This is a little story about an old cliche: the cobbler's children have no shoes. In my case, the cobbler herself had no shoes.
Last week, I attended a convention in Nashville with about 400 inspiring wedding photographers from all over the country and many from other parts of the world. It was amazing; the information overload and spiritual renewal was phenomenal. I'm so jazzed about the 2010 wedding season...stuffed full of new ideas and bursting with creative juice!
But I also experienced something even more profound: I stepped in front of the camera and experienced life on the other side of the lens. Hypocritically, NOT a place I want to be. I carry a list of reasons why I don't belong there in my head:
- eyes different sizes
- squinty eyes when I laugh
- uneven nostrils
- jawline not symmetrical
- big nose
- neanderthalian profile
Do you have a list like that?
So there I am at one o'clock in the morning in the lobby of the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville where the amazing, incredible, talented vivacious Stephanie Zettl of Zettl Photography in St. Louis had set up a mini studio to do avatar shoots for any semi-willing photographer victims. And I had been standing there holding jackets and badges and herding other photographers in for their moment in the spotlight. That part was easy. It's what I do.
Then my new friends encouraged me to do the thing I ask of my clients every day: trust my photographer. The fab Tammy Warnock, boudoir photography queen, revised my makeup. I was ready.
and scared out of my mind. Seriously. My heart was racing...I could barely make my feet walk the 2 feet to the backdrop. I know..I'm a photographer, right?
I love them. Are they perfect? Is every hair in place? No. But they're me. They're my face and I can see my heart in my eyes. I'm so glad that I had the courage to step out and so grateful to the encouragement and talent of Stephanie and others who laughed with me and made me feel comfortable enough to be myself. I love what Canadian clergyman Basil King said: "Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid."
Now that I've experienced first-hand the power of a photograph to change my perception of myself, I think I have an idea of what my clients must feel like when they see themselves as we see them. And I go forward renewed, blessed and unbelievably grateful for the opportunity to do what I do.
Peace + Hugs,
Liss
p.s. watch for an upcoming blog post entitled "bill: as liss sees him" ;)
Monday, January 25, 2010 at 10:10PM 
We just found out that we've been nominated for Best Photographer in WHNT's Best of the Valley Contest and within an hour of posting our nomination on fb, we're currently at #8, so if you think we are worthy, click here to vote for us!
