Where the Magic Happens

Yesterday I headed to the community garden nearby with my tripod, both cameras and all my lenses.  I was on a mission.  I’m working like wild on this brand new class Your Beloved Camera which explores the technical side of taking self-portraits as we explore seeing ourselves with kindness through it (I can’t wait to share this class with you)!

When I arrived at the garden, my inner critic was ready to pounce on me.   As I’ve been on this self-love through self-portraiture journey for a while now, its become much easier to push past my inner critic and take self-portraits (even on their fiercest days) but as I was shooting video for the class, it was like I opened up a whole new door for them to come through.

And they did.

The garden was busy too.  People walking by as I was shooting.  With photos, it can be a bit more subtle, but with my tripod perched high on a picnic table right in the middle of the garden, I felt super exposed and nervous.

So I used my go-to trick with when I’m hitting a wall when taking self-portraits.  Getting silly.  I shook it out with a silly dance.  I took some ridiculous clips that will be fun outtakes and just got back in my own body, my own skin.

Did I get all the clips I hoped to?  Nope.  But I started.

And sometimes thats the hardest part.

After shooting video I decided to shoot some more self-portraits, with camera in hand (as in planning this course I realized I had very few of me shooting photos)!

Oh my…it might have been the most magical half hour of my life.  The light, the cherry blossoms, the sudden space from people walking by.  I felt so in the creative magic and came home feeling so energized.

I wanted to share with you as this kind of magical creative adventure is available to us all.  And our inner critic or ‘gremlins’ are likely to be awaiting us if we try to access it.  But thats where the magic happens….when we push past the NO that they tell us and choose YES for ourselves.