We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Irita Reagan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Irita below.
Irita, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
As a professional photographer, keeping my creativity alive is an imperative element in capturing stories and creating art. There are a few go-to’s I keep in my back pocket when I start to feel that dreaded creative drain come on. Taking a break from social media and allowing my mind to rest is a big one. Getting outside and walking and just listening to nature always tends to send a surge of fresh ideas and concepts to my overstimulated mind. I can’t emphasize the effectiveness of this enough. One of my favorite things to do is to grab my macro lens or one of my Lensbaby lenses and just exclusively shoot with it for a set amount of time. Other times I’ll go to a familiar location but photograph it from completely different perspectives. At the end of the day I would say the biggest key in keeping my creativity alive is by “killing” the fear of trying new things.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a Tennessee girl by way of the east coast of Florida.I love Jesus. My life is full of so much goodness that being a wife, mother and Gigi could bring, For the past five years I have dedicated myself physically, emotionally, mentally and financially, to learning the art of photography. There is nothing more sacred than capturing timeless imagery of first time parents helplessly enthralled at their newborn, or the bride who is standing in the dreamiest golden hour light as her groom is captivated by the beauty of his new wife. My passion is to seize these moments that will never happen again the same way they are unfolding in that moment and to create art for my clients.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Discipline, tenacity and patience were qualities that impacted me the most early on while learning photography. They still do today as I strive to become better every day. To those who are just stepping into learning a new craft my advice is to be disciplined even when your feelings are not involved. Have the tenacity to keep moving forward even if you feel like you are advancing slower than everyone else. Most importantly, have patience with yourself and the process. Enjoy the process of learning and growing into the skill you are trying to master.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
My older brother always poses a question to anyone who is feeling overwhelmed. His question is “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” The strategy is simple and effective. You just have to start, Start anywhere but just start, Keep working at it and don’t stop until you’ve gotten the task done. Focus on the things you can control and let go of the things you cannot. There is a wonderfully helpful verse in the Bible that I love that says “When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2. This is always the most helpful to me because it gets my eyes off of my own very limited abilities and puts them on the One who is able to help me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.iritamariephotography.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/irita_marie_photography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/iritamariephotography
