Friend Friday: Belinda Olsen

Guest Post: Belinda is a talented photographer that I have the pleasure of calling, friend. I asked her if she wouldn't take a minute to inspire us. If you want so see more of Belinda's work you can visit her website (which is art by itself) HERE

Belinda Olsen

Why would a photographer be a guest writer on a writing blog? (I can tell you it is certainly not because of my prolific writing ability!) Writers and photographers are both storytellers. One, by unfolding an experience through the written word and the other by literally capturing a moment in time.

 A more subtle answer was profound for me personally. *As creatives we need to get out of our own genre to look for inspiration.* It’s too easy to compare and limit ourselves when we only look to our own genre for ideas. There are several photographers I love to follow but only if they pass my ‘happy day’ test:

1. Am I truly inspired by seeing their work and leave with my own ideas?
2. Do I leave feeling uplifted and motivated to improve?

If the answer is no to any of these questions I honestly think twice before I visit again.

 There is beauty all around us. Why limit the way we see inspiration to what we are comfortable of familiar with? Stop your mundane habits and try something new today! Visit a local museum and watch how people interact with each other and how they experience the art. Lay in the grass and watch the clouds roll by with the breeze grazing your cheeks. Listen to a new artist and really hear how the melody tells their story. Go to a restaurant and see how the chef presents their creation with colorful, carefully placed garnishes. Have your child read to your their favorite book and listen to the different pitches and voices they use to articulate each character. 

Find inspiration in other mediums you love. 

I promise it will rejuvenate the way you express yourself.