Collaboration
When writing goals for 2014 I decided spending more timecollaborating with others was going to be at the forefront of what I do withthe majority of my free time. There is something so magical about collaboratingwith people—the way inspiration and creativity feed off the ideas being formedin your head and let loose into the world without inhibition, the way a simplesketch can be envisioned as the grandiose image already in your head and theinvolved parties not only understand, but are anxious to see it brought tolife, and how bonding during the process is viewed to be just as valuable asthe end result.
This, my friends, is magic. This is like glitter rainingdown on a sunshiny day where a warm breeze tousles your hair and someonecatches the moment on film… no filter required.
I haven’t participated in much collaboration in the past—oneabsolutely lovely session with Lani Elias Fine Art Photography and Bloom Petals& Gifts (check it out here) was all I needed to know I wanted to do itagain…. It was like eating a slice of the most amazing pie and knowing you justhad to have another slice…or two… (or in my case, the recipe).
In Winkler I had friends who were doing things. Lani is oneof my closest friends and Meg from Bloom is our go-to florist who is just asawesome as her floral arrangements. It was a simple collaboration—it workedwell, was easy to arrange, and went beautifully.
Enter the move to Hamilton.
I arrived in Hamilton and realized I didn’t really knowanyone—no local florist to visit, no hidden gems of creative talent I could tapinto for easy experimental fun. Little did I know the lovely lady we ended upliving with is a photographer who wants to, get this, get into foodphotography! *Insert harps and hallelujah choir here.*
As an individual whois pretty much down to be involved in anything creative I jumped at the chanceto help her brainstorm and execute ideas for a course she was taking and, sincethen, have taken almost any opportunity to make something delicious and thenget pictures of it.
Aside from a recentmini-shoot of Birthday Crepes, the most recent shoot consisted of process shotsand a few final shots of cupcakes Meag hired me to make for a baby shower. It’sfun to live with someone who enjoys sharing the magic during the process.
As the year is only beginning, I am looking forward to the collaborations that will arise and where they will take me. It’s always humbling and inspiring to work with individuals who have talent and are willing to share it with you for a collaborative vision. I look forward to those photographers, florists, stylists and all other creative beings I will be honoured to work with this year. Know that I am grateful for the opportunity, educated through the experience, and inspired for the future by the simple act of collaboration.
Process shots by Meagan Tutti.
Final shots by me.