The French Experience
Nov 24, 2024
I started learning photography with the high hopes of being a fashion photographer. I wanted to be of the same caliber as Annie Leibovitz, Irving Penn, and Richard Avedon. I was drawn to the contrasting elements of fashion mixed with interesting backgrounds and edgy lighting that told a story. My early work dabbled in that creativity.
In 2014, my husband and I decided it was time to split ways after 20 years of marriage. I moved to Boulder, Colorado, to start life anew. I had to find a job. I found work quickly as a Real Estate Photographer for a company while doing portraits on the side for friends.
Over the years, I built my photography business and slowly became financially stable. According to my clients, I was "one of the best” photographers in the area. I was working with clients and homeowners with impeccable taste in interior design and architecture. I began getting more high-end luxury homes to photograph and the level of excellence was hard to resist. I was swept up in the industry and loved it, but I was sometimes working 16 hours a day, 5 days a week. I couldn't say no.
My health and lack of sleep were taking a toll, and I became very burned out. After years of this, I got the annual income I wanted, but my passion was dying.
So, I decided to take a little break from my life and taste what it was like to create again using my camera. I was longing to be vulnerable again in the process of developing an artistic story of portraiture and background.
So, I signed up for a portrait workshop in southwestern France for a week to push the pause button on my crazy work life and do something for me.
In the summer of 2024, I had the great fortune to be part of a portrait photo workshop called "The French Experience" in Carcassone, France.
Carcassone is an area of rolling hills, famous castles, and many vineyards of Minervois. It is located in the region of Occitanie, in Southern France, between the cities of Toulouse and Narbonne.
This opportunity meant planning and directing a photo shoot with other photographers and collaborating with the models. I was in a position to produce a compelling piece of artwork that could be anything I wanted. The creativity was limitless to direct a photoshoot that could be otherworldly, magical, fierce, or serene.
In June, I flew to Marseille. I rented a car and drove through southern France for a week, taking in this beautiful country. I spent a week by myself adjusting to the jet lag and lazily suntanning on the beaches of Marseille, exploring Aix-en-Provence and Saint-Maries-de-la-Mer to Narbonne. This country knows how to enchant me. This was my 7th time in France.
The time arrived for me to take a train in Narbonne to Carcassonne, where Wilf (one of the coordinators of the workshop) picked me up at the station. Wilf has a thick Scottish accent and is as jolly as can be. His wife, Ghislaine, is a wonderfully funny Frenchwoman, amazing cook, and creator of handbags.
We drove to the Carcassone airport to pick up Alice, a model for the workshop. Wilf said Alice has worked with them for the past 4 years and she is a pro.
He described her as very pulled together and elegant. This stunning petite brunette walked out in a smart outfit and full makeup with a British accent. She asked if I was a model as well, and I was so taken aback that she thought I would be modeling at 53 years old. I said ‘no’, I am a photographer but was beaming the whole way home.
It was cold and rainy on our twisty drive to the Domaine des Jasses (an old but charming vineyard farmhouse) where we would all be staying with the other photographers, models, and Wilf and Gisellaine.
It was surprisingly cold in late June with the rain and wind, so the welcoming fire in the living room had everyone huddling over drinks. I met Evie, our other model for the workshop. She is 6 feet tall with gorgeous long red hair and a british accent as well. Her heart-shaped glasses graced her fair-skinned face.
These two models seemed very down to earth and cool.
Within the next few days, these two models transformed into characters from the eras of pre-Raphaelite to Marie Antoinette to 1940’s to modern glamour.
Through the week, there were challenges, namely working with other photographers who had different visions than I did and very Type A personalities. I observed their technique and approach, appreciating their unique perspectives.
I was intrigued at the process of ‘how can I capture this person’s expression and gesture?’ And ‘how can I make this photo sing? How can I capture this person in a way that reflects their soul or essence?’
There are so many ways to use photography. It can come in many shapes and sizes. It can be a documentary, a report, a family photo, or a vision of being in the moment of magic and wonder that pulls you in and asks questions. The latter is what I was interested in this week.
I took this prior burnout as a gift from the Universe to wake up to a much-needed inspirational break and start anew. I hope these photos inspire you to try something that pushes you out of your comfort zone.
