Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Morgan Whitney Cook. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Morgan Whitney , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
The idea of “finding your purpose” sounds like something you have to wake up and go searching for every day. Then once you’ve got it, it’s yours, as if it is a tangible thing to hold onto.
In my experience, “purpose” doesn’t quite feel like that. I don’t believe our purpose is attached to any form of “doing” or a role we identify with. Instead, I believe we feel purpose when we are in tune with our inner nature.
I believe we feel our purpose or “tapped into our inner nature” when we are met with a moment that speaks to something within. When we are in a moment when time feels elusive and even when the moment has passed, we feel ourselves still ruminating on the experience, as if that moment, has left a physical impression on our DNA.
My purpose within my work has surely shifted, bounced around, and felt near and far over the years. Right now I find deep connection and drive in working with mothers and wellness within the photography world because that is where I myself feel the essence of life.
So I would say “finding your purpose” or listening to your inner wisdom is about being present, embodied, and completely open to all possibilities. Then tapping into the mind by asking yourself what you want life to look like to best feed the soul so you can set goals and taking actionable steps.
Other things that have helped me lean into my purpose or my inner nature/wisdom:
-A strong relationship with embodiment (meditation, reiki, cranial sacral therapy)
-Understanding and nurturing my human design
-Respecting my creative work
-Strong mentorships
Last thought: I most definitely don’t believe that purpose always has to do with a monetary exchange. I find deep purpose while I am with children – not in the moments where I am necessarily caring for them, but rather witnessing them breathe in moments of their own lives. I am in my purpose when I am on a walk in the woods noticing how the light leaks down to the forest floor. I am in my purpose when I am laughing with my closest friends, reading a really good book, or holding my husband’s hand on a walk not saying a word.
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?
October 2015 is when I officially went into business under my own name. As my personal life has expanded with experiences and a growing family, my creative interests have become more concentrated in particular areas.
I used to tell myself I had to keep my experience of life and the work I was offering to others as two separate narratives in order to maintain a professional identity. Now, I know that it is my lived experiences that best allow me to best nurture my clients because I am showing up as my full self, and relating to my clients allows me to go deeper in the work we do in collaboration.
The birth of my second baby sparked a total rebirth of my business. My collection offerings have shifted and expanded and along with my designer, Stefani Ruiz, I rebuilt my website from scratch.
My focus through the new photography collections I offer is to give other women the opportunity to feel their own magnitude through photography and the experience around a creative endeavor.
I offer three different photography collections, each creating this space in different ways;
1. The Private Room Photo Shoot: In a Private Room we meet to move, breathe, and create images through the infinite pulse that is feminine energy within the female form.
2. The Motherhood Collection: Through maternity, newborn, first year of life, and the third-trimester collective; the Motherhood Collection is designed to empower you through your own growth and intuition within this transformative journey.
3. .The Body + Breath Collection: This collection creates the visual component to the practice you offer. We make these photos to invite others to feel the power of their own breath + body within, with you as their guide.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The top three impactful areas of knowledge through my creative journey have been;
1. Understand your relationship with time. We often have a scarcity mindset when it comes to time and I think that adds a layer of anxiousness and depletion that is not conducive to living our best lives. I recently did Maria Forleo’s online program, Time Genius, and it has completely shifted my experience of time.
2. Take notice of how /why/when you feel fulfilled as an artist. It is easy for creatives to do work that other people enjoy. And if that works for you, that is great. Personally, I have learned over the years that I am not fulfilled being someone who knows how to operate a camera. Instead, when I am invested and truly engaged, I walk away from a shoot beaming and feeling “in my purpose”.
3. Invest in true mentorship. Having someone in your corner who can be a guide, act as a mirror or provide actual experience has been vital in my experience.
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
My ideal client is someone who is open to an enriched experience through their photography session.
The photography I create is made with the intention to empower my clients to feel the essence and vitality within. I photograph women who want to show how it feels in motherhood, the feminine seeking expression beyond a pretty picture in intimate portraiture, and those who are willing and wanting to step into an experience that requires the breath of life to run through their bodies.
I believe photography is a beautiful way to honor our lives and I love working with people who are open to seeing whats possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.morganwhitneyphotography.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/morganwhitneyphotography
Image Credits
The featured image is a photograph of myself and the photographer is : Abby of Frame The People These are all images I have photographed.
