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Reflecting on the longer term takeaways from my summer photography retreat.

It’s been just over 3 months since I was in New Brunswick at St Andrews by the Sea for a photography retreat hosted by Freeman Patterson. There are times when an event or book or movie is very impactful and for me this is one of them - I find myself thinking back to that time quite frequently and recalling some very significant moments.

The other participants also had a profound impact on me and I have stayed in touch with three of the five group members (a bit surprising that I have stayed in touch with so many) - several of us have even talked about meeting up for another photography event.

What made this retreat so special and memorable? That is what I’ve been thinking about - was it the amazing photographic subjects? Well that might have had an impact as the scenery and inspiration at Kingsbrae Gardens was amazing, however I don’t think that fully explains my continued simmering glow about this time.

Was it the people? Well as I’ve said meeting them and having the open conversations about our images provided me with some new perspectives and thought for how to improve or change up my photographic approach to compositions. There was immense value in gaining that information.

I’ve also wondered if it was Freeman himself - his very low key and laid back style of hosting the retreat. He was not a directive or “in your face” type of facilitator, however when he made suggestions or spoke - people sat up and listened - I know I did.

So perhaps it was a combination of all of these factors and even more so, maybe it was me and where I am at in my photographic development. I was ready for something different - I was ready to expand and embrace more curious and playful approaches. Whatever the reason - this retreat has been staying with me.

Key themes from the retreat

Freeman opened the retreat by wishing two things for us over the course of the week:

1). relax into the week - share - be open - trust

2). if something piques your interest then spend time with it - follow the energy

These two themes really spoke to me during the week. The first was especially impactful as this was my first retreat and I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I was a bit apprehensive as I talked about in this blog post. I found that as I let go of expectations and “relaxed into the week” - my creativity opened up - I found sources of wonder all around me and inspiration just flowed.

I think that Freeman might have been onto something with his advice - this was clearly not his first rodeo!

Sparking different creative centres of our brains

One of my favourite parts of the retreat was being introduced to several new artists within the community - both were sculptors of different media. Their use of colours, texture and different materials really got me thinking about how I frame an image focus on texture or colour in order to convey a feeling.

My photography has become very much about capturing what it feels like in the moment as opposed to photographing things (i.e., documentary images) - I find this to be a more inspiring way to express myself through photography. Even when I’m photographing birds I try to capture something unique about the experience - the freedom I feel or the soaring nature of their flight.

I have found that this experience has guided me to seek out other experiences - I’m reading more poetry as well as photography books (image books) where I can study other photographers’ styles and try to understand how they composed the image. I’m also watching movies in a different manner - looking at the use of light and colour as well as the choice of point of view to enhance the mood of the film. It’s one of those interesting phenomena - once you start to see a different way - you can’t unsee it.

How I’ve used this new found inspiration

As I mentioned one of Freeman’s coaching for the week was that if something piques your interest then follow it - delve in further and follow the energy - there is something that has sparked a creative centre of your brain and you need to give it free reign to allow its full expression.

There are times when this exploration leads to something amazing such as these back lit pollinators.

At other times it can open up new areas of exploration such as the ICM images above that have led to me trying this approach in certain types of light and subjects. This is something that I didn’t think about doing very often before the retreat. When I headed to Crimson Lake recently I was blown away by the dramatic sunrises - why it is called Crimson Lake.

I spent time composing the sunrise and reflections in the early morning light and after taking a few images I felt a little flat - a little bit like how do I convey this glorious sunrise and how I feel right now - like I am part of the movement of the changing colours and contours of the clouds capturing the glint of the rising sun - shifting and changing - morphing as moments pass - dynamic and ever changing.

That was when I switched to a long shutter speed and adjusted my settings to compensate (low ISO and small aperture) - and I started to play. I let my body move the way the light felt and I became part of the sunrise. I saw groups of woodland faeries dancing across the water and I was totally immersed in the scene and the energy of the sunrise. I’m not sure how well I conveyed these feelings in the second image, however I do know that for me it was a much more immersive and energized creation.

Then there are times when it all kind of falls apart and nothing comes of it. These are the times that I have to let go and tuck the experience away to possibly explore again under different circumstances - or just let it go……

Key Takeaways

I really appreciate how I’ve continued to reflect on the amazing experiences that I had at the retreat. I have been able to celebrate/cheer on fellow retreat members as they continue to step outside of their comfort zones (Jean-Pierre acknowledging he is an artist - bravo! Valerie - pushing the boundaries of the ordinary with her view of the world and Heather finding new ways to remap her “hood”).

What started as a week long experience has morphed in 3+ months of growth in the way I approach my photography, writing and view of the world. I have learned to let things sit within me for a while and allow the seeds to continue to germinate and sprout when they are ready. I continue to follow the energy - a message that I often hear in my head when I have my camera in hand.

Have you ever had an impactful life experience that continued to be with you for an extended time? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below or you can drop me a note by clicking on Connect With Me button.

I hope you’ll come back soon, share a cuppa, relax and enjoy more of my musings.