there's room for us all

Have you ever had a day, or moment when you felt so inspired it was almost overwhelming?...

This past weekend I went to a creative shootout put on by one of my favorite photographers (Stephanie with From the Daisies). It was two days of wild, out of the box shoots in Arizona with 8 other photographers, the host, a stylist, and a florist. Let me just tell you... I am shook. I am relatively new to the game, I can't figure out half of my camera settings and I don't have the experience the other girls that attended do, but I got in there and wasn't afraid to make a fool of myself if needed.

The shocking thing is, I didn't. I held my own. Because the wonderful thing about art is that you have the power to make it exactly what you want it to be. You don't need the best gear, the most experience, or the most knowledge... All you need is the confidence in what you can create. There were 10 of us taking the same photos, and yet all of our pictures turned out differently. All beautiful and unique.

“We won't be distracted by comparison if we are captivated with purpose.” -Bob Goff

Surrounded by all of the amazing women this weekend, was overwhelming. In the best way. Watching all different types of photographers, in their element. You would think there would be this huge competition in a group full of creators. Who could put out their photos the quickest, who knew the most or got the best composition, who's photos were liked more. But that wasn't the case. Everyone was so helpful and encouraging. I roomed with three girls and we were sitting at our table after the first day of shooting and one of them said "why should we be competing? On average in the U.S there are 2.5 million couples getting married."

Since starting this a little less than a year ago, I followed all these amazing photographers and instead of appreciating their work, or being happy for their success, I sat in comparison. Wondering why I couldn't get clients or 'if I could shoot in a pretty location like that, my photos would look just as good'. This weekend has taught me a lesson much more powerful than how to pose or work a flash... It's gone so much further than I think Stephanie ever intended. There is room for all of us. We all have stories to tell, there are always moments that need to be captured. There is no shortage of important milestones, or people in love. That inspiration is overwhelming to me... there is nothing holding me back. There is room for me.

Host: @fromthedaises

Stylist: @natalieejogray

Florist: @velvetarmoirefloral

Jewelry: @threearrowsboutique

Models: @natalieallenco

@weepphoto

@kjpinc

@Leah_darling