Embrace the Leak

We bought a house this past summer and absolutely love having our own space. We repurposed antique drawers and used them as shelves. We found restored end tables to sit aside our couches and added character and personality to every corner of our home (except for the playroom which looks like Toy R Us and the McDonald's ball pit made an explosive love child). 

It's been mostly amazing. I say mostly because, since moving in, we've broken one window, put a hole in a wall, had a water leak from the bathroom go through all three levels, scratched and dented door frames, lost one dryer, and today, our roof started leaking. So…yes, just mostly amazing, but amazing nonetheless.

Not to fear though, because there's a lesson to be learned in all of this (I had to come up with something otherwise I'd be soaking my keyboard with anguished tears of betrayal). At some point, we need to make something our own, whether it's a home, a passion or a career. The only problem is that once we leave the protection and insulation of condo living, our dreams and efforts face broken windows and leaky rooftops. Problems arise and you may wonder what, exactly, you were thinking going out on your own. It would have been easier to stay back and watch everyone else give it a shot, right? Sure. Easier but not better.

There is a time for condo living, for watching, for weighing your options and learning how the world turns, but at some point you will need to jump. Yes, there's risk involved and you'll need to have faith. You'll need to believe and work and be fearless. But it's worth it, I promise you. When you own something and put your sweat and blood into it, you are building a legacy and contributing your uniqueness to the world. We need you to be one of the few who take that leap. 

I don't regret choosing to be a homeowner because of a leaky roof. I don't regret being a photographer because of a saturated market. I don't regret choosing the family life with a beautiful wife and two children who I adore even though the stained couches and late nights require divinely imparted perseverance.  I don't regret these things because it's in our nature to take something and make it ours. It's our responsibility to give our utmost to make this world a better place, a more beautiful place, and we can't do that by waiting for the moment when everything gets easier so we can leave the comfort of our cave. 

So, with all that said, I encourage you to embrace the leaky roof and discover what you really have to offer. By the way, all of these crazy things that come along with a life well lived are good, temporary, and always have solutions. Expect setbacks but persevere and don't fear, you're never alone! 

Creative Individuality

I tried something new recently: As the 2014 season dawned, I decided to do more rigorous research of the wedding photography market. I've been browsing through countless websites and Facebook pages of popular area photographers but today, I stopped. Call me crazy, but all of these Facebook pages and websites start to look the same after a while.

It's the same pose. The same bouquet. The same edit. If you took the logos off of our photos, you'd see an album full of duplicate work. Don't get me wrong, the shots look very…nice. They're pretty, to be sure. There is a reason these poses and styles dominate the bridal magazines and dreams of brides-to-be. But for someone who likes to find the line between exceptional artistic expression and building a business in an insanely crowded market, it's all feeling a bit ho-hum and unidimensional. 

I have found myself gravitating towards those cliché shots that define the work of a photographer as defined by my peers. I have looked at the work of other people and said, "Okay, how close can I come to that be still be original?" The reality is once we ask that question, we've already sacrificed our unique artistic fingerprint. There's a reason so many people can spend $5,000 on photo equipment and build an Etsy-inspired, Pinterest curated website of images that look oddly similar to the last photographer's site. We're all copying each other because the work is honestly not that hard to replicate.

I can feel the rising tension from photographers who are much more well established than myself who don't want to criticize the market, perhaps many who have helped shape the very dilemma of which I am speaking. I'm not too worried about that though, I'm on a roll here.

I have 300 likes on Facebook (very little compared to other area professional photographers). I have an Instagram account with less followers than some grandmothers. However, I have a vision, and that vision looks nothing like following the crowd. 

There was a great article about a news photographer who realized she couldn't (and didn't want to) keep up with the wire photo world. So she moved. She got away from the herd. Not because she hated the herd but because she hated what the herd did to her creativity. She wanted to pursue her own vision, apart from the influence of the crowd. That's inspiring to me. Blaze your own trail sister!

I suppose there's some legitimacy to the herd-mentality of photography because at the end of the day it pays the bills. I'm sure people in every artistic tribe feel this pressure, too. But I fear that it pushes our creative minds into a stifled business world rather than expression in the art (they aren't always mutually exclusive, but for this example they are).

We need business savvy and artistic individuality.

People would argue that our industry has both, but from what I can see, the results would refute that claim. I don't see individuality in our work. Sorry if you disagree. Also, sorry if you don't think it's a problem. Agree to disagree. 

The danger of this whole perspective is going off the deep end. I'm not suggesting that photographers should aim to have work that is flagrantly reflective of personal passions and dismissive of what couple's want and what the market drives. I'm saying that I want to seize the photographic art, capitalize on what we already have developed in the wedding world, and present something captivating, fresh, surprising and elegant that is uniquely ours.

How? Start with this: admit that we all look the same. Then, figure out your niche as a photographer. What do you love to shoot at a wedding? What feeling or style do you go for the most? What have you always wanted to try? Capitalize on that. Rebrand yourself. Figure out new poses and settings that get you excited. Break out of the box. Stop chasing the work of other people and set the bar that other people may want to imitate (which you will of course tell them not to, though it is flattering).

This is really coming from a place of concern for us. It's not an angry post. It's not an angsty post. It's a "don't give up on that dream" post. Don't settle!

Just some thoughts from a not-so-popular photographer who is an overly-thoughtful, dream-catching pragmatist. We can do more with our work than imitate, can't we? Let's try. 

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It's Only Winter

Winter can be tough on parents with young kids. The snow may look pretty but after 15 minutes of play, noses are running, cheeks are red and tears from falling face first into a pile of snow are common. The rest of the time, single digit temperatures and freezing rain results in many days of hibernation with the parents reliving the same dirty kitchen floor and bedtime routine. We were starting to feel a bit cooped up (putting it lightly) so I hopped on Priceline, stared William Shatner in the face and bid on a hotel in Mystic. 

A few hours later we packed the kids into the minivan (don't knock it 'til you've tried it!) and took off. We treated ourselves to some lattes and bribed the toddler with dreams of clean hotel rooms and indoor heated swimming pools. It worked! We spent the day in Mystic, CT (if you haven't been, you need to go) and walked around the tiny downtown. Eli enjoyed his large red umbrella as he ran back and forth on the drawbridge, looking at the water then staring at the sky, trying to see the top of the steel. 

This was the perfect getaway...much needed and highly recommended. Sometimes a few nights away with 5-Guys Burgers and beluga whales is what a family needs to re-center and push through the remaining cold months. 

Try: The Ancient Mariner for lunch and clam chowder, The Hilton Hotel, Mystic Seaport and of course, the Mystic Aquarium.