Elvira was of the first people I met when I first moved to the city. Within the first five seconds of speaking to her, I was shook by her fun extroverted high energy! Somehow, she's able to emit this energy through every photo of her. Here are my favorites. | In collaboration with Bagatelle City , Sicky Eyewear and FFC New York.
I work as a photographer and social media manager 5 days of the week. Most of that time is spent shooting products or making quick graphics, all meant to increase consumer engagement for the company I work for.
Life as a professional creative is definitely a fun career path but sometimes there's a major lack of inspiration which makes it near impossible to create content to be proud of. I call these time gaps void of inspiration, creative funks. No one likes to be in a funk! They can last a couple days to a couple years. But, there are ways to cut it short... Here are some ways I break out of my rut and spark some creative energy!
Hopefully these tips can be an aid to fellow photographers, designers, bloggers, influencers and creatives alike!
Enjoy.
There's a beautiful time gap that I have between my two jobs. One is in Midtown and the other in the Meatpacking District. Sometimes I work from my laptop in a coffee shop other times I binge eat Ramen and ice cream with a friend. But as of lately, I decided to get a snack to-go and use the extra 25 minutes to walk through the quaint neighborhoods of West Village. This is by far the number one reason my camera roll stays full but the snapshots are great reminders of things colors and shapes that I can use in future work.
Turns out, video montages aren't reserved solely for vacations and special occasions. They're actually a brilliant way to start paying more attention to the little moments! For the past three weeks I've made 30 second long compilation videos recapping my week. Simple enough, I titled them "Last Week Recap." I chose Instagram Stories as the platform to host my little video diaries for 24 hours. What I enjoyed about this was recording any and every instance that I thought was interesting during the week. From skateboarders to trains and everything in-between. Here are my past three weeks all thrown together into one video!
We all know that feeling of walking into a clean home and not worrying about catching up on laundry or dishes in the sink. It's one common stress that is sooo nice to not worry about. It also makes room for you to shift your focus to other things.
After cleaning up your space, consider cleaning up your priority list as well. Most creatives do freelance work as well as a part time job to ensure that cash flow. But sometimes, worrying about income leaves no time to pursue creative endeavors. I've recently had this problem and decided to make a few changes! First, I got a part time job that pretty loosely relates to my passion. This relieved some of the pressure I previously put on photography to provide a primary income. Relying on your passion to bring home the bacon can sometimes cause resentment if it doesn't work out. The second change I made was setting aside more time to do whatever I want. I chose to resign from a position that no longer made me happy and committed more time to freelancing/networking. My final goal is to be my own boss so making more time for myself helps me work toward that.
I often say that my best work is done during a trip to a new place and that's true. I save money with the intention of visiting distant places in the future but have so many places nearby on my list as well! It's easy to get used to the sounds and sights of city lights so when I have a chance to venture outside of it, I take it! Luckily enough, New Yorkers have access to amazing natural sights just an hour drive or train ride away. This past weekend, a friend and I took a short trip upstate. Fall leaves created blurred lines of red yellow and orange as we zipped down the highway towards Cold Spring. It was a trip that cleared my mind. From the city into nature, I was able to get a much needed change of perspective.
My final and most important tip on how to break out of your funk is to stop comparing yourself to others. Simple to say, tough to do. It's so easy to get lost in a city filled with hundreds of other creatives. But be confident in your own abilities and make sure, above anything, that you're creating simply and wholeheartedly because you want to.
These are just a few things that have helped me. Hopefully they can help you get inspired as well!
x
Camille
I could live here for 10 more years and still stumble over something I've never seen before. Averaging at about 5 miles a day, I have scaled Manhattan from top to bottom. New York's diversity and spontaneity encourages an open mind. From a jazz band performing in the park to a rapper serving edible cookie dough on the sidewalk, I swear I've seen it all. The quiet homes in the village are quaint yet a few miles away from the bustling tourist attractions in Midtown. I've eaten about 6 cannoli from Little Italy and have visited questionable markets in Chinatown...
Whilst walking, sometimes speed walking through the city, I'd simultaneously scout locations for future photoshoots. It's impossible not to be inspired here.
As of right now I freelance as an art director and photographer during the week and a booth associate at a market on the weekend. I try to squeeze in fun shoots whenever I can. The hustle is reeall! In retrospect, freelancing has provided me with the freedom to really figure out what I want to do in the long run.
Roughly 3 months ago I moved to NYC. Since then my life has changed in so many ways. Yes, I am still looking for that dream job and no I haven't found "the one" and moved into a brownstone in the upper east side...
But here's what I have done.
A woman dancing and singing in the Times Square subway station holding a chicken while a man sings Michael Jackson classics into a mobile karaoke machine is honestly one of my most "New York" memories thus far.
"Progress is impossible without change."
I brought a bed, a couch, bags of clothes and a brand new attitude when I moved here. From that new attitude, I've gained more motivation and worth ethic. The plan is to keep growing as a person, an artist and as a professional so stay tuned, the glow up is on it's way! You can keep updated by subscribing to my blog below.
Speak soon! xo
-Camille
"Wherever you are, be all there." - Jim Elliot
Colorado was that breathe of fresh air I was looking for.
I had never been to the state before but my sister moved from New Orleans a few months prior. I bought my ticket knowing for sure that I would love it. My Colorado themed Pinterest board was poppin so I was more than ready to see all of the well known sights. What I wasn't prepared for was to have my eyes wide open the entire time. I honestly didn't have time to blink, there was literally too much to see. Driving through hilly towns surrounded by snowcapped mountains isn't something a Florida girl gets to do very often.
Sometimes, while visiting a new place, I feel this tiny bit of sadness inside knowing that I'll eventually have to leave. I'll have to go back home, commit back to routine while this beautiful place lives and thrives... without me. Why can't I be in multiple places at once!? I don't understand why I can't yet teleportation isn't "a thing" yet.. Is someone working on that?
While I work on being more present, here's a little photo journal of my experience in the mile high state.
A guided horseback tour passing on the Palmer trail in Garden of the Gods park.
Pike's Peak
Red Rocks on the Palmer trail.
Sunset from a lookout near my sister's apartment
Driving up to Garden of the Gods was one of my most memorable moments. There's a trailhead about a mile from the visitor's center where I pulled over and ran up a hill to get these two photos. It was around 10am and the light hitting the park was amazing. I took photos then stood there trying to come to terms with how insanely beautiful this was.
After climbing up the Manitou Incline, I was happy to take a rest and enjoy the view. 2,744 steps will do that to you.
Postcards from a boutique in Boulder.
-Camille
This year has been filled with new people and creative minds. I've met a variety of Jacksonville's movers and shakers, the ones who work every day to turn their dreams into realities. It's a funny thing when two people's aspirations align in a way that the both of you benefit through collaboration. Fashion bloggers, knitters, clothing designers, boutique owners, writers- a short list of the people I've met and grown close to.
I am preparing to graduate in under two months... The connections I've made so far in the Bold City have pulled Jacksonville closer and closer to my heart. My craft has improved so much in the past 6 months, let alone the last four years.
I'm so extremely thankful for this city and all it has gifted me but hey, I am a nomad at heart and I'm ready to move on. In the next 6 months, my life will make a complete 180. I will graduate college, move back home for bit, pack my life into a U-Haul and travel to my new home in The Bronx, NY. Then, ideally, I will get a kickass job and meet a collection of new inspiring folk. Written down, it sounds easy but I can't begin to describe the anxiety that comes with this transition. They say that the best things begin at the end of your comfort zone. Well I'm basically packing my stuff and driving 20 hours outside of it.
With all of that said, I can confidently say 'bring it on, lets do this, game on, lets go' and any other phrase that describes my excitement and willingness to embark on this new life.
-Camille
I had an idea...
I cleared my schedule, bought a plane ticket on Tuesday, went to class and packed a bag on Wednesday, drove two hours south on Thursday, got coffee with a friend, bought an $8 beer, met a choreographer in an airport and talked about phobias, boarded a plane sat next to a woman with purple hair and lipstick, got off the plane and surprised my sister in Louisiana.
Now, here I am typing from a cot in my sisters living room on Thursday night. Life happens fast.
x The Big Easy
The Place
New Orleans is one of the most vibrant U.S cities that I've ever visited. Despite devastation in 2005, the city maintains its character. In certain areas, what used to be a structure was now a pile of wooden planks and debris. Some houses were standing on one leg barely maintaining four complete walls; however, in the spirit of the city, people had lathered their houses in shades of pinks, purples, greens and blues. They had hung beads in their windows and wound ribbon through their fences. Driving down the road, colorful murals spoke about history. The juxtaposition of decorated homes and abandoned houses told a story of catastrophe and strength. It's a hard thing to recover from devastation but during Mardi Gras season, it's like the city had never seen a bad day.
The People
There's no way of summarizing everyone in New Orleans so I won't even attempt to do so. But what I can say is that every single person I saw or spoke to was a tiny reflection of the city as a whole.
Greeting complete strangers with a hello and a smile is a southern decency that unifies strangers. As we walked the streets, individuals could be found everywhere showcasing their talents in art and music. Usually it's a little awkward taking pictures of people don't know but I was down for the challenge.
Here are the portraits I managed to capture over the weekend!
The Parades
On Friday we joined the crowds that lined the streets in preparation for the Krewe of Centurions. Red and blue flashed across everyones face as police barricaded and cleared the streets of spectators. This was my first experience with Mardi Gras so I expected instantaneous giant floats and beads raining from the sky immediately. Not gonna lie... my experience pretty much lived up to the hype. Especially on the second day when we drove to Old Algiers, caught a ferry to downtown where we watched the Krewe of Endymion. Marching bands quickly made their way down the road and floats traveled down the road in all their glory. I was able to catch/gather/be struck in the face with at least 200 strings of beads and tiny souvenirs. I found the baby in a king cake and ate jambalaya and bread pudding until I had to come back to reality.
I'm sure I'll be back in Nola soon. Until then, I'll be dreaming about beignets, beads and brunch.
Shoutout to the Chenele for making time to show me around.
