Since I took on my teaching gig about 5 years ago, I haven’t been doing as many client sessions as I used to. When I do have a booking, I find myself a little out of sorts because it’s not part of my normal day-to-day routine anymore. Before the appointment, I’m checking and re-checking my gear to make sure I haven’t forgotten memory cards or batteries. I’m going over the emails where we agreed on a time and a location to be sure I haven’t missed something. Because I’m out of practice, I get nervous and when I’m nervous I get fidgety. Rather than pacing around the house, looking at my watch every few minutes, I decided to just leave early for my last photoshoot.

I arrived with plenty of time to walk around the perimeter of the location we decided on – a small lake tucked in an open space near a public park. I scouted the area for little vignettes that I could use for a family of four. As I wandered around, I discovered that I wasn’t the only one that had a photoshoot happening at that park. It was nice to watch from a distance as other professionals guided their groups and snapped their images. I took mental notes of their locations in case I needed a few ideas for my clients.

After my initial scouting mission was complete and I felt like I had plenty of ideas to work with, I looked at my watch again. I had 20 minutes to spare and was still feeling fidgety so I decided to do a short camera walk to focus on the things in my viewfinder instead of the anxiety in my head. The weather had changed recently and the beautiful fall colors that we had experienced the week before were already beginning to fade. We are currently moving into what I like to lovingly call, “Brown Season.”

Even though the colors are not as dramatic, it’s still beautiful. The textures are more apparent and the patterns of the grasses and plants are easier to distinguish. I enjoyed being able to look more carefully through my lens at the surroundings and to divert my attention to being present in the moment. Rather than using my creative brain to worry about what could potentially go wrong on my photoshoot, I was able to redirect that energy into something more productive. Like images for my upcoming Viewfinders post!

I hope you’re able to use your creative energy in a positive way, too. Fidgeting less~ Angie