1,000 Word Fridays: Week 1 | Personal

Those of you who are photographers know that sometimes we get kinda burned out with the idea of taking pictures. Why in the world do we keep on clicking that shutter button? I've gone days, even weeks at a time, without picking up my camera.

But I was rather inspired reading what Hannah Nicole wrote over at Aspire recently:

"I've been working on intentionality in all areas of my life. What I do, what I eat, how my time is spent, what I say, what I don't say, what I write, what I watch, what I read, what I listen to, and lately, what I shoot....
Instead of just snapping away, I've been purposeful with my images. Taking time to study the composition, the light, the moment. I've noticed a lack of purpose, direction, and inspiration in my work. But through being intentional, I've found my vision again and have been so inspired. I've fallen in love with photography all over again and remembered the reasons why I started shooting in the first place. To celebrate life and the beautiful, ordinary moments and things that we miss in the everyday, to be a documenter of love, and to create art that is meaningful. That has depth. That is authentic and genuinely matters. 
I've started to see the things I've missed while blindly taking photos and hoping for a good one. Details, moments...
Photography is just like any other art -- it's a craft that has to be practiced. Like painting, writing, singing, dancing, cooking, playing guitar, and so on, you have to allow yourself the freedom to make mistakes. Because the freedom to make mistakes fuels you and brings growth. Oftentimes a mistake or missed shot lends itself to the knowledge and vision of the next image you're going to make....
It's not about the camera, the lens, the editing program, the degree, or whatnot. It's about your vision and your eye, the only thing that is uniquely yours. Why do you take a picture? What do you see in an image that makes your heart sing? What about the photo speaks to you? Why do you do what you do? If you could only take one photo, what would it be? What do you want to communicate with your work? And what is your favorite thing about photography?
Ask yourself these questions -- it's so good to be refreshed. Be intentional with how you take pictures. Probe deeper and look harder and remember why you started taking photos in the first place. Then go and make photos with purpose. I guarantee you'll be inspired and fall in love with photography all over again. But don't shoot like someone else. Shoot like you. Take the picture because you like it, because you see potential in it, because you want to remember. Take the picture because it's your vision, not anyone else's."

Feeling so inspired, I grabbed my camera today. First thing I decided to take pictures of was lunch. We don't often have BLTs. Then it was the sky. It's cloudy, dreary, and chilly outside. But wait, I couldn't forget the crab apple tree- it's been blooming lately. Oh, and then! Those little red berries Sarah and I used to pick off whatever kind of tree that is! Hmm, what else? Luke rolling around in the grass and looking goofy in general...ooh, the dogwood started blooming! And of course the azaleas...spring is coming to the Coast and in not too long it will be glorious.

"Hey!" I thought to myself, running around the backyard, cold feet, camera in hand. "Maybe, just maybe...I could try to just simply take pictures of ordinary stuff. Ordinary life. And then, it might not seem so ordinary. Maybe, instead of waiting around for somebody to ask me to take pictures of them, I can just take pictures of other people! Other things!"

And then I got the idea for 1,000 Word Fridays.

Yay for new ideas!

So here you go, Week 1 of the-past-7-days-in-photos, to be posted every Friday 'cause that's my least-busy-but-I-need-to-get-something-accomplished day.

Enjoy!

Another bit of inspiration for you (because it was, for me!)...this from Jessica Shae: 

"What are some tips you would give to a new photographer?"

"Ahah—another hard question ;)

I would say two things.  The first one is something that one of my very first photography instructors told me. “Take lots of pictures.”  Seems pretty easy, and obvious, right?  But I mean reaaallly take lots of pictures.  Every day, take pictures of people, light, flowers, scenery, animals, furniture, and expressions.  Take pictures of EVERYTHING.  And then critique yourself.  Decide what you like, and what you don’t like.  Figure out what you’d do different in the picture, if you could do it all over again.  And pay attention to light above all else.  Photography is all about mastering the art of using light effectively.  So notice what it does to your subject, whether it be a person or a flower or a chair, notice where the light falls and what it draws your attention to.  Master light, and you’re more than half-way there to being a stellar photographer ;)"

Because of Jesus,
Bekah