EEEEEH! I found something new to learn. Something beautiful, magical, full of joy, and whimsy. I love learning. I went to school for 19 years. I did my master’s in something I use all the time (early attachment) as a mother but not as a vocation. I always loved photography. Photography is the most immediate and brilliant medium I know how to use as an artist. Anyone can do photography, yes. But no one takes the same photos that I do. Because we all see the world differently. I have made it my life’s goal to see has clearly as can. (and I also have a very expansive, wild heart that especially accommodates dribbling babies and unruly children)
I spent years learning everything I could about photography. The internet rocks! We live in the coolest future I could have imagined. Everything I want to know is at the press of the tip of my fingers. Literally. Forget hover skateboards. The internet changes the game for EVERYONE. Now, when I want to know something, I spend countless hours on You Tube taking tutorials. I join an interest-specific forum and read archives until 2am every night. Then the following morning I post any questions left unanswered. And just like magic-I come back an hour later and my answers are there. Better than a fairy godmother. I will save my love for Ebook technology for another post.
That is how I learned photography. I read every little snippet of information I could get my greedy little fingers on and then practiced, practiced, practiced. When I started to get some serious photography skills, I started doing workshops, and those took me to another level. Newborn posing, baby’s first year, family photography, head shots, editing, storytelling. All learned first online, then practiced with real people, then an occasional conference or workshop to hone my skills and make my photos unique.
This is what I am doing now, but with movies. I want to learn how to create beautiful documentary films for my clients. Myself. Through my eyes, with my artistic light shining through.
I have gathered up all the teachings I could find online, and I have ordered the photo gear I need to stabilize my camera and start figuring out how to do what I envision doing. I am posting my first mini movie here, for posterity, so that I can document this journey.
Here’s the 15 second short I made this morning. I filmed for 5 minutes then cut a few moments together. I now know I need a monopod or my photography skills are not going to show. Handheld is too shaky with dslr video. I am practicing manual focus, too. And I opened my video editor for the first time and figured out some basics. The video is so short because I wanted to post it on Instagram, and that is the time limit. Plus, my manual focus skills suck, so I stuck in the few moments I captured that were even remotely within sane focusing range:)
Going to try a few more this week. I am going to figure out how to add in my photographs, too. Wish me luck.
xoxo
Stacey Potter is a lifestyle baby, children, and family photographer in both Camden, Maine & Boulder, Colorado. She is best known for her newborn photography. Please email staceypotterphotography@gmail.com to schedule a session.
