Every spring – starting last year – a group of local photographers and I get together in a sweet-ass setting with multiple models who have been primped and made up by our most generous local stylists and given specific wardrobe depending on the model and theme that we are shooting. *takes breath*

This year we paired up evenly, three photographers, three models.  Meet, greet, pair up and rotate as needed.

After approximately 4-5 hours of shooting, we each had a great body of work to share with each other and you the public.

Guess What We Got?

This cost us… nothing. (Well, maybe some gas)

We made… nothing.(money-wise)

But we came away with new work, connections with other creatives, experience with each other and in our craft and we shot content that we normally wouldn’t get hired for on a day-to-day basis – but it is the type of work we want to do.

Get Together Now…

Collaborations are awesome.  They are self-generators for energy.  They are emergent for creativity.  They stoke the fires of the passion you have for your craft.

Get out of the box, out of your head and out of your funk and have fun.  Try something new – doesn’t work?  Try something else.

There’s no pressure, it’s your time and your dime.  Enjoy yourself for god’s sake!

In fact, when I got home the first thing I did was take an image that I shot of each of the models and created a movie poster.

Did I have to? No.

Did it make me famous? Well, we’ll have to wait.

But I did it because I wanted to do it for me.

It was my work, my imagination, my craft, my love that wanted to make it and made it so.

So go play.  A lot.

Have fun.  At work.

Grow out, not up.

Collaborate with others and see how you can surprise yourself – you will, believe me.

The Proof is in the Pudding

My thanks to models: Adrienne Beaudette, Tracey Crabtree Gunn and Danielle Driscoll

Photographer, Adam Graham, for putting this together every year

Photographer, Clifton Saulnier, for holding my light for sooooo long 😉

Hair and Make Up done by Styles Unlimited

And the Churchill Mansion Inn for the use of their lovely inn.

I’m out.

Michael Carty