Fine Art Portrait Photographer

A few years ago, I set myself a creative challenge - in the slow months, take one day a month to dedicate to creativity in a playful, exploratory way. Curiosity reigns - create without boundaries, without the need to produce, and see what happens. While I do have a wonderfully creative job as a photographer, the honest truth is that most of my job is administrative, practical, and sometimes not creative at all. It’s a real privilege to do what I do for a living, but it isn’t always creative by nature. The majority of my job happens when I don’t have a camera in hand - admin, taxes, client conversations, marketing, booking management…you get the point.

When we come to photography, we are artists first. We are bringing our heart and soul to the work. We are bringing how we see the world in our own unique way and telling the world that our vision has value, that it is worth paying attention to. It is so easy as time goes on that we become dull to that first spark that brought us here in the first place. It is vitally important that we create spaces for ourselves to refresh the eyes, to throw everything at the wall, and unleash the subconscious. It’s also important to keep educating ourselves and growing in our craft.

During Covid, I took time in my basement (which was the only studio space I had access to) and I made self portraits, practiced with light, color, still life, film development. Some of what I made during that time will never see the light of day - just a pebble stone knocking on a still pond to sink and show me how I might throw the angle a bit better next time. Some things, from sheer playful curiosity and openness, became some of my favorite work I have ever done. It felt brave and alive and filled with devotion. Because I wasn’t making anything for anyone else - just me.

With these creative play days that I have set for myself (without the limitations of HAVING to do them - it is invitation only!), I might invite a peer in to the space to make work alongside me, or I may take it for myself. This is a time to take inventory on where I have been inspired, and where I feel dull. First, I ask these questions:

What have I been noticing in my everyday life that moves me?
What has felt hard lately?
What have I always wanted to learn but haven’t made the time (been afraid to try?)
What have I got to lose? (and yes, the answer is always - nothing)

Once I have sat with these questions for a while I will go to my trusty Pinterest account and build some portrait photography boards. I take all the limitations off - I don’t need to have a theme, I don’t need to have just one direction. I throw everything in there until I see two or three ideas emerge, and I organize a shoot day around it.

These are from last February’s play day, where I knew I wanted to try a portrait technique using mirrors, and work with speed lights again (lately in the studio I have been working with constant light). I wanted to also play with color, because many of the jobs I get don’t allow me to have creative control over color choices. I wanted to get out my color wheel and play with monochromatic color palettes using backdrops and clothing, and complementary color palettes using gels.

What emerged from this day were so many unexpected techniques and ideas I would never have thought to try in a client session. I really value this time and really recommend taking a creative play day for yourself, (whether you are a photographer or not). If you want to try out a Creative Play Day Mentor Session, reach out and let me know. I have half days and full days available where I create the space for you to try different techniques and open your arms a little more to the process of seeing in a new way.