Shortly after moving back to Chicago last fall I started feeling a little bit disconnected from photography. I think part of the feeling came from not having a connection with other photographers. When I was in Milwaukee I was involved in a fantastic group of photographers, CoPA, and most importantly had regular conversations with a friend and fellow photographer, Chrissy Kruger-Gruendyke of Chrissy Rose Photography. She and I had countless conversations about photography; everything from technical challenges, equipment, where to hold sessions and how to style & price them, how to present work, what specific genre of photography we wanted to focus on and how to get there….and so, so much more!
I so missed those conversations and still do. There’s something about hashing all this stuff over for hours with another photographer that put things into perspective and helped direct me and keep me pushing towards my goals. Those bits of reinforcement when self-doubt surfaced kept me going, and it didn’t hurt to hear that I wasn’t the only photographer struggling with the same issues. It’s something that can only be done with a good friend and fellow photographer. As much as I’d talk to my husband about this stuff, he’d often just look at me blankly without much to say. Very understandable, much of it was just thinking out loud and looking for insight from someone in a similar situation….only another photographer could really understand.
With our move there was so much that needed to be dealt with that my photography was pushed aside for a bit. I was missing it and most importantly missing that connection with other like-minded individuals. I finally decided to do something about my apathy and hopefully spark a renewed interest. I Googled Chicago photowalks and came across a group on Facebook called Chicago Area Photowalks. As luck would have it, they were meeting up a couple days later for a photowalk in the Fulton Market area. I had never been over there and luckily pulled it together to meet up with this new group…well, new to me.
I am so so glad I did! They are a fantastic group of photographers with varying levels of training, skill sets, photographic interests and abilities. After leaving that first photowalk I felt energized and excited to get out and start photographing more regularly.
I have only been on two photowalks since that first walk last fall, but every time I meet up with this group I am renewed in my excitement for photography. And every time I learn something new. This is one of the best parts of being involved in a group like this, everyone is so willing to share their experiences and tips. I know I have benefited greatly from this group and others I have since joined, if only on FB.
Regardless of whether your profession is photography, research or business, it is invaluable to connect with others in your profession to gain inspiration, share your knowledge and learn from another’s expertise. The camaraderie that comes from a shared passion is priceless!
I thank all my photographer friends that I speak with regularly, whether face to face, over the phone, via email or FB. I appreciate all your feedback and support!
I thought I’d share a few pics from the Oak Park photowalk I went on last weekend. We stopped at the farmer’s market and checked out some of the beautiful homes in the area. Enjoy!