Projects and thoughts.

I have had the blessing to be a part of a couple of projects lately and that might just be the life I build for myself going forward. I enjoy the creative aspect, planning and putting things together to see if they work, as well as the creative part of how to put it together once you’ve captured what you need. My thoughts have been on a couple thousand lately and will probably be there for a while. There’s a buzz in the air now and it’s only going to get bigger. That’s what I feel at least. The thought that really pervades my mind right now is just don’t take on added stress. This creative life is crazy enough. The amount of anxiety and adrenaline that has been in my body for the past couple of months has been amazing, but I’ve realized I have to learn how to tame the beast and let it go.

I have a creative beast within. He’s amazing, dynamic, uber talented, and he takes no shit. He will give you the world and many wonders if you are willing to work with him, but if you’re not, you can go play with someone else. And let’s be real. When the shit is dope, you’re playing, there is trust and risk involved, and we’re doing dope stuff together, most likely for the benefit of others. Please don’t get me wrong, I know this is work. If you have seen the amount of time I have spent reading and practicing, failing, and succeeding, then you would know how seriously I take my craft. I thoroughly enjoy doing a great job and get happy when I can do it and share with others in the experience. Making art I believe is a calling, but also a privilege. When those two combine and you treat it as such, I know magic will take place because you are already in a sacred place.

Now back to these projects and thoughts. There is an energy that surrounds every project. Don’t ever forget that. The earlier you can put a finger on it and get the pulse whether it be good or bad, that’s one of your main goals as producer and collaborator on the project. Life is crazy and when you’re in the creative field it’s no different. Matter of fact, it’s amplified because you are dealing with creatives and the power of play and experimentation. These are the intangibles that make creativity worth exploring and engaging with, however you do have to have a skill set to be ready to deal with them. It is your job to provide positivity and stability, but you can’t account for everyone else’s mindset. However, you will have to assess the current mindsets you are dealing with as well as the tone of the overall environment and whether it is beneficial or detrimental to the project at hand.

As long as I have been doing this, there is nothing that kills a project quicker than a wack attitude or environment. Sometimes communication can smooth out the wrinkles, but some times it can’t. You have to do your best to be able to know what you can deal with and what you can’t. Now it is our job to educate our clients, but it’s not your job to be a life coach when you are a producer and director. I have definitely been a cheer leader on set and probably will be again if it means getting a model to look a certain way or get a certain mood for a shot. Know your environment. Know your values. Know who you are working with and what you are dealing with and be ready to walk away from all of it. This year has really taught me the art of business and detachment. That’s why you work on your skill set and provide crazy value. The work you create will speak for itself.

In the past two months I have the blessing to have a couple of experiences regarding projects. There is the thought of something and there is the reality of it. Too many times I was concerned with the thought of a project and what it could mean for me. That was ego talking for sure, and maybe from a place of insecurity. When the bigger projects didn’t come through, I didn’t stop. I know I still love photography. Maybe it was a timing thing, I don’t know. It made me work on myself more, what I wanted for my business, but actually finding out too what I really love to shoot. I was willing to shoot anything for a while and that is not a good space to be in at all. You’re grasping at the point as opposed to learning and building, finding what works for you and what doesn’t. It’s imperative that you find out what you love to shoot; it shows through the lens and your quality of work. It will also show when you talk about your work and share it with others. I don’t know about you, but I’m not about doing uninspired or flat work. It’s your decision to make. Be aware of your energy and the energy of others. Don’t be so tied to the idea of a project that you neglect the reality of it and the energies and expectations involved. A job is never really about the paycheck even though we all want money.