my reader – thanks for checking my site out first!!!

find your voice {photographers}

i want to start this post out by introducing a sublimely gifted photographer and her blog.
‘her’ name is deb schwedhelm and her blog is where this post sprouts from.
i came across deb’s photography site a little bit ago and i find myself visiting her quite often.  one visit and, you too, will know why.
images full of emotion, courage, meaning, spirit, calling and beauty.
in this particular post, she actually talks about another photographer that has inspired her and that she considers her mentor.
‘she’ is cheryl jacobs nicolai.  naturally, i had to visit her site.  once there, i knew instantly what deb was talking about.
here, too, art filled with passion, soul, intensity and connections.
see how this works? this is good.  this is one way inspiration is found.  people share and people grow.
deb is sharing cheryl’s words and i will share them here as well as they are filled with truth,
guidance and inspiration for photographers and really all artists.
of course i asked deb is i could share her ‘sharings’ on my blog.  her answer…’of course.’

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Style Is a Voice

– Style is a voice, not a prop or an action. If you can buy it, borrow it, download it, or steal it, it is not a style. Don’t look outward for your style; look inward.

– Know your stuff. Luck is a nice thing, but a terrifying thing to rely on. It’s like money; you only have it when you don’t need it.

– Never apologize for your own sense of beauty. Nobody can tell you what you should love. Do what you do brazenly and unapologetically. You cannot build your sense of aesthetics on a consensus.

– Say no. Say it often. It may be difficult, but you owe it to yourself and your clients. Turn down jobs that don’t fit you, say no to overbooking yourself. You are no good to anyone when you’re stressed and anxious.

– Learn to say “I’m a photographer” out loud with a straight face. If you can’t say it and believe it, you can’t expect anyone else to, either.

– You cannot specialize in everything.

– Know your style before you hang out your shingle. If you don’t, your clients will dictate your style to you. That makes you nothing more than a picture taker.

– Accept critique, but don’t apply it blindly. Just because someone said it does not make it so. Critiques are opinions, nothing more. Consider the advice, consider the perspective of the advice giver, consider your style and what you want to convey in your work. Implement only what makes sense to implement. That doesn’t not make you ungrateful, it makes you independent.

– Leave room for yourself to grow and evolve.

– Remember that if your work looks like everyone else’s, there’s no reason for a client to book you instead of someone else.

– Gimmicks and merchandise will come and go, but honest photography is never outdated.

– It’s easier to focus on buying that next piece of equipment than it is to accept that you should be able to create great work with what you’ve got. Buying stuff is a convenient and expensive distraction. Spend money on equipment ONLY when you’ve outgrown your current equipment and you’re being limited by it.

– Embrace frustration. It pushes you to learn and grow, broadens your horizons, and lights a fire under you when your work has gone cold. Nothing is more dangerous to an artist than complacence.

– Learn that people photography is about people, not about photography. Great portraits are a side effect of a strong human connection.

– Never forget why you started taking pictures in the first place. Excellent technique is a great tool, but a terrible end product. The best thing your technique can do is not call attention to itself.

– Never compare your journey with someone else’s. It’s a marathon with no finish line. Someone else may start out faster than you, may seem to progress more quickly than you, but every runner has his own pace. Your journey is your journey, not a competition. You will never “arrive”. No one ever does.


lyla . mia . momma {continued}

there were smiles and little giggles and clothes and colours and hair and lots of cuddling.
an hour and a half of a lovely sunday morning spent with
a creative, relaxed, beautiful (inside and out) open hearted family who
let me play.  really, i can not honestly call this work.
there was no ‘agenda.’
i love to {work} this way.
these girls, as you will see, were amazing…they just ‘did’ what they ‘do’ and i just happened to be there to catch it.
thank you april, thank you lyla and thank you mia.
sweetness.

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March 10, 2009 - 4:42 pm

holly rouse - i am IN LOVE with their beautiful, blonde hair. these are some gorgeous ladies. lovely job!

PS: i’ve been meaning to tell you–i got a lensbaby for my birthday!

March 11, 2009 - 5:09 am

Julie - loooove everything about these! the lighting is perfection, the blonde hair and blue eyes are stunning! i can’t even begin to pick a favorite…these photos belong in a perfume ad!

March 28, 2009 - 10:51 am

lauren c.-openField. - i must say…i’m 1000% in LOVE with this session…STUNNING. and how fun for not only the mom, but the girls to have these awesome images forever…LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

lyla & mia {a sneak peek}

it’s going to take me forever to narrow down the picks from today’s session with these two beautiful and amazingly sweet sisters.
so, in the meanwhile…
lyla.

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mia.

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mama and mia.

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lots more to come!

Related Posts with Thumbnails
March 3, 2009 - 12:11 pm

Julie - wow…love the lighting in these photos. and that first one needs to be framed immediately! your style is so unique; i love visiting your blog~

March 4, 2009 - 2:46 pm

Ms P - Breathtaking! These are fantastic Gina. I was blown away you captured these beautiful children and their mother in such a way to not only accentuate their fabulous skin, eyes and hair but their joyful interaction and sometimes pensive demeanor. Kudos G! You’re great!!