Love Lilacs? Here Are Three Free Stock Photos

This was a really special week, for one reason - lilacs!

I love this flower - the color, the smell, and how beautiful they look!

During this time at home, I've been finding peace in literally stopping to smell the flowers. I've been watching and listening to the birds (they are SO loud and I love it!), and I've been getting to know my neighbors a bit more. From a distance, of course!

The thing about lilacs is, they don't last very long at all. So, when the blossoms started opening up, I jumped to grab my camera. It was that beautiful time of day we call "golden hour", where the sun is low and glowing warm, soft light.

PHOTOGRAPHY TIP

"Golden Hour" is the time of day that is considered ideal for taking photos, especially portraits - an hour after the sun rises, and an hour before the sun sets. The light is soft and flattering, and usually diffused because it isn't above the treeline yet. Midday sun is more difficult (but not impossible) because the light tends to be more direct, stronger and casts harsh, unflattering shadows on faces from high in the sky. If shooting in direct midday sun, I highly recommend finding an area in the shade of a tree or building.

Get Three Free Stock Photos of Lilacs

Free Photos of Lilacs_Shannon Sorensen Connecticut Photographer New England Styled Stock

These are high res photos that you can print and display, or use them for your business to complement your social media posts, IG stories, blog post content, email newsletters - I want you to enjoy them, and share the beauty!

Credit is not required, the photos are yours to use, but if you choose to give photo credit, it’s always appreciated! You can tag me on Instagram @shannonsorensencreative and I’d love to see how you use them!

Embrace The Powerful Lioness :: New Art and Creative Studio Update

Hey, friend, what are you missing this week?

Three things I miss, in no particular order, are: ice cream from our favorite local shop, trips to the playground with the kids, and our weekly family breakfast outings. We're in a pretty good groove, but those little things I miss will be that much sweeter once we can enjoy them again! Especially the playground. My kids are restless to get out more and run around. Thankfully, sunny, warmer days are ahead!

A couple weeks ago, a dear friend of mine gave me an incredible message - she challenged me to look at areas of my life where I'm playing it small, shrinking myself into neat little boxes for the sake of feeling comfortable and safe.

It was a really powerful conversation that left me spinning. I'm so grateful for these friends who aren't afraid to ask these questions that feel uncomfortable at the time. That's how we get to the good stuff, by digging our hands into the dirt, to feel around where we're rooted and make sure we're giving ourselves the space to not only grow, but blossom and be magnificent.

And she told me "You've been playing the part of a mouse, but you're a freaking lioness."

(she didn't say 'freaking')

And I felt it in the depth of my soul to be true.

I have been telling myself that if I want to be an artist or otherwise creative person, I have to be ok with making art, but not money, to stay small and unknown and struggling. I have been telling myself for years not to “bother” people with trying to sell my work and my services.

I let that voice run free in my head for so long, I started to believe it, and live it. Yikes.

I was scared to sell! I thought that talking about my services would annoy people. I told myself that if they wanted to buy something or hire me, they'd come to me when they were ready.

Typical Libra. :P

Like a marshmallow Peep in a microwave, I was making a real mess of myself on the inside.

So, I decided to get off the struggle bus, and start actually telling you more about what I'm working on, let you know what's new for products and services, and let go of that mouse-like fear.

Bless and release.

Moving forward, I'm a powerful lioness. I encourage you to ask yourself that same question my friend asked me. How are you playing it small and holding yourself back? What have you been telling yourself to keep yourself small and safe and comfortable?

With staying at home the past two months due to Covid-19, unable to do my typical photography work with newborns and families (and losing my main source of income - terrifying), I've had a lot of time to think about the work I've done for the past 10 years, and how I want to move forward, with so much uncertainty in the world. I love being a photographer, but the simple truth is that right now, the world is different, and I can't work the way I have for so long.

So, I joined Patreon!

Patreon is a platform for creators to do their creative work and get paid, by offering exclusive content and rewards to their biggest fans who invest in a monthly tiered subscription.

Why support a creator on Patreon?

Chances are, you've had access to an incredible amount of free content from creators you follow and love. From Youtube videos to podcasts, blog posts and art, creatives want to share their work. Art is healing, and inspiring, and entertaining. For many, they're passing on knowledge and free education. For many of us, the arts are tied to the very blood pumping through our hearts. It keeps us going, especially in difficult times.

You might already be investing monthly in content that you enjoy and consume: Disney+, NPR, Netflix, organizations that work to make the world better...When you love something and want more of it, you pledge and invest!

By pledging a monthly membership to a creative's Patreon feed, you're choosing to support the work they've already put out into the world, and the work that they are currently making, and will make in the future.

And for about the cost of one fancy cup of coffee per month, you can become an Official Patron of my creative work!

What will your investment go towards? Three main creative projects:

My first goal is to produce one new episode of Creative, Happy Life every week. Entertainment, inspiration, knowledge and education that takes time, planning, and work to produce.

My second goal is to make more art - digital and physical - to inspire you and brighten your day! I plan to use Society6 as my platform for selling, but even if you don't want to purchase something there, your Patreon membership supports the creation of the art!

And my third goal, and maybe my biggest goal, is to write a book. I have a particular story in mind, and honestly, besides that, I have no idea what I'm doing. But this goal in particular will be a process I share only through Patreon, with progress updates, excerpts, maybe a read aloud here and there, and an exclusive inside look at the process from start to finish. I haven't started yet, but the time has come!

Becoming a Patron is an investment in the process.

I have started with offering 3 tiers to choose from to make a monthly pledge, each with a unique set of rewards.

Check it out, and consider it an investment, not only in me and the work I have been doing and sharing for 10 years, but the work that I will create going forward. Patreon gives creatives more time and freedom to create, which is a beautiful thing!

Supporting Working Artists and Why I've Joined Patreon

Over the past eight weeks, I have been thinking and planning on how to move forward as an artist, especially at this time where we need to be staying home, and being careful about keeping a distance from others. With all non-essential businesses closed, the photography community has been rocked, and many artists, myself included, have been working hard to figure out if this is a time to wait and see, or make some changes. We can’t shoot weddings. We can’t photograph newborns in the clients’ home.

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If you’ve followed my journey over the past 10 years, you know that in addition to photography, I have done a lot of graphic design work, painting, furniture refinishing, Etsy shops with t-shirts and art prints and crocheted items, and most recently, the launch of my podcast, Creative, Happy Life.

This time spent at home has forced me to think more immediately of what’s next, for myself and my family. I have relied on my photography for the past five years while working from home with young kids, and that income has now been eliminated. So many people are faced with uncertainty right now. I have had a hard few weeks grappling the idea of not knowing when I can get back to work as a photographer, and how the state of the world will affect the way we work going forward. Pair that with now having the uncertainty of schooling at home, and plans have not only changed, but priorities have also changed.

If I had a nickel for every “PIVOT!” joke or reference I’ve seen in the past two months…

The reality is, whether I can photograph clients again sooner or several more weeks from now, I need to find ways to use the skills and knowledge I have now to support my family while working at home.

I have decided to use this time to focus on three areas of creative work:

How do I plan to make this work? With Patreon!

Patreon is a platform for creatives to create exclusive content for their biggest fans. The creator decides what kind of content to make and provide, which can be anything from updates behind the scenes, exclusive writing and blog posts, a special look at works-in-progress, private communities to connect, make tutorials, host livestreams - there are a lot of possibilities!

This content is made available by paying for various tiers of access - becoming a patron of the artist.

How it works: You decide to be come a member, and make monthly payments to view and access the various tiered rewards.

I am currently only offering one tier, although some creators offer several at different monetary levels.

Official Patron - $5/month

  • Official patron status and access to the patron-only feed

  • Behind-the-scenes shares (intentionally different and more interesting than Instagram stories)

  • Work-in-progress updates on everything from paintings and illustrations to upcoming podcast episodes and writing excerpts

  • Private Facebook Community for live chats, Q&As and tutorial videos.

  • My unending gratitude

Why am I so excited about this?

At the core, Patreon is a way for me to connect and share more closely about my work and life as an artist.

With Patreon, fans choose to invest in a creator who’s work they already enjoy and want to support more closely. Artists and creators put out massive amounts of free content all the time, from blog posts to art, podcast episodes to entertainment. Chances are, you’ve enjoyed more free content than you’ve ever realized, whether it’s inspiring, educational, entertaining, or all of those things.

So why not keep putting content out for free? This is work! I love what I do, but I still have bills to pay and a family to support. You pay for the things you love; streaming services, clothes, subscriptions to publications, monthly or seasonal boxes of beauty products or art kits or craft beer…The list goes on. Public radio asks for your support. Restaurants and bookstores are asking for your support. We want to continue to provide you with the things you love, which we love to make.

As an artist, I hope to not only make art and content for you to enjoy, but also make a real living, and ask you to think of this as an investment in not only what you’ve enjoyed so far from me, but what’s to come! It’s an investment in me, for which I am grateful, and humbly step out of my comfort zone in order to ask for your support.

it is more important than ever to support working artists.

By becoming a patron, you contribute towards my ability to produce podcast episodes more frequently, to make more art for you to enjoy, and to have an insider perspective on my process, from ideation to final creation. As I start the process of writing a book and seeking publication, you’ll get a unique perspective as I share the process with you as a patron.

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I am excited to use my patron-only platform to create tutorial videos, and answer questions about art, photography, podcasting, and life as a working artist.

If you are looking for a meaningful way to support an artist or small business at a crucial time in the world, this is an easy way to do it, and it costs about the same as one fancy cup of coffee from a place that’s happy to take your “bucks”!

So how does it work?

You sign up, pay the monthly fee, and when I share content, it gets shared to you through email, through the Patreon site, and in the private Facebook group. You will pay when you sign up, and will be charged the monthly subscription fee on the first of the month going forward. Once you’re in, you’ll get a link to join the private Facebook community!

What can you look forward to as a patron?

Behind the scenes snapshots and updates about what I’m working on, and exclusive posts about life as a creative that I hope will inspire you to explore your own creativity.

I will be doing monthly live chats in the Facebook group where I’ll share more in depth updates about my projects, show you art that I’m working on, livestream while I paint, edit photos, and maybe even some podcast recording. Eek!

Live “ask me anything” video sessions where you can ask me literally anything! From life as a working artist to my favorite snacks and what I’m watching and enjoying for entertainment, I’m an open book for you within the Facebook community.

Tutorials and tips for shooting your own photos on dSLR or on your phone, how to take better photos of your kids, pets, travel, business and products, how to take better selfies, how to capture a day in the life, how to do a basic photo edit on your phone using free apps, and how to create your own presets.

A Facebook community for creative learning, support and interaction, and to get more regular direct interaction with me.

I hope you will consider becoming an official patron of my work! The sooner you join, the sooner you get to start seeing more from me!

Thank you for your consideration, friends!