I've never
considered myself a hoarder but when it comes to photography, I may need to
re-evaluate this self-perception. I still have my first camera along with my
first negatives and prints from my very first school assignments and the
beginning of my photography career.
I always wonder
what other photographers do with their old work such as negatives from the
beginning of their career. How
long should I really keep this stuff? Sometimes you just don't feel very proud
of old photographs. Of course I have learned a lot since taking my first
images, and it is nice to track my improvement, but I really just dislike some
of my earliest work. At the same time though, I just don't have the heart to
throw the negatives out. I mean, at one point I was really proud of these
images!
My internal
debate has manifested itself in an excessive pile of boxes holding old
work. I know I need to do
something but I just can't decide! So, help me clear my conscience. Do you
throw all your old stuff away?
Grace Ormonde is not a diva. One may expect that with such a fabulous magazine and incredible success as an industry innovator that perhaps Grace has a super ego bolstered by her vast accomplishments. This is not so. She is one of the most genuine, caring, and real people that I know and I feel fortunate to call her a friend.
I guess Grace's humanitarian
interests and humble beginnings should have prepared me for what an amazing and
genuine human being she is. But the true test came when we were returning home
from dinner in San Francisco the other night. Walking down the street, I quickly passed by a
homeless person, claiming immunity from her requests. Grace on the other hand,
stopped without a second thought and gave the woman $20 (I think the most I have ever given a
homeless person is about half that). Grace then took the time to speak to the
woman, hear her story, make sure the money would be spent in the "right"
places, and offer her condolences to this woman who had just been released from
the hospital. At that moment, I felt both guilty by my ease in passing a person
in need and touched by Grace's kindness.
Grace lives by a philosophy of generosity. Our walk down the street left me once again truly impressed by what a special human being Grace is. She is more than just an editor in chief for the inspirational Grace Ormonde Wedding Style; she is an exceptionally kind hearted person through and through.
Something special was happening at Wedding 360
but I couldn't put my finger on why it was such an inspirational event. I spent
two days at the St. Regis in San Francisco last week
surrounded by exceptional talent from all avenues of the wedding world. Wedding
360's The Academy for Wedding Planners and Designers was much more than
the sensational design showcases, fabulous parties, and incredible speakers. As
Wedding 360 came to an end I realized why I felt so excited and awe struck by
this outstanding event. Although I was a speaker, the participants were in fact
many of my inspirations. I was surrounded by brilliant people excited to be
there and for this I am both honored and humbled to be able to collaborate with
them.
Jean Marks and Jubilee Lau created something remarkable - they created a two day event bringing together some of the world's leading professionals. I enjoyed every moment and left profoundly impressed, my heart yearning for more time with so many talented people. It was so exciting to be part of a group that understands the importance of education when it comes to staying fresh, inspired, and a leader in our oversaturated industry. Wedding 360 became a must attend event for all designers and coordinators. I am so grateful that Jean and Jubilee invested their hearts, souls and finances to raising the bar in our industry. These two remarkable women truly inspired me and many others.
I recently read my blog and realized that while its
chalk full of accomplishments it doesn't really say anything about ME but rather
only talks about what I do. In
fact with the exception of a few photographic highlights (thanks to my
clients!) it is pretty boring. It almost reads like a visual resume.
As a perfectionist, I have only wanted to share my
"perfect" side. A laundry list of
my accomplishments and basically a self-promoting bore, my blog lacks
substance, it lacks personality, it lacks me.
Things are going to change. No more self-gloating manuscript I am
ready to share not just my work and accomplishments, but also what makes me
tick, my strengths, my weaknesses, and well anything relevant to my career and
life.
Having grown up
as a skier, I've naturally enjoyed following the recent Olympic skiing competitions.
The other day
two commentators debated whether when an Olympic skier is lined up to medal no matter what,
if it is better to ski a little conservatively and secure a silver or bronze or
to just throw all caution to the wind and ski for the gold, knowing one mistake
could result in no medal at all. The second commentator concluded that you have
to put it all on the line. After all, no athlete goes to the Olympics to get
silver. Every athlete goes to get the gold.
This debate
really resonated with me. Its so true that those competitors who won medals in
the Olympics went all out, putting faith in their years of
training and ability to come out on top. I seek to apply this attitude to my own life
in everything that requires courage and risk. People either live
conservatively, seeking security and a nice solid score or they take big risks
to achieve their goals.
Whenever I doubt myself, I stay positive and tell myself to "Go for the gold!" It's a simple reminder but one
that is easily forgotten in the midst of a busy schedule. The Olympics and my connection with skiing really
inspired me to keep repeating this phrase. Seeing such amazing feats in
physical form reminded me that we have to keep moving beyond our perceived
limits and keep stepping outside of our comfort zones in order to reach our full potential.
