shannon’sNovella: funks & rabbit holes

I was in a funk. Eric, who second shot Carly & Garrett’s wedding with me in Roseberg, OR, and I stopped at McMenamin’s Edgefield, in Troutdale, OR on the trip home. Eric wanted to wander the grounds & shoot, but I was in a funk. I decided not to drag all my equipment around, instead I grabbed two lenses & we started our ‘wander’ around the whimsical Edgefield grounds. The grounds are magical. I definitely felt like Alice in my dress with big red, yellow flowers,  crossing the grass clearing, water droplets drip-dropping on my toes. The buildings are red brick & sprawling & ivy-covered. Along the pathways you come across scattered metal art made of hundreds of old valves & meters & fittings. There are a dozen little out buildings that you duck in, to discover that it’s a tavern, or wine cellar, or garden shed, or golf clubhouse. You can explore the ground’s garden, where produce is raised which is then featured on the menu at the several pubs & restaurants on the grounds.

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…