One of my biggest take-aways from that day was to just hit the shutter. You don't know until you try.Gosh, you don't know until you try.... it sounds oh so familiar. This has been a common theme throughout my life. I feel like I hear my parents' voices in my head. Any time the word "can't" came up there was a quick response of "well, not with that attitude." If you say you can't you can't. So why not try?Making the transition to film is very much like this. SO many people want to.... but want doesn't always mean try. You gotta TRY. How on earth could you possibly know if you can or can't, if you never try?Maybe it is the hardheadedness in me, my stubbornness, or maybe its just determination. Maybe it is just my search for knowledge and understanding. 2016 was a year of tracking down the things. I wanted to know how, why, when, what.... all the things when it came to film photography. "Wow, thats cool..... now how did they do that?" "Can I do that?" "Can I be that creative?" Why not? You don't know unless you try.After getting a really firm grasp on shooting film I wanted to learn how to do the crazy fun things. Some are unique to film like light leaks and multiple exposures (I know you can do it with digital but I say thats cheating.... although I never bothered to learn how, its way easier on film). Others are just creative ways of using the camera. So I tracked down a photographer that really inspires me. Someone who is funky and creative. She is unapologetic and proud of her "weirdness". She makes beautiful images that are so clearly hers, you know it came from her before you see the name attached to it. When asked what I wanted to learn from her it was just that. I want to learn the weird, I want to learn to go outside my comfort zone and try new things, I want to incorporate the weird into my work flow as a way of expressing myself. Those are the things that excite me, the bright colors, the light leaks, when a multiple comes out like magic, but also the connection, the emotion, and the story. My day with Wendy Laurel was all of that and I am forever thankful for our time together. Here are some of my favorite images from my day of "hitting the shutter" with Wendy Laurel. The point is, go try. Try the new things. Hit the shutter.