Beyond the Page
We interrupt this program with a breath of adventure…
Recently, I told you about going back to school again in a Creative Media class, where I finally got to merge all my passions for the first time. I can tell you, a couple more weeks in – it’s been mind-blowing, extraordinary, scary and surprising. Yes, think those four would work best for the task. And I’ll tell you what it wasn’t – stressful.
Over the last few years, I’ve had some experience with stress. Not a fan. At times, I can work around it and push it for later, rather than going through it at the moment (and not being a good teammate, but that’s a process on its own, which I could spend a whole post discussing).
Work Experience
A few weeks back, we were told there is an opportunity for work experience with a professional photographer out in nature. It’s a tourist project meant to get more people to visit some parts of Ireland that don’t get enough love. As part of my ready, fire, aim philosophy, I signed up for the first and second days. It was one of those experiences you go through and realize it was one not to miss, for both the knowledge imparted and the challenges faced.
Being a model was a lot about taking instruction, being on point and keeping to whatever little pointers we were given. There was where the challenge lay for me, as being photographed was never really a thing. I’ve always had an opinion about how I come out in photographs, which wasn’t good. In taking selfies, I learned to be in control of the situation as I see myself before the shot is taken, able to adjust how I look and what my mouth is doing.
Wearing Bright Colours
There was also the matter of getting out my skin and being brave enough to wear my colours again. I love wearing colours, unlike when I was a teenager who preferred back then. Over the years, I’ve accumulated a lot of various ones, but I don’t wear them often. So, on day one, it was a mild dark pink zipper jacket paired with a black outdoor waistcoat (and blue jeans). On day two, it was one of my favourite pieces, which I rarely wear – various shades of pink camouflage trousers.
So, the bright colour thing has a lot to do with how pictures turn out. They make the subject in the photograph stand out, in nature in particular, where everything is green. The real subject of the art may be what surrounds you, but the model is what catches the eye of the viewer and makes them interested in what it’s all about.
Knowledge Imparted
The learning part was a lot richer in the sense we imparted unexpected wisdom from people who have been in the business for a very long time. For anyone who would love to be a photographer or videographer or do any aspect of a photoshoot – get good at what you do, show what you can do, then charge from your experience; always ensure the equipment, especially when it’s your bread and butter…
And the rest of the advice we got could apply to anyone, and they were great for any situation. For example (and this seems to be a reoccurring issue), coming to places on time or preferably, earlier as it’s a sign of respect (or disrespect when late). This advice goes back to my own growing up. I was definitely guilty of this at the time, though for me, it was always losing track of time and being caught in the moment of whatever I was doing. The aim was never to be late, but a consequence instead. And it’s something I work hard to overcome and make sure it doesn’t happen, even to this day.
Let me explain the title.
Buying New Shoes
Part of the challenge of the adventure was the instructions we were given. The first was to wear bright colours and the second was to wear appropriate shoes because we were going into nature. Anyone who lives in Ireland or has been here knows how much rain there is and how often the ground tends to be wet and muddy. It’s been a long time since I wore waterproof shoes because staying indoors has always been a good excuse.
This time, I went out and dared myself to get something because in taking this course, I have adapted an approach that the advice we’re given is invaluable and is to be taken. Our tutors don’t have to provide us with advice, but they do, which should be appreciated. So, here I am now, the owner of a brand-new pair of waterproof leather shoes. You might think that’s not a big deal, but buying shoes for me is always a challenge. I generally quit and go for sneakers these days to make my life easier.
But this time, I found what I described as uglier than my last waterproof shoes (I won’t drop brand names here, but let’s say most people love them). Also, I’m not too fond of brown shoes, which are both the last and new ones were/are. They were chosen because they were the only ones I could stand to be in for more than thirty seconds. I wore them for ten hours on the second day of the shoot, and I’m convinced it’s one of the best purchases ever made. It is comfortable to wear, and my feet don’t suffer after.
So, I can thank the work experience for this decision, along with all the challenges encountered.
Questions for You
It’s not something I expected would happen; frankly, I figured I would wear them on rare occasions, and that would be that. This is where I turn the “mic” to you and ask…
What is the best thing you’ve ever bought (it doesn’t have to be shoes)?
To make it more interesting, what’s the worst wearable thing you bought?
What is the biggest challenge of 2023, personal or work-related?
And what did you learn from it?
What is the greatest adventure this year (so far)?
Why did you choose to go on it or how did you end up doing it?
Be sure to comment, like & subscribe (either through MailChimp or WordPress). I would love to hear from you, especially with the questions above. I’ll see you in the next Beyond the Page segment (Instagram, Facebook and X). In the meantime, you can keep up with me on social media.
~Love, L.V.
L.V. Luca 
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