Building relationships in what can be a lonely space
I am a self-avowed introvert: always have been, probably always will be. Way back in the day, when I was a 16-year-old starting his first job, I was terrified to even greet customers as they walked into the store where I was working.
Over time, I got better. Thankfully, I also developed a knack that many introverts have: faking it when needed, most commonly in my professional life (although it can be exhausting).
Indeed, fast forward a solid 20+ years from that kid nervously trying to say a simple hello to customers, I had most everyone in my career fooled. I'll never forget the astonishment one of my bosses expressed when I mentioned being horribly shy in my personal life; she just couldn't believe it (although, in fairness, once I know you and feel comfortable, prepare to have your ears talked off).
Jump forward another 10 years or so and here I am, sitting at my computer at home, living the life of a self-employed, full-time photographer. From a career standpoint, I spend pretty much every day of the year alone, my peer interactions occurring largely online via social media or platforms such as Discord.
An introvert's dream, right?
Not quite...
As I alluded to in the case of talking people's ears off, even as an introvert I often thrive by forging close relationships. Perhaps a better label for someone like me is an introverted extrovert... regardless, it's extremely difficult to build deep relationships as a full-time photographer, especially when you live in a relative "dead zone" for the nature photography you love.
As I became more serious about photography after a few years of fumbling around with my camera, I attended several workshops to hone my skills; I never really thought about building relationships when I signed up for any of them.
For the most part, each of my workshop experiences were amazing, although not necessarily for the more obvious reasons of learning and being immersed in nature photography in beautiful locations. No, more valuable by far have been the friendships and personal bonds I've developed after spending several days in the field with once-strangers.
Many of those individuals are people I keep in touch with regularly (something I'm horrible about in general, if I'm being honest), even if it's just commenting on a social media post or sending a quick message to reminisce about our shared experiences on the anniversary of trips.
As time went on, and I progressed in my photography journey, I began to seek out a different kind of experience to learn from others. Call it more conceptual and social than purely centered on in-field instruction.
Enter my attending Out of Yosemite in 2020, hosted by the Out of Chicago team. Although there is plenty of in-field instruction, the Out of Chicago events are more like mini conferences than more "traditional" workshops. There are far more attendees and far more instructors, and scheduled presentations to pick from in between field outings.
Given I attended the conference literally weeks before Covid would come crashing into our lives, I quickly became extremely grateful for the new friendships I had made - with fellow attendees and many of the instructors - as we all found ourselves confined, for the most part, in our homes.
Not long after, with the worsening pandemic and the cancellation of all in-person events, the Out of Chicago folks scrambled to put together their first - of what has since become annual - Out of Chicago Live! online conferences. They're packed with countless online presentations by dozens of instructors, but the best part is the opportunity to reconnect with people I know while "meeting" others virtually for the first time.
For the past couple of years, I've attended OOC Live! more for the socialization aspects than the instructional ones (although that is meant in no way to diminish the tremendous learning opportunities they provide). While I make an effort to build and keep relationships with others on social media, there's still nothing that truly compares to meeting people in person, or even online when you're all hanging out on Zoom or other platforms with live audio and video streaming.
Most recently, I was invited to a small-ish photographer meetup in Lone Pine, California that Brie Stockwell organized. It took place as I was in the midst of a very stressful time (my mom had just been diagnosed with cancer) and I wasn't even sure I would be able to attend until the day before I needed to leave to make it there in time from Texas.
Many of the other attendees were people I had built some bonds with via social media over the years, and it was great to finally meet them in person (and there's something to be said about surrounding yourself with people you consider friends - even if just loosely - when going through life's challenges).
Among those I met for the first time were Shanda Akin, Martha Montiel, and Jeanie Sumrall-Ajero, who happened to be in the process of getting ready to announce their own brand-new nature photography collective, Outdoor Photo Alliance. Their goal is "empowering connection and growth among those with an affinity for outdoor photography."
Indeed, connection is at the forefront of their mission. They'll be hosting their first conference (note "conference" and not "workshop) at Estes Park in Colorado in early February 2025, and it's centered on helping female nature photographers connect with each other while "sparking imagination and inspiring creativity."
(I'll admit, I'm a tad jealous as they have a fantastic group of speakers lined up!)
As a conference instead of a workshop, this first Outdoor Photo Alliance event will be a wonderful opportunity for people to bond and form friendships over the course of a few days. There are not any officially scheduled in-field outings, but Shanda, Martha, and Jeanie have structured the agenda so there's some time for attendees to organize their own sunrise and sunset outings.
Leaving it up to attendees to put together informal outings is a great way to help reinforce the power of connection, while reserving the rest of the days for learning through the various speaker presentations that are scheduled.
Use the code LETSGO100 for $100.00 off your registration!
They are also working on a large co-ed conference! Sign up for updates as they finalize details.
Speaking from experience, even an introvert like me is bound to connect with others. There's a built-in connection right from the start, after all, in that everyone there will be excited and passionate about photography.
Over the years, by attending workshops and in-person and online conferences, I've gained several close friends, a lot of more casual friendships in general, trusted confidants that I can lean on for image critiques or other feedback, informal mentors, and more.
Whether you're shy like me or a social butterfly, I strongly encourage any photographer to seek out ways to build new connections. Doing so will not only help you grow as a photographer but provide newfound relationships to help your heart, mind, and soul all flourish, as well.
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