“You don’t make a photograph with just a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.

~Ansel Adams

I am primarily a storyteller.

All my arts fall under this category.  Quilts and dresses: stories stitched, lived in, and memories made under them.  Writing: the weaving of story with language. Knitting: the story of how yarn and pattern and love intertwine.  Photography: capturing a story in images.

I’m best known for newborn imagery, but that’s not the type of imagery that gets me fired up the most.  I’m most passionate about telling the story of my clients (or my own family) and capturing those little details we’ll most likely forget.  Those relational moments and telling the story of each family’s “us” are what gets me fired up.

This is my Bronwyn Girl. And these two things are simple, real parts of her everyday story.
That thumb tucked in her mouth. Those fingers wrapped securely around that blanket corner.
Not to mention the marker all down her face in her favorite color.

You don’t see many of those images on my page because I have a hard time convincing folks to let me come over and photograph their morning bedhead as they tickle their children in bed.  And then following them through the Saturday morning pancake ritual.  And the cranky tears with the baby is ready for nap.  The way the toddler plays.  The way Dad looks at Mom with such respect and desire after so many years.  That is what my storytelling photographer heart longs to capture.

Capturing your own Story

It’s pretty safe for me to say that the number one thing you’re wishing to capture as a beginner photographer is your day to day life/interactions and what you see as beautiful.  We’ve spent the last 3 months mastering a bunch of technical mumbo jumbo so that we can take better images.  We’re going to pause here on the technical stuff and let it all soak in while we work on telling our own personal stories with images.

Until we jump into manual mode, I want you to shoot in Program as much as possible, but supplementing with Aperture and Shutter Priority when needed. But for the next few weeks, the class focus is going to change drastically to storytelling with your work as you master Program Mode/White Balance/ISO/Exposure Value and when to focus on Shutter Speed and Aperture.

Storytelling with Images Mission Statement (Assignment #1)

The way you tell stories with your imagery is going to be different than the way I tell stories. God created us as two different people with two very different viewpoints and purposes on this planet.  That’s okay.  Sometimes I’m afraid to show you my own “real” imagery because I don’t want you to mimic my storytelling style.  I’m also afraid you’ll hate the way I tell stories, but that’s my own baggage (and likely will be a fear you’ll fight too).

I want you to sit down and write a mission statement.  I want you to write, as simply or as elaborately as you want, what you want to do with your imagery.  Don’t roll your eyes at me.  You’re an artist with a camera and in order to get the most beauty in your work you need to have an end goal in mind.  What do you want your work as a body to say and do?