Over the span of my blog’s life, I’ve received so many emails from readers asking for advice or creative help – & I feel like those emailing me might not suspect how much I’ve benefitted from our exchanges.  Speaking from experience, I know that it takes a lot of courage to reach out to someone with the risk that they might not reply (that feels so crummy!) especially when you are exposing a part of yourself that desires help of the artistic kind.

I’ve enjoyed this behind the scenes aspect of blogging so much because I define things that I wouldn’t normally have a reason to, and I feel it reaches into another personal level.  I love the one on one mentorship that all of my favorite artists had, I would love to recreate that on both ends of my life too – the giving and receiving.  Maybe not everyone is comfortable cold emailing when they are a perfect stranger, but that so many of you brave readers do so lets me know that you trust that I will give good advice and I feel that I am approachable.  I have someone to give.

All artists wish for validation.

I think that is why I am so enthusiastic about the questions.  They give me a forum to define things that I might not think of, and I get to know myself as an artist.  If there is one aspect of my blog that I love the most, it’s when I feel like I’ve touched another person’s life in even the smallest way.

I received an email this weekend and it occurred to me that since the simple question of style/technique is one often asked, I’m delighted to share it with you… (Published with Lora’s permission.)

Dear Jenny

I’m a student from the UK, and one of the subjects I’m studying is Photography. I’ve just started my final project and my brief is, simply, colour. I’m focusing on you as my main source of inspiration for this project, as I love the way you incorporate colour into your work (i.e. faded, subtle tones that invoke a calm and tranquil atmosphere). I wondered if you could tell me if colour is something that you intentionally focus on, or whether it just finds its way into your work without you realising? Also, what do you consider some of the most effective experimental techniques that you use with your work to be? Such as different types of cameras, experimental processes etc. I hope you don’t mind me emailing and asking for your advice.Thank you, Lora _____________________________________

Lora, How brilliant that you are choosing to study photography! I’m flattered that you would think of me, how wonderful that makes me feel.

You know, someone just asked me what I would describe my photographic style as, and I just couldn’t pinpoint it in words – it’s strange that I don’t have this figured out exactly, since I’ve been taking pictures most of my life… and I’ve been thinking about why this is. I think I just recognize “it” through the viewfinder – I know it when I see it, instinctively. Almost impossible to put into words though, but I like how you describe it! I do think I aim to capture a nostalgic essence. Even if it were shot yesterday, I like that maybe it has a mysterious longing or bittersweet feeling of memories. See? Even as I try to nail what I want to say with pictures, I already narrow it down too much for my own liking. Thank goodness the camera can speak it for me instead!

And I have a confession: I’m not a technical photographer, not at all. I’m not married to a particular medium either, it seems most photographers prefer a specific type. I love polaroid, medium format, digital… really, any way that I can create art, any way that a picture happens, I feel excited about it. And each of my cameras ignite a special sort of thrill out of me, each has it’s own unique charm. I love my zoom lens on my Canon DSLR, but I also love the thrift store camera that I bought for less than 3USD. I like the fun toy cameras made of plastic made for children just as much as I love my more serious ones. I like to switch up my genres, keep it fresh by maintaining inexperience and trying not to get a stale method or specific ingredients with a formulaic pattern of steps that say 1 + 2 = 3. I guess I’m not interested in repeating my experience, but I do find it reassuring that no matter what I’m using, I show my style with the end result. I do love experimenting!

As you begin looking for your own voice, I would say: just trust that quiet voice inside of you that suggests that you try something new, and not worry too much that you don’t have anything to say. You already do. Just by your existence – no one else has your unique experiences in life, and no one else can offer just what you have. You just have to recognize it, practice it and nurture it. That’s the fun part.