Morning Pages

Years ago, I did a study called The Artist’s Way. The book, by Julia Cameron, is marketed as a spiritual journey to unblock your creativity. I was feeling particularly blocked at the time, and even though I kind of raised an eyebrow at the introduction to the book (where she’s talking about how you define God) it struck me as something that might be helpful to me as a visual artist. I was supposed to be working with a group of photographers, but the group itself never really got off the ground, so I decided to move on and take that journey by myself.

One of the best things I got out of this study was doing morning pages: three pages of stream of consciousness, don’tthinkaboutwhatyou’rewritingorworryaboutgrammarspellingpunctuation writing, every morning. It’s kind of a “brain dump,” and for me it is part prayer, part meditation, part creative exercise… all in all, a form of therapy.

Then later, as all of my writing obligations (the blogs, marketing, email, school, etc) started adding to the burn out, I stopped doing my morning pages. I wish I had kept it up. Until I started them again this week, I didn’t know how much I missed them. Or how much I needed them.

So now that my life has hit another season of renewal, with a new house, a new baby on the way, an evolving style, and a fresh look for the business, I feel like it’s time to take another trip with The Artist’s Way. I have one other photographer who is interested in a group study, and we’re looking for a maximum of six more people (whether you’re a photographer, some other kind of artist, or just someone who dreams of being more creative) to go along with us. I’d like to get started next week — as you can see, I’ve already started my morning pages again — so please let me know ASAP if you’d like to join us for a virtual group. Email me at info at shelbylane dot net or find me on facebook, and we’ll talk details.

Bookshelf: The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

Hi, I’m Shelby and I am a compulsive reader. If you’ve ever spent time with me in person, you’ll know that I almost always have a book in the car, and in my purse, and in my suitcase. So, for the workshops, I’m making a list of “must reads” for photographers. The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding: How to Build a Product or Service into a World-Class Brand, by Al and Laura Ries, is at the top of that list. If you’re just getting started in this business or are working to restructure your image, this book needs to be on your list, too. It explains the basics of branding, and looks at case studies from well-known corporations that highlight their mistakes as well as their successes.

Is it the complete branding gospel? No. There are a few things that I don’t completely agree with in practice, for us as photographers. But I do think that it’s a wonderful place to start. You can pick it up at your local bookstore or library, or online at Amazon.com.