So here I was, wandering over hill & dale in wonderland, in a funk. & for no great reason. I was having a great weekend. I was in love with Edgefield. I was shooting. & shooting makes me happy. But not this shoot. I just wasn’t feeling it. I was shooting flowers & garden sculptures & plants. I was shooting worn brick walls & rocking chairs on porches & trellises covered in vines. I was shooting robin’s in the trees & rabbits in the carrots. In a funk.

“What’s wrong,” Eric asked?

“Why?” I replied.

“You’re quiet.” He said. “Are you getting good stuff?”

Yeah, me being quiet is a pretty good give away. Just ask anyone I’ve shot: I turn into my best self. I squeal & oooh & dance in a circle. Cause I’m getting pretty pictures! Pictures that makes me happy! Pictures that makes me squeal!

“I’m hating it. I’m hating everything I’m shooting.” I said. “I just hate myself when I shoot ’stuff.’ I don’t want to shoot ’stuff’. It doesn’t do anything for me. I don’t want to shoot ’stuff’; I want to shoot people.”

After a 14 hour day of shooting people at Saturday’s wedding, you would think I’d be satisfied, happy, thankful for a day off. But no, what I thought I wanted was for a bride in her white dress to magically appear walking through the poppy-lined path. (That’s me saying: have your wedding at Edgefield & invite me to capture your day!) I would even settle for Alice with her gold ringlets & slippered-feet. Or I could just high-jack the engagement session that a photographer was shooting across the way. ”Excuse me,” I would say & tap the photographer on the shoulder. “My name’s Shannon & I shoot people. Do you mind if I just borrow your adorable people for a few shots?” KIDDING! I wouldn’t; but I wanted to.

So when I got home I just dumped my images in a folder and ignored them. I ignored them for a month. Then I opened them up & this is what I found. I found a wonderland. I found magical details & a beautiful morning that I’d give anything to just jump into the nearest rabbit hole & magically return to. & I realized that the ’stuff’ I was shooting wasn’t so bad after all. & I realized that I’m not half bad at shooting ’stuff” as I wanted to think. & that you can find good ’stuff” even in funks.

So come on! I’m shaking-off my Monday funk. You should too. & jump into the rabbit hole with me…

And it caught me.

It caught me off guard because it’s been almost two years since I’ve felt that resentment. The resentment that said: “No. I’m not planning on having a wonderful day. It’s not.” Because it was true, Monday was a pull-my-covers-over-my-head-day & roll over & then roll over again day. There was a reason why I was wearing my sunglasses inside & visiting Starbucks at 4 in the afternoon.

It was when I was grabbing my cup off the bar that another barista said, “Have a good day.”

& I could agree with her. It wasn’t a Wonderful Day!, but it was a good day. I started out with a commercial shoot that had me capturing the comraderie of 4 agri-business partners. I was on my way to shoot a commercial shoot which included bright colors, a blue stage & a pug. I had an oh-so-thoughtful phone call from my sis and conversation. I found dry lemongrass soda at greenies & got to talk ‘Nikon’ with Darren when he generously offered to play with the flash set-up on my camera. I drove with the roof-window in my car opened to blue sky. One of my photography subjects wore polka-dot stockings. & the list of good things in my day go on…

…to good days.

& to farmer’s in polka-dot stockings.

 kidding! No, it wasn’t the pug either. But I’ll share soon…promise!

‘Treasure chest’ dress: an Elizabeth Dye original

Hair: Tiffany Maddox at Ambiance

Photography: Eric Schulthesis

Image editing: Katie Moore Starkey