The Promoting Passion Convention 2015: where WEIRD happens - part 1

Actually, WEIRD isn't too bad of a term if you know me.  I'd like to think I'm pretty out there and weird.  No matter where I am....THERE I am.  I try to immerse myself completely into something to learn, grow and be challenged.  When the Promoting Passion Convention came online...I guarantee you i was among the first to register.  I adore Brooke's spirit.  I adore being around like-minded people.  I knew that when she did a convention it would bring more people that I would meet and understand...and vice versa.

I for the life of me didn't remember if I had EVER been to North Carolina, but I figured why not now?  I was eager to reach out as soon as I could for room-mates and car-mates to drive from the aiport to the mountain.  I cannot say enough great things about both sets of ladies that I got to meet!  I'm so glad to have car-mated with Kyla, Rachael and Kristin!  And my roomies: Samantha P and Ani.  I feel that each person I got to be in close contact with were SO SPECIAL because we were all so like-hearted and like-minded.  That was so so so GREAT!  Ladies, you are awesome. 

We arrived to the mountain WAY after the sun went down...and I was so eager to get there knowing there were pre-convention convention things going on!  We made it JUST in time for dinner and ran over to the main hall to see a circle forming.  After I checked in and started eating like a mad woman...I had this URGE to go...."duck....duck.......... GOOSE!"

 As the arrivals began, our circle just got bigger and bigger and bigger.  We were starting to say things that were "surprising" about us...but I never got to say anything.  So, I just immersed myself into watching everyone else squirm and then we broke for the movie! :) 

I have to say it is always REFRESHING to see faces that you have seen ENDLESSLY online....but to see them in person?  Do you know JOY?  Well JOY is what I felt.  So excited to see all these faces together.  To see Brooke smiling and knowing she was working and playing at the same time. LOL!!!! 

I was fully excited for the INTIMATE setting we had created and just open to have fun and learn more about myself and others.  Creativity comes in so many forms...and I appreciate how different we all are in that.  But, we also have this commonality you know?  Was I really HERE for the next few days?  What would happen...what would it become?  What might I create? :) 

DAY ONE:  

I think the BEST opening statement I could have ever caught was being my unique WEIRD self. :)  Even among weird people I FEEL WEIRD!  WEIRDER!  I try not to let that dictate how I communicate - so this time I just let it all go.  I put down every expectation - every fear - every worry.....so I could be my VERY true and authentic self.  And I also determined at every meal - I would rotate tables and sit with different people EACH TIME.  Did anyone else do that?  I did.  I wanted to make sure I allowed myself to listen AND be heard all in one swoop.  :)

The fog and rain were a bit much for me at first...I simply forgot to pack ANYTHING remotely warm.  As the time went on and I realized how far we had to walk and how many STAIRS we had to climb...I changed my outfits every day to reflect that. lol!!  That last day though - I had my finished outfit already picked out. 
I was excited to hear from Mitch/Shalem about their creativity and how they approach ideas/photography!

One thing about their class - is it was over way too fast! haahaha! We didn't get to do another look because we simply ran out of time - but I had a blast getting to know their passions. :)

I don't recall what the rest of the day held....but I'm pretty sure it was awesome....especially towards the night-time when I met up with Mika.  Mika shared a fear with Brooke apparently and then shared a fear with me.  While watching Brooke work outside in pitch black and rain - I went back inside to talk to Mika again about facing the fear.  We walked out after finding an ice light to LIGHT her (because by now it was pitch black outside) and assisted by Krystal helped Mika with her very own photo shoot near the woods.  To the naked eye, you dont' see what is really happening.  You don't see the tears or the shaking...you see a woman FLYING in/around the woods facing the very real fear.   She will have to tell you the FEAR that faced.  I just know I was lucky to talk her into coming outside NEAR the woods, much less INTO the woods!!! :)  
(she saved that for post-convention)

As she kept leaping in the shot...she seemed to get less and less nervous about THAT area.  I loved that.  For me, I was watching someone face their fear using baby steps.  Just getting OUT THERE and facing it.  Thanks to Mika for trusting me to capture that moment...even if it was cold, rainy and dark! :)  Oh, and she borrowed Brooke's dress for it. :)  TEE HEE HEE!
Thus ended the evening for me....

My next blog will be part 2 :) 

Passionates, have you written about your experience yet? :)

Love Jen

Let's catch up shall we?

I do have a lot of things to share and write about....but I will get to Promoting Passion another time.  ...I do have much to share on that topic as well as some images I enjoyed making.

Today's blog....

Will the mountains speak just as much as the ocean? 

I find complete peace in the sounds of the ocean.  I cannot explain it...I just know it.  Every chance I get to STARE into the ocean...I will do it.  My last stare-session was in Maine this summer....with at least several different types of beaches I got to visit.  It was a huge personal accomplishment for me as my adventure is to always go see a few new places and maybe meet some new people.  Well, I did it!   Enjoyed many version of the waters.

Enter the MOUNTAIN of the Promoting Passion Convention....

When I was at the Promoting Passion convention we were completely covered in fog/rain for 4 solid days with the 5th day being an open sky with clouds moving fast out of our way.  It is called "Heavenly Mountain".  Now I felt a different connection there.  After being shielded from view for days...I was able to stare out and see just why they called them "blue ridge".  Just amazing really.

 Here is a time lapse I did of our stay there...in key points of our viewpoints on the sunniest day of the trip.  I stayed a whole extra day to enjoy the area....and boy.... did I!

I hope to report back these next 2 weeks about the mountains I'll be experiencing and the ART we will make from them.  I still remember the first time I flew to Seattle and sound the GRAND mountain staring back at me.  I said hello.  It smiled back.

Mountains? See you soon!

The Heavenly Mountain....

I don't have a lot of time today...but wanted to share some amazing fun times with you from the heavenly mountain - Art of Living Retreat in Boone NC!  We had an AMAZING time at the Promoting Passion Convention and some of the classes left me in tears with inspiration and encouragement.  It was everything I needed in this moment and in this time. :)

I look forward to the next year...and where things will take us as dreamers!

The art of self-portraits during self-portrait class - with Brooke Shaden & After Dark.

Ok! so one of the things we got to do at not only Creative Live but at after dark was SELF PORTRAITS.....now mind you - I have notes somewhere about everything Brooke taught us about shooting the "self". :)  What is the ART of telling our story? LOL  Good question!!!!

Ok, so like I said in previous posts on Facebook - I wanted to take all of Brooke's classes that I had never previously taken....one being underwater and one being SELFportraits. :)  I remember seeing the fun that everyone had in past classes and thinking I should probably do it - or i would regret it. :) 

We started in the special hallway upstairs that looked out over the archways of the grand hall.  It was such a shame the grand hall was under construction, but you could still enjoy the archways of the ceiling. :)  We went through the location...the thoughts...the whys....the hows...and the lack of tripods and how to think about using stuff when you don't have a tripod.  :)

So we were taken to a room with lots of storage and old christmas trees...it did have an eerieness and quietness to it...along with crazee darkness.  I know that in some cases using a long shutter would do the trick...but good lordy what about focus!!!! :0

A good number of people were positioned here.  For good reason i know! Look at it!!!  But I felt that I couldn't get enough thought time or thinking into what i really wanted with the time i had....so i moved on....I moved to the storage room with all the crap laying around...to see what i could come up with.

This is me trying to set up the shot to get the luggage cart in there.  Without a tripod I felt my angles were waaaaaay off...and I wanted to act like i was flying a bit on the cart...so i moved the camera!

as you can see, complete miss!!!!!!!!!!!! heeheheheeehh
I found (IN THE DARK) mind you - a desk semi-across from the luggage cart and attempted to move my image over there.  It helped a lot - and then with my long (probably 10 second) shutter I waved my arms...to see what I could get.  I honestly had no idea what was in focus...but being at 24mm...i figure...WHATEVER!!!! hahahaahahah

Yes, i only shot this about 2 times...before i got the look that i wanted.  Kinda looks a bit more like daylight now....even though it was night-time. :)  I wanted to feel like i was flying and/or moving in some way...because I felt this whole season of just movement forward....and pushing forward...so I was happy with this shot as I ended the first phase. :) I then moved on.....
TO STAIRS.

I liked the curves of the stairs - but wasn't sure where to put myself or position myself.  Again, no tripod...and the tiny tiny one i brought couldn't hold the camera anything but straight.  I think I ended up propping it up on something in my purse....then making sure it didn't slip by letting the lens/filter rest on the concrete. :)  I thought to myself....why don't i just run down the stairs to that window and balance on the beam.....SURE??? THAT IS EASY RIGHT?  noooooooooooooooooo

Sure, my arm is flying - but what does that tell me?  NOTHING!  It was a really narrow staircase with high steps...and CURVED...so running up and down wasn't super super fast....:)  I thought to myself...head down...and moving...this is SOOO not me. :)  Maybe this is the me going up the stairs in real life...but really, i don't hide that often.  So I did it again....and thought to myself - why don't i just run up the stairs...and smile! :)  That sounds easy right? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I already told you - this was narrow and curved...meaning the stairs were EASY to trip on....and i had a hard time looking UP to shoot....notice, i'm still looking down...and then i thought...ok no wonder people didn't choose THIS for their portrait! HAHAHAHAHAAH  I tried it one last time....running UP the stairs....and looking at the camera....and this was my final image. 

Yep folks, that is about IT!  Class was literally ending....and I needed to get it done.  This was the last image I took....and I got my smile...and I got my running...and I didn't fall! :)  I came real close though....ya had to time how far to run downards before running back up....so there you go....my results from Brooke Shaden's "self portrait" class. :)  I think if I had more time to think even more...I would have re-visited the junk room and found a corner to say something...but honestly?  

I like the idea of flying on a baggage cart...and running up the stairs without looking...I think they portray me in a way I have not seen put into picture. :)  

When was your last self-portrait? 
What would you want someone to know about YOU that you are afraid to tell?
Tell it.

the DREAM of Creative Live...part 4!! DAY TWO workshop!

Soooooooooooo we made it through day one.  We were inspired....kickstarted...excited...and can we say....feeling CREATIVE!!!???!!!!!

Our filming was going to be around the building that day....and one of the setups started inside one of the rooms of vines, branches and other goodies to build on.  She discussed a lot of sets, setups and more to build your picture (you gotta BUY THE CLASS) .  

I took some screen prints of the "scenes" we got to experience - but to really grasp what was going on - you have to just watch....every detail was IMPORTANT to creating the images that are in your mind!!!!

The following images are from the first segments....we are all very cold - but learning a TON via her great teaching style and imagination!!!!!  

Jane Love & Brooke

Setting a Scene

Interaction.

Behind the scenes

The seminary

The floor i was inspired by.

A view through the window.

Behind the scenes as we are moving into the first segment!

 Now BEFORE the segment came on - I decided to snag a picture with Brooke because I felt that out of all the outfits I've seen her in - this one had to be the top! lol  As I stood next to her she said the key words that I knew to be true.  "We are so US today".  I literally had to gleamingly say...YES...WE ARE!!!!!! 

"We are US today".

Behind the Scenes

At this point we are heading towards lunch break where I got to take THREE MINUTES with Jane the model....and think about a scene in this huge place to shoot her.  I had chosen a room that was literally across the hall from the studio setup.  So, I took a chance and got some ideas out.

This is my PRE-art to my final concept.  No major touchups - but I wanted to use this FLOOR soooo bad!!!! I was insanely in love with this "river" flowing on it.

After my 3 minutes was done......we had our next segments to go through.  We knew that this was the day where ONE would be outside...OH BOYYYYY :)  They gave us hand-warmers and I thought that was amazing.  I saved them for the very very coldest part of our day!  I had to remember to bundle up and get ready!!! OH YES.  IT was worth it.  Every bit!

Our segments outside - COLD!!!!!!!!!

A view of the seminary - SO MUCH to want to capture!!!

This place was quite awesome.

Both Aussie Jen and I were fascinated by this tower. We wished we could shoot up there.

It was so bright outside - NO CLOUDS. :)

The outdoor shooting went great OF COURSE!!!! I opted to just watch....I was kinda scared to jump in and help a bit. I guess I wanted to be sure everyone got their creativity in.  I just love watching how all of our diverse personalities worked together to help create a GREAT experience!!!  After the final sessions of the day - we met up for dinner at a Vegan restaurant to enjoy a big meal <3  It was actually really really good.

"chicken wings" - oh LORD that spicy sauce was good!!!

let's try it girls!!!!

We all got some great munchies!

And so our 2nd day ended with much laughter....GOOD FOOD and I didn't get to finish my 3rd "fish taco"....it got left in the fridge!!! AWWWWWWWWWW *cries* :) 

Jane and I ended our nite with a few silly and fun images of her magazine spreads!!!!  Both in Freque Magazine and Cloud Orchid!!! "I'm kind of a big deal in Wisconsin".....lots and LOTS of fun.

by day two....i was just getting blown away about how FAST this was all going!!!! super super super fast.  We got a good nite's sleep...to prep for DAY THREE.  Day Three was about to get really really fun. 

SHHHHHHHHHH don't tell anyone - but we stumbled into the setup for day Three's set! HAHAAHAHAHAHAHA  So we took a few moments to be goofy, take a few pictures...and play <3 

NEXT UP

DAY THREE of the workshop...................................