Why It Is Ok (& Often Good) To Take A Break

October 31, 2022

As artists, we experience highs and lows, peaks of creativity and valleys where our inspiration is lacking. This is not surprising as nothing in life can run infinitely at full throttle. It is unrealistic to expect ourselves to feel inspired, creative and productive 365 days a year. And yet so often we can really beat ourselves up during these lows or ‘creative ruts’ as they are often called.

During the last couple years as we have endured a global pandemic and tumultuous times, I have heard many friends and students lament their lack of inspiration and motivation to to pick up their camera and create. This is completely understandable. Personally, I have gone through periods where my photography has been a meditation and positive focus during stressful days but other times, my energy felt depleted and I just didn’t have it in me to get out and shoot or engage in my photography business related activities. I’d have a mile long list of ideas that I’d end up shoving aside because grabbing my coffee and a book, in which to escape, felt more manageable. And sometimes, life was too busy regardless what I felt like doing.

Whether photography is a hobby or a business, we all have busy lives and priorities outside of our photography that place demands on us physically, mentally and emotionally. When those demands pile up and zap our energy, it can take a toll on our creativity. We can’t expect to feel inspired, motivated and creative when we are worn out. This is true whether we are in the midst of a pandemic or not!

In my case, I face the demands of mothering 4 pre teen and teenage children and taking care of the household chores that go along with them. Not to mention taxi driver! Photography as my career means I have many tasks on my plate that do not involve going out to shoot or edit my images. You may have similar demands or perhaps you have another career or take care of younger children or older parents. Health issues and home projects can require a lot of time and create significant stress. The list can go on and on as to things that can zap your physical and mental energy.

I would encourage you to give yourself a break when you aren’t feeling inspired. While it may feel disappointing and frustrating, try to give yourself grace and recognize that this is part of the creative process and trust that your inspiration will come back. Sometimes we need to tend to other parts of life and that really is ok. Giving yourself permission to leave the camera in the bag while you take care of other things can be the best thing you can do for yourself AND your photography. Quite often when I check off the other tasks on my to-do list that are weighing on me or I spend time engaging in some necessary self-care, I find myself feeling lighter and freer to get back to my photography.

Beyond the fact that it is sometimes necessary to give ourselves permission to tend to other aspects of life, breaks are good for us. Practice and consistency are useful and important to achieving excellence in most things in life. But taking breaks and giving ourselves rest time is also important. Liken this to a rest day in your workout routine, taking a weekend off work to spend with family, children running around at recess to give their brains a break during a school day. When we work hard at something, it is not only ok but also important to rest those muscles, whether intellectual, creative, or physical.

If photography is your business, then of course you can’t afford as long of a break, but a small break can leave you feeling more creative, motivated and productive. So if either the creating or business aspects have you feeling bogged down, consider the idea that a break could be the way to greater productivity rather than less.

The 2023 Capture Magic Ladies Retreats are open for registration! 1 spot is left for the Summer Magic in the Tetons Retreat and a couple spots left for the April Magic in Hilton Head Retreat! A waitlist is available for the sold out retreats!

Kristen Ryan is an award winning and published landscape photographer and educator residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images are available for purchase in the Fine Art Store or by request. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Glacier NP, Hilton Head, Chicago, and the Canadian Rockies, offers private mentoring . New online educational materials are coming soon!

Embrace and Enjoy the Journey

December 10, 2021

This little blog space has been quiet for some time now. I’ve more or less been silent here for the last year. The silence, though, is not because I haven’t been up to anything or had any thoughts to share. It is probably more because my mind has been overrun by so many thoughts that it has often felt impossible to wade through them, decide what might be worth sharing, and do so in a thoughtful and clear manner. I’d head out on a walk with the dog or with my camera and find myself in a clear and reflective space and come back home to find my brain once again overwhelmed by the noise, both literal and figurative.

That said, through the noise and haze that has felt disruptive in my mind during these months (almost years now) of the pandemic, I have also found a clarity in my vision for my photography and in the direction I want my teaching to go.

The first year of the pandemic, giving me more time at home and slower days, made me reflective on my photography and took me back to the roots of where I began. I spent more time quietly observing my local environment and I am grateful to photography for opening my eyes to beauty I am certain I would not have noticed before immersing myself in this art.

On a visit to my dad down in Hilton Head, I noticed a poem framed on a table in their hallway, one I remember reading as a child. It applies to life, but it felt very applicable to photography as well.

The Station by Robert J. Hastings

Tucked away in our subconscious is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hillsides, of city skylines and village halls.

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there so many wonderful dreams will come true, and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering — waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.

“When we reach the station, that will be it!” We cry.

“When I’m 18.”

“When I buy a new 450SL Mercedes-Benz!”

“When I put the last kid through college.”

“When I have paid off the mortgage!”

“When I get a promotion.”

“When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after!”

Sooner or later we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.

“Relish the moment” is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regrets over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more, cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station will come soon enough.”

It had been awhile since I had last read that poem, but it is such a good reminder to find joy in all the small things in our everyday. And reading it during the pandemic, when so many of our big moments were cancelled - graduations, weddings, travel, birthday celebrations - felt like serendipitous timing.

It occurred to me at the time and has stuck with me since, that this idea translates so well to landscape and nature photography as well. We can get caught up in what we want to learn, capture, accomplish, or to believe we need certain gear for our photography to improve. As landscape photographers we tend to share a wanderlust for travel to beautiful and awe inspiring places. We long for “epic” views and conditions that make our jaws drop to the floor. We have bucket lists of places we long to go, those lists lengthened as we scroll our instagram feeds. I have heard photographers walk away from a stunning view disappointed as they lament the lack of an ‘epic’ sunset even while I was awed by the beauty.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love to travel to jaw dropping places and watch Mother Nature knock me over me with her magic! Those moments when I am jumping up and down and audibly saying “wow” from one minute to the next are incredible. Some of my very favorite images have come from those moments. I would liken those moments in photography to being a “station” as Robert Hastings calls the milestones and big moments in life.

Not to discount those iconic views and epic skies, but there is beauty everywhere if our eyes are open to it. I won’t lie and say I don’t still want to explore all the places on my bucket list. I do! But spending more time at home in 2020 had me pausing to take in the simpler beauty of my local surroundings. Embracing those moments has taught me to see more creatively and increased my enjoyment of where I live. My eyes are opened up to new details of beauty all the time.

I pick up my camera to capture the things that move me, that make me pause, and that bring me joy. I often still find it easier to photograph when I travel because the busy-ness of day to day life at home can make it hard. But even if I don’t click the shutter, I see beautiful ‘frames’ of nature in my mind everyday, and I pause a few moments to enjoy them. And that’s a wonderful journey to be on.

Wherever you are in your photography, and wherever you live in this world, I hope you find joy in the beauty around you everyday, and find the time to capture some of it with your camera!

Chasing Magic Coffee Table Book

March 23, 2021

The last year has been a time when our world explorations were cancelled and ‘social distancing’ ruled our physical interactions and connections with others. Disappointing in so many ways, and yet sometimes great things come out of adversity.

It all began with an idea…

Two years ago, Amy Miller, a friend and alum of my workshop, The World Around You, came to me with an idea. She is not only a talented photographer but also a graphic designer with a growing interest in designing books. Amy was dreaming of a coffee table book that would celebrate the work of the female landscape and nature photographer. She envisioned us collaborating and launching the idea into our community of female nature photographers.

It felt like we must have been on the same wavelength because when she approached me, I had been lost in thought about ways to continue to nurture the photography and connection among the women in my community. I was looking for a way that we could celebrate each other’s art, share our knowledge and experiences, and foster connection. There is joy in the solo experience of photography but so much beauty in finding ways to collaborate and share with likeminded artists. Ideas of a collaborative website, blog, magazine, etc. were running through my head on a daily basis, but I hadn’t quite landed on anything yet.

Amy and I had a couple brainstorming sessions about the book and came up with some preliminary ideas and set the idea on the back burner to let our ideas ‘marinate’, if you will, and checked in with each other occasionally.

In the meantime, a friend introduced to me to a platform called ‘Mighty Networks’ and my vision of an online space for a female nature community was created in February 2020 with Women Capture Magic. The vision for this space was to be a place where female nature photographers could come together to share, learn, inspire and connect.

After the pandemic began in March 2020, the world felt heavy, exploration was no longer, and there was a yearning for social connection. Once again, Amy and I were on the same wavelength. Not even a week after I was thinking to myself that this would be a perfect time to launch the book project, I got a message from Amy saying we should revisit our brainstorming and move forward. This time, we finished our session with a very solid vision and we were on our way. The next step involved asking our talented friend, Megan Arndt, to join in the project. Megan was the perfect person to come into this idea in the formative stages, as we collectively narrowed and polished the vision for the themes of the book and how we wanted to approach collecting images, creating the book itself and eventually announcing it. It felt like the perfect time to bring together female artists from all over the world in a collaborative project that celebrates the way we see the world!

Women Capture Magic was the perfect place in which to launch the book. The community is filled with talented and inspiring female photographers who respectfully and kindly support and encourage one another. We could not have been more thrilled by the enthusiastic response from the community and blown away by the amazing images submitted for consideration.

The Chasing Magic coffee table book is collaboration of 136 female photographers with images falling into 10 themes: Vast, In Motion, Intimate, Signs of the Season, Let’s Adventure, Dramatic, Into the Woods, Wild, Seeking Serenity, and After Dark. Each chapter is introduced with the words of one of the artists included in that theme. Each image is showcased on its own page and a selection of images within each theme share a “Behind the Shot” story of the image.

8 x 10 Hardcover book. 180 pages containing the art of 136 photographers around the world!

Amy and Megan were a dream to work with and we learned a tremendous amount about the process of putting a project like this together. The layout was beautifully designed by Amy and the final book exceeds all our expectations!

I am so happy to share a few images of the book and its contents but have to tell you my product imagery does NOT do it justice!

The book is available for sale in the Blurb Bookstore and a quick search of ‘Chasing Magic’ will bring up all 3 available versions of the book: our feature Hardcover Coffee Table book, a Softcover book and a luxury version printed on Pearl Paper.

Chasing Magic Hardcover features an Imagewrap cover with a durable matte finish and premium 100# lustre paper inside. See more of the Classic Hardcover Version Here.

Chasing Magic Softcover features a flexible, glossy cover and premium 100# lustre paper on the inside.

Find the Softcover Version Here

Chasing Magic Luxury features an Imagewrap cover with a durable matte finish and high-end 140# pearl photo paper inside. View the Luxury Version Here.

Special Note: Blurb frequently offers coupon codes for discounts in their bookstore.You can sign up on Blurb so you don’t miss these announcements if you are interested in saving on your purchase. Who doesn’t love a good promo code?!

Kristen Ryan is an award winning and published landscape photographer and educator residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images are available for purchase in the Fine Art Store or by request. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Chicago, and the Canadian Rockies, offers private mentoring and teaches an online landscape photography workshop, The World Around You.

The next run of The World Around You begins April 19th and is open for registration!

Notes from Quarantine

May 28, 2020

I have been absent from this space over the last few weeks. It felt as if the content I had planned for these past weeks just didn’t feel right under the circumstance and perhaps that isn’t the case, but things just feel so different right now. And as I set aside those topics, my landscape photography workshop, ‘The World Around You’ began and all my time was pulled into class and keeping my home running during this crazy time.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my photography, and photography in general over the course of this Shelter at Home. Reflecting on its importance in my life and in the world overall. And mostly with regards to nature photography in particular as it doesn’t document the pandemic in the same way as people photography. In that way it feels less important and yet as we see the way the world has changed with empty streets, empty stores, and people spaced out with masks, the nature is a steady presence and in my mind, feels almost more beautiful than ever before.

On a walk the other day I found myself reflecting on the ways my photography has changed and not changed, during the last two months. If you look at my Instagram these days, you’ll find more small wildlife and intimate nature scenes sprinkled among the landscapes that have historically dominated my feed. And certainly this is a change. I do have some birds and macro in my (huge) Lightroom catalog that I scroll past as I go digging for landscapes to edit or grab an image as an example for my blog or in teaching. Many are even given 3 stars in my system to designate images worth editing but rarely have they been edited and shared. They get passed over for the landscapes and nightscapes that I love and spend time teaching to others. In my time at home, which is the majority of my days, I spend time editing the collection of images that I have captured during my travels and retreats. In fact, I will much more often spend time editing those images than exploring my local landscape.

In the past, I would often find myself noticing moments in nature outside my window or on a walk and framing them in my mind. Less often would I actually grab the camera and capture what I was seeing. And some of it was because the beauty felt ‘inferior’ to the grander beauty I had already sitting unedited on my external hard drives. Certainly there is truth to that and the response to my local images on social media is much less than my travels. But that is ok as I do not create images for the response of others. But today, and in the last several months, I AM picking up the camera and capturing what my eye is drawn to.

A truth I realized is that whether the simpler beauty that I see in my everyday surroundings is less impressive than the views of my dream travels or not, observing and capturing that beauty brings me joy and gratitude for our natural world. So often I find I am wishing myself out of the flat Midwest instead of appreciating what is right in front of me. And while I will be so grateful to explore the world again and turn my camera to the mountains and ocean, I hope to continue to finding joy in capturing what is out my front door.

My approach to my photography certainly has not changed. Whether I am out in the mountains or walking along the pond beyond my yard, camera in hand, it is the experience of being in nature that brings me the greatest reward. The creative process and the quiet moments center and calm me. It slows me down and brings me gratitude. The resulting images are a wonderful bonus.

And wherever I am, I go out and observe without expectations. Open mind and open heart to be moved by both the simple and extraordinary moments that Mother Nature offers me.

My “Beauty in My Backyard” project is still going strong with my Sigma 150-600. You can read about the evolution of this project on Sigma’s blog here. I have expanded the project to include some macro with my Nikon 105mm macro lens and my Velvet 56. And as we ease the restrictions, I’m getting out to some local spots around me.

I’d love to hear about how this pandemic has influenced your images or how you think about your photography. Comment below or send me a message. Connecting with others in this passion is my second favorite thing about photography. Second only to the enjoyment of the creative process.

Looking forward to getting back to some sense of normalcy and adding more tips & inspiration in this space in the coming weeks! Stay well!

Kristen Ryan is an award winning and published landscape and fine art photographer and educator residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images are available for purchase in the Fine Art Store or by request. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Chicago, and the Canadian Rockies, offers private mentoring and teaches an online landscape photography workshop, The World Around You.

One Way to Handle a Photography Rut

January 29, 2020

In my last post, I offered 7 Tips for Finding Inspiration. Winter is often one of those times that inspiration feels lacking or photographers say they are feeling in a rut. What do you do when nothing you try is inspiring your creativity or motivating you to click the shutter? Sometimes I think the best thing to do when inspiration is lacking is actually to simply put the camera down. Not only put the camera down, but do it without the guilt. While it can sometimes be effective to “push through” and keep trying, sometimes taking a break is the best remedy for lack of inspiration. I don’t think we should feel like we need to be taking pictures if our hearts are not in it. Especially because when you think about it, we only have a limited about of time to spend editing our images and a limited about of wall space in our homes. Quality over quantity my friends.

Putting energy into other valuable activities can actually be just what we need for our inspiration to organically come back. Here are a few ways we can make the most of our time away from the camera:

Some simple beauty on a foggy winter’s day in the midwest

1 - Tackle that To-Do List - Sometimes the crazy activities of life, the mountain of chores piling up, or literally the clutter around your house can zap all our creative energy. Rather than fight through the negative energy to try to find your inspiration, spend time wading through the tasks that are weighing down on your mind and life. Once you’ve tackled some of those tasks, you may find a weight lifted and inspiration flowing.

2 - Spend Quality time with friends & family - Plan some adventures with your family, or set aside time for a cup of coffee or lunch with a friend. Curl up with a special person to watch a movie. Enjoy time with the important people in your life without the camera.

3 - Enjoy another creative hobby or activity you love - It’s no secret that photography can take a lot of our time. I know when I became so involved with photography, some of my other hobbies and activities got put aside. Rather than fight the camera, go back to some of those activities that have been neglected. So sit down at the piano, bake some cookies, knit that blanket, etc.

4 - Engage in Self Care - Sometimes we lose inspiration because we are feeling stress in our lives. Rather than beat ourselves up about lacking photographic inspiration, take that energy and do something that makes you feel good. Go for a run or hike, get a massage, curl up with a book or get some extra sleep. Fill yourself up!

5 - Process old images - If you want to keep working on your photography but aren’t feeling inspired to shoot, work on your processing and spend time digging into your backlog (if you have one like me!) This is a great time to learn new creative processing tools too. Maybe add a printing project in with the processing. As mentioned in another posts, this is a great way to find inspiration again!

So instead of feeling pressure to create or guilt because you aren’t creating, put your energy into something more productive and rejuvenating. The inspiration will come back!

Trees in the Clouds Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

7 Tips for Finding Inspiration

January 17, 2020

As we begin a new year and new decade, what are you doing to find inspiration? Sometimes it can be hard to stay inspired in our craft day after day. Some people thrive on having a very focused project. Others like to shoot as inspiration comes to them. This can also vary with our stage of life or stage of photography too. I used to thrive on having a project and a “due date” in my first few years of learning. Now I prefer to shoot when I feel the inspiration and try not to feel pressure to create on any kind of timeline.

Whether you are feeling motivated or looking for inspiration, here are 7 tips for finding inspiration in the new year!

1) Go for an early morning walk. Morning walks have been somewhat thrust on me by my walk-loving golden retriever. However, I find that the routine of our 2 mile walk after the kids are off to school is more than just a good active and mind clearing way to start the day. Much of the year, our walk occurs within a couple hours after sunrise and as we walk, I am always noticing the way the light shines through the neighborhood. There is nothing unusually beautiful about our neighborhood, but just noticing the way it lights up the dew drops on the grasses or filters through the trees leaves my mind feeling inspired as I frame images in my mind. On a couple of occasions, I even grabbed my camera when we got home and went in search of the same beauty slightly closer to home. I wonder what you’d find in your neighborhood in the morning light.

The bokeh I envisioned among the grasses day after day while walking the dog in the morning light!

2) Take a field trip to a local park, arboretum, forest preserve, or city! Make an effort to plan a day or even a couple hours visiting a local area of beauty. Maybe you bring your camera or maybe you just leave it at home and spend the time observing with your mind. Sometimes when you go without your camera, your eyes will see even more opportunities to come back to at a later date. Occasionally, when we have our cameras, we can get stuck on the first opportunity we see and miss the other beauty we might have explored. Go alone for quiet thoughtfulness or grab a friend and make it a social outing! Do you have a place you haven’t visited lately?

One of my favorite local spots to visit when I need a creative fix!

3) Listen to inspiring music. The best photographs make us feel emotion. The best music does the same thing. For me, listening to certain music brings specific types visions to my mind and others take me back to past memories or stages of my life. Instrumental music will often bring visions of nature for me; such as waterfalls or rustling trees, etc. Listening to music that makes me FEEL something deep inside inspires me to want to capture images that also make me FEEL emotion. What kind of music inspires you?

4. Get out at night, sunrise or sunset! Getting outside to witness nature during sunrise or sunset when the light is dynamic and colors are golden is sure to help revive your inspiration. The quiet of sunrise always revives and calms my mind as well. Getting out to shoot at night, when everything looks different is a great way to find inspiration. Night is more unexpected and we can create some interesting images that have a stronger impact that the same scene might during the day. Our cameras often capture colors and scenes at night that we miss with the naked eye. Where is a place that you have never explored with your camera at night?

Chicago has a magic that comes alive at night!

5. Explore a different genre. Maybe the landscape is drab and dreary in the winter and is leaving you uninspired. Look for some details that are enhanced by beautiful light or atmospheric fog. Grab some flowers and experiment with macro photography inside or try food photography. Try some self portraits and experiment with light and composition. Sometimes just picking up the camera can yield inspiration. Is there a genre that intrigues you in which you might explore some more?

Macro flowers Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

6. Learn or practice a new technique. Get those Neutral Density filters and tackle long exposures or try some panning on the water or trees. Spend some time learning new creative post processing techniques while you are uninspired to shoot. Post processing is one of my favorite things to do on the dreary winter days. In fact, sometimes I’m thankful for those dreary days because otherwise I might never get my editing done! What technique has been on your to-do list to master?

Merge of a long exposure for the clouds and quick shutter to freeze the foliage!

7. Plan a trip and/or Explore a new place. If nothing else works to inspire my creativity, traveling or exploring a new place always does. Certainly it is most desirable to travel somewhere exotic or extraordinarily beautiful but even less extraordinary places that are new to you can awake your mind to the beauty of the world. Even a day or weekend away in a new place can inspire creativity. And if you come back home to feel uninspired again, at least you have some images to experiment with in post processing!

Milky Way over the Barn Kristen Ryan Photography-001.jpg

7 Reasons I Don't Shoot EVERYDAY!

December 12, 2018

If you find it stressful to shoot everyday or are feeling guilty for not shooting more often, allow me to let you off the hook. Don’t get me wrong, there are many great reasons and benefits to shooting everyday. And when I began my photography journey 8 years ago, I did shoot everyday and continued to do so for at least 2 years if not 3, or even 4. While I never completed an official ‘365’ I guarantee I did a couple. I shot everyday out of love for learning and because I felt inspired to shoot everyday. Because I was constantly shooting and evaluating my images, my learning was fast and furious and I have many memories & images to show for it. I would never discourage you from shooting everyday if you are inspired to do so, but if you are at a point in your photography that you aren’t feeling that constant inspiration, I believe it is ok and sometimes beneficial not to pick up the camera. So allow me to give you a few reasons to ease your guilt!

Amazing Sunset during the 2018 Magic in the Tetons Retreat

Before we begin though, I think it is important to recognize that there are 2 situations in which we pick up our camera to shoot. The first is when a moment speaks to us so strongly that we instinctively reach for our camera. We may be inspired to capture some amazing light, a touching or memorable moment among our loved ones, a sudden sighting of wildlife out our window, or an epic sunset, etc. For this reason, my camera is kept close by in the center of my house. It is at the ready for these moments!

The second situation is more planned, set up, or manipulated. This may be heading out for a sunrise landscape session, setting up a macro, self portrait, or still life shoot, or grabbing the camera and kids with the purpose of a photo session in a particular setting or activity. When I was first learning, I took this approach often but these days, it is harder for me to find a good window of time, or when there is, the energy to capitalize on it.

So here are a few reasons that support “not shooting everyday”

1) Avoiding Burnout - Anything you do at a high intensity for a long time can lead to burnout. This is especially true if you begin feeling less than inspired or self motivated to keep up this intensity. If you are constantly pushing yourself to keep doing something even if you aren’t feeling like it, burn out is more likely. Allowing yourself to take a break when you aren’t inspired allows you to recharge and let the creativity come naturally.

2) It gives you the freedom to shoot a lot in particular inspiring situations (such as on a vacation) and indulge in spending time with those images without adding more images to your cue or backlog. This is a big one for me personally. When we travel, I come home with hundreds (sometimes thousands!) of images of both family and landscapes and these are some of my most treasured images. I want time to work through those images and I know that shooting more on the heels of this travel will just add to my unedited archives.

Long Exposure during a gorgeous sunset on the island of Kauai

My husband and youngest son in the waves in Kauai

3) Post Processing Boost! Not only does the time allow me to go through those unedited archives and keep me from adding more to my to-do list, but it gives me time to expand and fine tune my post processing tools and vision. Editing is a very important part of this art and an additional way we put our own voice into our images. Gifting ourselves the time to spend on this aspect of our art and not rushing ourselves along is so important to growing our imagery. This time editing also allows me to reflect on what I might do differently in the field next time.

Sunset glow at Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park

4) It means I pick up the camera when I am truly inspired, which I believe will lead to images I love rather than images I took because I needed a ‘shot for the day’. Now…don’t get me wrong, there is definitely value in pushing yourself to be creative and get that daily shot. But at this point in my photography, I know what will speak to me and what won’t. And with that extensive backlog I mention earlier, if a shot doesn’t impress me, it won’t move into the editing cue. So I choose not to add more clutter to my EHDs unless I know it is worth it. Quality over quantity.

5) Taking that daily shot off your to-do list can free you up to getting something else done. I know when other life is weighing me down, sometimes I need to tackle other tasks so that my brain can be less cluttered and distracted, opening up my mind to creativity.

A little abstract panning in the Tetons during the Magic in the Tetons retreat

6) Observe and Experience life without the camera up to your eye. Taking the opportunity to simply see the beauty and moments in life can help rejuvenate your inspiration. Taking away the pressure to capture every moment can allow you to recharge and inspire your creative eye. Other activities can spark ideas for photographic ideas. Or perhaps some time reading about creative techniques will bring ideas for something new to try!

7) Breaks are good for the mind, body and soul. Even in things we love, breaks are good, allowing us to feel a continued passion and creativity. And I believe even when we are learning new things, giving space in our practice can allow the sub conscious to digest what we are learning. While repetition and practice are valuable no doubt, so is physical and mental rest. As a former freelance harpist, I will always remember coming back from a two week vacation to my gig playing the harp for the afternoon tea at the Drake Hotel in Chicago. I wondered how it would feel to play after two weeks away, fearing I’d be rusty. And I distinctly remember being surprised by the way my fingers felt so light and fluid over the strings, more so than before my break. Additionally, in our practices of art, music, sports, etc., quality practice can be more important than quantity.

An 8 minute exposure created star trails over Mt. Rundle in Banff National Park

So if you are inspired to shoot everyday, by all means, continue on! But if you have days you aren’t feeling it, I offer you these reasons to give yourself permission to let the camera sit until the next time you feel inspired. I guarantee the inspiration will come if you give it the space to return!

Check out my online workshop, mentoring, or ladies’ landscape photography retreats for educational opportunities.

Magic in the Tetons...A coming together of past, present and future

June 15, 2017

Back in 1969, years before I was born, my grandparents bought property in Jackson Hole, just south of Grand Teton National Park. By 1971, their house was built and a history of family memories was born. My first visit was as a very young girl and the story told to me by my grandparents is that when I was 4 years old, I put up my arms and declared the Tetons "My Mountains". Though this is hardly true in reality, that feeling has grown and stayed with me for nearly 40 years. I have been fortunate to live in great homes and communities and travel to many wonderful places in my 41 years, but nowhere has my heart and soul felt so complete as in the Tetons.

As I fly into the valley, the jagged peaks come into view and the feeling of coming home washes over me. I get a lump in my throat, a sense of peace, and a feeling like my heart is going to jump out of my chest all at the very same time. The piece of me that has been missing has returned and I feel complete once again.

Driving the park road, putting one foot in front of the other on the trails I know by memory, watching the clouds float over the mountains, my heart soars and the feeling of being in 'my place' is so intense and familiar. I have seen the area change so much over the years and the tourist traffic increase dramatically. But the magic of the Tetons remains the same year after year and my need to be beneath their grandeur remains as strong as ever.

Hiking and photography have always been 2 of my favorite activities in GTNP. My husband and I hiked and camped all the backcountry trails in the early 2000s, finishing with a pizza at Dornan's and an afternoon of reading in the hammock with a beer. Eventually, the hikes became shorter with our kids but photography became a more serious endeavor.

It seems only fitting that the Tetons have such a strong presence in my landscape photography since my passion for the landscape genre began in Jackson Hole. I dream of spending more time here exploring both iconic locations and the roads less traveled, capturing these peaks in all seasons and conditions. It is easy to simply spend hours watching Mother Nature unfold over the valley, as the light and shadows dance and the Grand plays hide n seek amongst the clouds.

My passion for landscape photography led me into teaching the genre 3 years ago when my first online workshop began in September 2014 with Click Photo School. The workshop has now run 6 times with a fall and spring run each year. Through this workshop, I have met so many photographers and have had the privilege of seeing the world through their lenses and watching their landscape photography grow. The friendships formed have been a highlight for me and it has been especially rewarding to meet many of these alumni at the annual Click Away conferences where I have also led several landscape classes.

As much as I love the online teaching, I long to also work and connect with my students in a more hands on way. Teaching at Click Away reinforced this for me and also demonstrated the inspiration, creativity and connection that comes from in person gatherings. I found myself longing for more landscape and nature focus and the opportunity to connect with others who share my passion. I long for the opportunity to teach and inspire as we immerse ourselves in nature and chase the light. I want to bring a group of creative women together for connection and inspiration to learn from each other and support each other in our art. I want to create an opportunity to give ourselves the gift of several days focused on nothing but nurturing our need to learn, create and connect with other women who share this need.

For a couple years, the dream of leading a workshop in the Tetons was simmering in my brain. Finally I knew I needed to stop daydreaming and make this dream a reality. I wanted to bring my vision of this retreat experience together with my love and knowledge of the Teton area.

I am excited to say that I have a fantastic group of 7 ladies signed up for this unique experience and I look forward to kicking off the first annual Magic in the Tetons retreat September 27 for 4 days and 4 nights of nature, photography and friendship.

This past fall my grandparents home was sold and the loss is heartbreaking. But this retreat is a bright spot for me. Taking my past history there and my love for capturing its beauty to create this future adventure.

Past, present and future coming together to build friendships, inspire creativity and capture the magic of the Tetons!

7 Reasons Why I Love Landscape Photography

April 11, 2017

Why Landscapes? Do you ever wonder why people fall in love with landscape photography? Or why you might give it a try? Why spend time on this genre?

The thoughts surrounding the answer to this question have been swirling in my head for the longest time; months, a year, maybe more. It’s a question I have asked myself at various times over the last couple years and reflected upon.

After all, we are all busy people with so many choices and so little time. Life is short and precious and every moment matters. With 4 young kids, there is never enough time and I am always questioning how I use it.

Sometimes it makes me wonder why I spend so much time on photography. I remember distinctly thinking about this in the fall of 2015. Shortly afterwards, we had an incident with my youngest boy, 4 years old at the time, where he crashed his bike and one of his top front teeth. He had to have it pulled because the tooth cracked down the middle up into the root. In an instant his baby smile was goneTwo days prior, we had been at the park during my middle boy’s soccer practice. I brought my camera along and captured my twins while they ran around doing their thing. One of my favorite images was of my boy in a full on genuine smile. And right there…that’s why I take those pictures of them. I was so happy to have a last real shot of his baby smile in the midst of his bike accident.

But landscapes…well, then, why landscapes. That’s not capturing my kids fleeting moments. And most of the time I’m not even with them when I’m shooting landscapes. I spent some time reflecting on this and the short answer, I realized is that they are good for me physically, mentally and emotionally. And there are several reasons for this.

1. They get me out in nature - Shooting landscapes forces you to get outside and find the beauty around you. Sometimes this means discovering places right in front of your eyes that you just never noticed were beautiful before. Other times this means exploring new places and getting out on a hike or nature walk. Even if I don’t come back with images that excite me, I’m always better for having gotten out in the fresh air. It also pushes me to explore new places that I might not have discovered otherwise. Students in my workshop, The World Around You frequently comment that they visit or discover places they had never been before in order to practice their landscapes during class.

2. They lead me to see the world in new ways - Not only does landscape photography push me to explore new places, but it gives me a push to get out during those times of day that we are often holed up inside, such as sunrise, sunset and nighttime. Because it can be more challenging to get out at those times, we often don’t in our daily lives. But since these are the times when the most interesting light can be found, landscape photography pushes us to set an alarm in the morning rather than sleep in, or to stay out for (and even past) sunset. Or it leads us to find a dark place at night and observe the stars. I have seen more sunrises thanks to shooting landscapes than I ever had before. I have gone on winter hikes and seen the milky way over the Tetons at 4:30 in the morning. Often a little physical discomfort is involved, whether pushing through sleepiness or shivering in the cold, but it is almost always worth it. And the adrenaline high when the LCD screen captures what you saw, is indescribable.

3. Shooting landscapes is like therapeutic meditation - Getting out to shoot landscapes clears my mind and soothes my worries and anxiety. When I get out and set up to shoot a landscape scene, I find that my mind is freed of my worries and distractions. I become completely focused on the scene around me and setting my camera to achieve my vision. Watching the sun come up over the horizon or dramatic clouds change as they move across the sky becomes entrancing and my mind and body are freed from the tension of anxiety as I focus on capturing the wonder of nature. For that time, all that matters is freezing those moments in front of me and in finding creative ways of capturing the beauty unfolding.

I watched the clouds drift over the Tetons for 2 hours this September morning.

4. They give me a genre of my art that is all for me - I love photographing my kids and capturing all their childhood moments, but I love that I have a genre that is all about me and my art. It does not rely on my kids’ cooperation, them being cute or little, wearing the right clothes, or anything else. I love that now and in the future, I will always have the world at my fingertips to shoot. Photographing the kids can come and go and change depending on their stage of life, but I know I can have my landscape photography outside of them.

5. The world is my canvas - Sometimes I get frustrated living in the Chicago suburbs. I’m a bit far from the city to make it easy accessible, especially at ideal landscape light times, there is no beach and no mountains. But, there is beauty to be found everywhere if you look for it at the right times. Prairies, forests, lakes and ponds, oceans, mountains, deserts and cities. Endless opportunities and even a single location changes dramatically in different weather conditions and seasons. I love finding new locations but I also love the challenge of trying to find something new in the same location.

There is also so many fun creative techniques and opportunities to show your voice through landscape photography in your processing. While my goal is to portray the mood of the scene as it was, there really is an opportunity to push the scene to reach your vision that is so fun if you enjoy post processing and sometimes, I can really lose myself in that process. Processing landscapes is just FUN!!

6. To transport me right back in time to those moments - You know how you look at a picture of your child from when they were little and your heart melts remembering that moment? Well, landscapes can be the same way. When you truly feel like you captured the feeling of that moment out in nature, the photograph can bring you right back. That feeling of peacefulness in the open air, of being in awe as a sunrise unfolds or storm clouds develop over the mountains or sea, can come right back as I edit an image.

They allow me to capture a place that is special to me, or one I have visited but may never go back to, and remember it just as I experienced it. The way I capture it or process it may not be the way someone else would have done so, but the image represents the way I saw it and felt in that moment.

This is one of my very favorite images EVER...capturing the warmth of our family home my grandparents owned all my life and the magic of the nature that surrounds this place represented by the milky way. The home was sold this fall and my heartbreak is indescribable. But I'm so grateful for my experiences and that I was able to capture this and many other images of their property & our experiences there the last few years.

7. Landscapes CAN and DO include people - I love that my practice of landscapes alone helps me to capture my children in the environment the way that I want to. Shooting landscapes makes me really look at every area of my frame in regards to composition and what is included in my frame, whether my depth of field works for my vision, and whether there is detail in all the highlights and shadows where I need it. Landscapes have pushed my practice of both technical and creative choices consistently and made me a very intentional shooter far more than I was before.

#8 would be the way they have improved my photography overall, but that's a whole separate article!

Ultimately, shooting landscapes allows me to capture the magic and awe that is our world. Not only does it get me out to see some of the more wondrous beauty of the world, like sunrise over the Tetons, or the most glorious fall colors in the forest, but it also has taught me to see the extraordinary in the more simple beauty of my local surroundings where a lone tree, curve of a path or simple reflection could make a stunning subject.

Kristen Ryan is a landscape and fine art photographer residing in the Midwest suburbs of Chicago. All images can be purchased in the Fine Art Store. Kristen leads ladies landscape photography retreats in the Tetons, Chicago, and the Canadian Rockies, offers private mentoring and teaches an online landscape photography workshop twice a year.

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