Wonder is the Gateway to Creativity
Wonder is my word for 2018. I love photography, but the area that has intimidated me the most is lighting. When my photography friend, Alexis, came to visit for a faux workshop, I wondered what it would be like to experiment with dramatic lighting and my color gels. This is completely different from how I usually photograph my clients. There is so much to learn and experiment with within the field of photography. I love that I have the opportunity to wonder in many different avenues of photography, and I have the perfect neighbor to be my muse – she was patient and has the extra bonus of defined muscles.
“The strength of a woman is not measured by the impact that all her hardships in life have had on her, but the strength of a woman is measured by the extent of her refusal to allow those hardships to dictate her and who she becomes.”
― C. JoyBell C.
Lauren is three months pregnant is these images and she was game for most anything. I have a lot of natural light in my studio and I needed to “flag” or block out the light in order to create dramatic lighting. I pulled out my Profoto B1 and A1 Studio Lights with their accompanying gels. I used all my black V-flats and put down the black cloth on my flooring. What is nice about my A1 and B1 is that they have modeling lights so I can get my focus just right. I also pulled out my grids so I could achieve a crisp shadow.
Lauren brought different outfits and her weights. We played with different looks, different lighting effects, and different angles. It was so fun to wonder and then experiment. We pulled out a water spray bottle to give Lauren a sweaty look. Next time, I am going to wonder about using a fog machine or dry ice. There are so many cool effects to play with!
What inspires you to wonder? Then take one step towards it. Sometimes that step is simply researching it or putting a time block on your calendar. It can be scary to try something new. I find it invigorating to let myself have creative play time. I’ve now put a time block on my calendar for every Monday to try something new or check out a new exhibit.
We often leave wonder up to children. But what about our inner child? Our inner child still wants to play and explore their imagination. What do you wonder about?
Lauren is my neighbor and friend. She enjoys Crossfit and works as an occupational therapist. Lauren and her husband are expecting a baby girl!