Day two of the Slow Living Workshop at Glenmore House in Sydney, we started the day off with some amazing Tarts I have never ever tried anything like these little guys before in my life!! After morning tea Beth took the reins with a rolling pin in hand. As she prepared her pie dough, she talked us through the steps with lots of free flowing questions and answers. After the pie dough was made, she filled them with a rhubarb filling and turned the sides of the dough up to make some little gallettes, which we would use in our styling session later in the day. I have never made pie dough from scratch and I was a bit amazed watching it all come together. I guess the weighing of ingredients is something that has mostly put me off from making it, but after tasting these little galletes and seeing how effortlessly Beth made it, it is now on my never ending list of things to make. During the tail end of the gallette making Stacy Clark started prepping our table for lunch and it was a pleasure watching her balance out the setting by eye and feel, the ball of twine and scissors shadowing her slow move to each place at the table as she made each persons seated place at the table look amazeballs. If we were eating by means of our eyes, we all would have been full from the visual feast of beauty at the table. Lunch came out and it was a delicious fresh seafood pasta dish with a fresh garden herb salad, fresh breads and washed down with zesty jugs of water. The last hours of the workshop were filled with styling, eating and also an insight into post-processing photographs.
This weekend was just so fun. To be around other creatives who like to 'do' and 'make' and talk was beautiful. For me personally, I feel as though I am in a bit of a block with the development of my own style, trying to find and use inspiration without turning into it. It was very encouraging to hear how other creatives continue to develop their own style and how they use social media to inspire them. I feel as though I am searching for authenticity to self when it comes to my style of photography so that I can be more confident with what I am creating and putting out there, rather than feeling like it is just a 'copy' of someone elses style. I am hugely inspired by Luisa's work because I love the way it looks - real, fresh, in the moment. For me, they are elements that I want to exhibit, but in my own way. Beth's photography is deep and I like that there is a high level of consciousness that she puts into her photography, the deep and light feel of her photographs is almost like two polar ends meeting. I like the choices that she has made in defining her style and I guess that is where my mind is at when I am shooting these days, empowering my moments through better choices (and oh my goodness, it is still early days!!!). Finally, I am also inspired by making, doing and consuming to nurture which is why I was attracted to this particular workshop. I love to learn how to make and create, but I am not glossy and neat and this blog is not to put forth a pretty looking blog full of DYI's or perfect moments because that would be too contrived. I am a bit more rough and tumble and follow the lead of the practicality of the moment, I would say that I am a bit of a watered down risk taker. I seem to follow my intuitive needs when it comes to things that I like to become involved with and maybe it's because subconsciously what I value is the developing the ability of learning how to learn as opposed to learning how to master a particular skill - does that make sense? My aim is to keep shooting everyday, but not haphazardly or by co-incidence, but with a level of consciouness regarding my goals towards developing a personal style which is authentic to who I am.
How do you deal with creative blockages? Who inspires you and how do you use that inspiration to create?
Images taken using Canon 5D Markiii//50mm 1.4
Please do not use my images without permission.
