Second Shooter // 18 // American Visionary Arts Museum Wedding

They say making the effort to just get started is the hardest part. Which is definitely how I feel after being away from blogging for awhile. It’s not hard to want to blog, but it’s hard to make words appear when I sit down with my laptop to write. I want to say so many things…but in time, not all at once.

I didn’t intend to take a break, but I’ve learned that there’s an ebb and a flow to the seasons of this job. June and October flow like a raging, rushing river, and sometimes there is no way to survive but to blow up a life raft and hang on for the ride. And I love it – there is an exhilaration, a sense of purpose and ambition that I thrive on. I’ll be desperately missing it in just six short weeks, when December arrives and the three slow winter months drag on for what seems like forever. And then there will be so much time for writing and sharing…if only I can convince myself to come out of hibernation to do it.

That’s where things are, and thank you for your patience.

But today, I really want to talk about one of my favorite things about second shooting.

Creative play.

When you photograph at least one, sometimes two, and occasionally three, weddings in a week, it can be mentally exhausting to come up with something unique every single time. And when the venues start repeating as well, it is easy to get stuck in a rut, going through the motions you’ve done so many times before. That was exactly where I was two months ago.

Then I took a vacation. And started reading more books.

At the advice of my business coach, I started dedicating an hour each day to feeding my body, mind, and soul. Exercising, especially through yoga and dance, and finding books or podcasts that engage my imagination were the easiest, and truthfully, most enjoyable parts of the task. The spiritual component, however, has thrown me for a loop, in terms of being able to find resources, as well as focus my mind. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.

But on the whole, this practice is one of the most rejuvenating things I’ve done for myself this year. By stretching my imagination daily, I find that I am more open to experimenting while making photos because I have a new arsenal of ideas to try at any given time.

For whatever reason, at this particular American Visionary Arts Museum wedding that I photographed alongside Dani, one of those new ideas to test was free-lensing. If you’re not familiar with the term, free-lensing is a technique where you remove your lens from your camera and tilt it slightly to achieve an effect similar to that of a tilt shift lens. I love the look of tilt shift, and lost my tilt shift lens to NYC back in March – sad day – so I was eager to give this a try.

And I loved it.

It might not be for everyone – at first the unusual depth of field can be confusing. But one of the elements of photography that truly brings me joy is playing with focus. I happen to think that in some cases, softness enhances an image if used thoughtfully and intentionally. There is a time and place where accurate, straightforward focus is absolutely necessary. But during bride and groom portraits, where I know that Dani is getting the shot she envisioned, being the second photographer allows me to play and create something a little different.

I’d love to tell you exactly how far I moved my lens or give you a tutorial on how to DIY tiltshift, but you can find that easily online. What’s more important is experimenting with new-to-you techniques, working with them, and trying to figure out how they fit into your creative toolbox and with your style. And even if it doesn’t work out perfectly the first time, don’t give up. Working to master new skills is the biggest thing that has kept me from burning out with the crazy number of things going on right now – and is one of my truest sources of joy.

Oh, and also I liked this photo too. A lot. It also has creative blur, but this is motion-blur instead of lens-blur. We can talk about that another day ;0)