Last month, I shared about the creative block that has kept me from producing new photographic work for more than a year. Well, I am happy to report that something has shifted. Maybe it was a result of sharing my truth. Maybe it was the perfect combination of time and subject. Regardless, I felt an incredibly strong desire to pick up my camera recently and so I did…
I should mention that my husband and I have been traveling throughout all of August (you can see a map of our travels here). For the first two weeks, we road-tripped around the East Coast, visiting friends and family, and now, we’re headed cross-country to our new home in Silicon Valley. California is “home” for us, both because we lived there before departing on our year-long travels last March (2010) and we just fit there. But I digress.
While visiting my sister-in-law, Trish, I was captivated by her relationships with her two boys and I felt compelled to to capture them. First, I had to explain to her how strange this was since the last time I’d seen her, I was in the midst of a crazy work schedule, shooting weddings and portrait sessions round the clock. This time, I hadn’t had a session — by choice — in 18 months. You see, I couldn’t give less than my best to clients, and I haven’t felt that my best was present for a long time.
After a 5-minute session with Trish and the boys in their front yard, I felt reinvigorated. Although my skills are somewhat rusty, my joy in capturing moments and my love for photography is coming back. And I was able to maintain that creative drive through the rest of our East Coast road trip. What follows are some of my favorite shots. I know now that, as long as I allow my inner artist to drive my photography instead of allowing photography or business to drive me, I will find my way back from the edge.
One small breakthrough on the path to many more, I hope.
Cheers,
