Follow up on photography retreat
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St Andrews photography retreat and meeting an online photography friend.
Arrival in Halifax - stuck on the runway waiting for lightening warning to clear.
Well I’ve been back from my photography retreat in New Brunswick for a few weeks now and I’ve finally gotten around to writing about how it went - there will be more posts as I start to work through my images, but what a full and meaningful trip this was on so many levels.
Meeting up with someone you know primarily from an online space can sometimes be challenging, especially if either or both of you are presenting a “perfect” image of yourself, however I was pretty sure that Heather and I would get along well and not have that awkwardness associated with figuring out what is real and virtual about another person - we’re both rather down to earth and direct people which is refreshing to encounter.
Heather and I have been co-admining an online Canada Group in the A Year With My Camera (AYWMC) app for a couple of years now and we always seem to divide the workload evenly and with a lot of flexibility to cover when either of us is busy or away. I really appreciate how Heather has my back and I think that she would say the same about me. I especially appreciated this aspect of our friendship when 3 days before my flight to Halifax I got an email and text from her wishfully hoping that I’d made a typo and that my return flight was on the 23rd and not the 22nd as my email stated (the retreat ended on the 22nd and there was no way we’d make it back to Halifax for my return flight on the same morning).
Halifax Central library - Heather’s happy place and I see why.
After checking and realizing I’d made a major blunder - I frantically went about changing my flight to the next day (thank goodness for flexible tickets that allow changes with no penalties). Whew - crisis averted and we both declared that we were now moving forward with no more dramas.
I had a fabulous time with Heather as she got to show off her local hood - such a beautiful part of the country. We visited her local haunts and I got to see the cooperative photography gallery ( Viewpoint Gallery ) where she is a very active member.
There was a lot of great food and the conversation flowed easily - this time cemented our friendship and I’m sure we’ll be doing future trips - maybe one to my neck of the woods next time - who knows?
How the retreat went
An ICM impressionistic view of the gardens.
If you’ll recall I wrote about being a little apprehensive about this retreat as I’ve not been to one before and I was suffering a bit from imposter syndrome fears (i.e., I’m not a creative enough photographer or a good enough photographer to consider my work artful). I couldn’t have been more wrong. The retreat was a wonderful affirmation that we are all creative if we allow ourselves to be open to the possibility and I met some amazingly creative artists, had some wonderfully in depth conversations as well as spending time in the most artful garden I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.
It is impossible to capture the gardens in their entirety - breathtaking.
Kingsbrae Gardens is comprised of 27 acres of award winning gardens with over 50,000 perennials, themed gardens, artists retreats and an amphitheatre. The scale and beauty of these gardens are overwhelming and we had round the clock access to them for the entire duration of our retreat - what a treat!
High key image of Freeman chatting with one of the kitchen staff.
Our time consisted of morning photoshoots before breakfast (if we desired and were able to get up), morning lectures and sharing of our most meaningful images after breakfast, free afternoons to either do photoshoots, wander about town, visits to local artists’ studios and time with Freeman Patterson, dinner at KIRA (Kingsbrae International Residence for the Arts and Amphitheater) with time for a sunset photoshoot if we desired. I found myself shooting at both ends of the day and spending time in the afternoon reviewing images and doing some editing (and possibly some napping too). They were full but rich days.
Place setting and menu for Savour in the Garden at Kingsbrae (tip - start at the outside edge with utensils and work your way inwards).
One evening we had the pleasure of a special dinner at Kingsbrae (Savour in the Garden) which consisted of a 10 course tasting meal - it was a delight for all of the senses.
I would say that is an apt description of the retreat in general - it engaged all of the senses and allowed us to expand our comfort zones in a safe and supportive way. I certainly came away from it very inspired, more informed about some of my photographic motivations and ready to explore and try some new directions in my photography. I also met some talented lovely people who made the time very special.
What I learned
I found it harder than I thought to discuss my images in that it was difficult to describe what I was feeling at the time I took the image because some of the images I shared are very personal reflections of me and I feel far more comfortable being safely positioned behind the camera not talking about feelings (remember I don’t do feelings well - read about it here blog link). However, I would say that once I overcame my hesitation the feedback and suggestions that I received made it very worthwhile. I learned a valuable lesson about the way I approach my compositions that has already impacted my photography in a positive way - making my images stronger in my view.
Backlit bee in the early morning light - busy pollinating flowers.
I learned that it is rewarding to share my work and exchange ideas and approaches to photography which really does extend beyond the camera into daily life as well. I also gained a deeper appreciation for the creative process that others have - we all were hesitant to share at the risk of being criticized or judged, but we all seemed to appreciate the candid discussions and feedback.
I found that having a candid photography discussion that was not centred on the technical craft was a lot more fun than I even thought it would be. In addition, I found visiting artists using different media to express themselves very inspiring and thought provoking. This is something that I am going to continue to do.
Follow the energy flow. Freeman Patterson (Kingsbrae Gardens Photography Retreat)
I appreciated Freeman’s words and they resonated with me a great deal. I was fascinated by the layout of the gardens which attracts bees and butterflies to help pollinate the plants and flowers. The insects are busy from daybreak to sunset.
Verdant green fern fronds.
I found myself fascinated by the light and I was drawn to photograph backlit bees and green leaves (I rarely photograph greenery as I’m not very partial to green, however I was drawn to the textures and shapes that I saw) - and I followed my energy flow and continued to photograph them every chance that I got.
As a result I have put together a nice series of images reflecting the direction that I was inspired to take my photography during the retreat.
I’ve put together a gallery of images from the retreat, so have a look in the creative photography gallery to see some new creative directions I’ve been working on developing.
Spending time with fellow creative photographers
Spending time in Halifax was a delight for all of my senses.
I found that spending time with other creative photographers was a wonderful way to harness positive energy and although we did not spend time together photographing (there was 27 acres to explore), it was energizing to know that we would come back together each day to discuss some photography related topic.
It seemed to give me license to play and I explored a number of subjects and techniques to express the way that I was feeling. I found that my images reflected the positive and uplifting energy that I felt in that the colours were saturated and rich tones.
I also learned so many new things from spending time with Heather and it certainly felt like we’ve been friends for years - which in fact we have - just not in person. I have picked up recipe tips, new ingredients tips and a whole host of creative ideas. My mind is exploding with new thoughts and ideas - so inspired!
What would I do differently
Foggy pier at St Andrews.
I think that in future I will be much more relaxed and confident in my abilities. At the beginning of the retreat Freeman said that his wish was for us to relax into the week and follow our energy flow - some very sage advice that I intend to remind myself of frequently.
I think that I packed most things that I needed - perhaps some more t-shirts if I choose to come somewhere very hot and humid (I had forgotten what heat and humidity felt like since moving away from Ontario), but I enjoyed being constrained by the lenses that I brought - they made me think differently and I found myself making different images than I usually would.
With the exception of the bees - I took very few bird images during my trip. I just felt inspired to focus on different subjects.
Where is my creative photography heading?
This retreat most definitely impacted my photography in that I am inspired to study other creative artists working in different media in order to learn new things about colour, texture, inspiration etc. I have also learned some good lessons about how I visualize images and then compose them. This has had a strong impact on the way I frame images and definitely how I edit them too.
I really enjoyed spending this time with other creatives and I will definitely be attending other retreats in the future. I encourage anyone who has thought about doing a workshop, retreat, class or one on one session with a photographer, but has been hesitant to do it - jump in and just do it. I would also highly recommend Freeman’s workshops and retreats - he is a very generous spirit and I felt very comfortable speaking with him about my photography. He has a way of putting people at ease and making you feel like your creativity really matters to him - which it does. (Freeman Patterson Workshops/Retreats)
I can see me exploring new areas and subjects in my photography and just letting go and following the energy flow rather than getting caught up with the inner critic and stopping short of seeing where the journey takes me.
Have you ever attended a creative retreat, yoga retreat or other time set aside for self reflection or self improvement? I’d love to hear about your experience and how it impacted you - please let me know in the comments, or drop me a note by clicking on the Connect with Me button.
Backlit maple keys just after sunrise with gorgeous pink astilbe in the background.
I hope you’ll come back soon, share a cuppa, relax and enjoy more of my musings.
