Great Escape: Refocus Your Creativity

Let’s talk pictures. We all have photos. Shoe boxes of old high school pictures.  Digital albums of our children’s first moments. But, where do the moms disappear to in the more recent shots? Yes, we are always trying to capture the moment -- herding our husbands, children, and even pets to all look at the camera at the exact moment the sunrise peers over the trees and the dog stops licking peanut butter from your children's cheeks. Stressful! 

Rediscover your passion behind the lens. Explore a new environment and some new subject matter -- No Kids Allowed!  I offered this challenge to my friend, Sharon Sones, a Lilburn working mother of two. She reviewed her logical findings. “Well, like many moms, I have to pay for something to feel truly obligated to attend. I love nature photography and already have a membership to Atlanta Botanical Gardens.  So, I found the perfect class there called Flower Photography Workshop on March 26.”  Thanks for the hot tip Sharon! 

Like Sharon, maybe you photography passionistas just need a plan. Clean and charge the camera, because here we go! If you’re a nature lover, try one these low-cost, but highly scenic venues while spring is in bloom: Atlanta Botanical Gardens, McDaniel Farm Park, Stone Mountain Park, Vines Botanical Garden, Yellow River Game Ranch, or the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

If the lines of architecture move you, hit downtown Atlanta or the local city square and century homes near Gwinnett County's oldest cities. Unique buildings and signage abound in Stone Mountain Village, downtown Norcross, old town Duluth or the Lawrenceville Square. 

Remember, to forgive your artistic imperfections. You are not winning a contest, you are reviving a passion. Experience everything through your view finder. Finally, have a cocktail hour where you show your photos on the home TV screen. Strut your stuff, and be proud of your art.