it must be incredibly hard to share your work and philosophy live in front of hundreds of other photographers.

but it must be harder to keep both the confidence in remembering why you've been chosen to stand there, but also the humility you need in order to say something true. great photographers are made up of equal parts confidence and humility, i think.

i was most moved by ben chrisman (who is, if any brides or grooms are wondering, the photographer i would like to hire at my own wedding, should marriage ever hover o'er my horizon :)

i don't want to poorly or incorrectly paraphrase him, but it resonated so clearly with me when he talked about believing in patience, believing in belief itself, and accepting things as they already are. (and also how the fear of messing up is what can drive you! -- it certainly drives me. i love the nervous excitement i feel before photographing a wedding.)

in the end, it wasn't really about what ben was saying aloud -- because he actually SHOWED, rather than TOLD his ideas, which is what i also strive to do.

photography is magic. so is life. 

I'm glad I was there. :)



(i was pretty intent on just listening, but i did grab a few photos)