Tomme Hilton Gallery » Charleston SC Wedding Photographer and the life that shadows.

I’m back on the chopping block. I always tend to drag my feet when it comes to blogging. I don’t look forward to it – not like I wished I would. I never really figured I have anything to say of much interest. When engaged in conversation, I can be witty and funny and carry a great conversation, but lay a blank page in front of me in hopes of filling it with really interesting verbage and engaging information and the crickets are chirping endlessly.

But I’m facing dilemmas I want to try to change. I feel myself most drawn to the personal blogs where the writers speak candidly and freely about their lives.  So in the same ways those writers are able to pull me into their world and embody me with interest – I want to allow myself to be more personalized, which is hard for me. I’ve had to be the strong, silent stable figure for much of my life but this is something that needs to change. I just visited a shaman, of sorts who told me I needed to live an authentic life and this is where I intend to start. Letting some of my fearful walls down. Boy, aren’t you in for a treat?

These writers I love -their words flow freely without fear – for they are who they are, they know themselves — never flinching in the shadows.  They make no excuses – I find that is so refreshing in a world saturated with political correctness and those whom find power sitting behind their computers.  One of the biggest inspirations was a friend I had met on Flickr, Jessica Weiser (http://www.fideliophotography.com/). She used to post these really amazing photographs and then have amazing stories to coincide with them. Which for me, not being as great with the word ADORED the fact that she felt so at ease to write about her life and her hardships throughout her life. I instantly liked and connected with her.  I don’t even think I’ve ever even told her that, but this is a great example in life that you may not ever have any idea that you have an impact on someone – when in all actuality you do. Do you know that person who has inspired you or gave you insight? Do you have that person or one of many people that have shaped you or continue to mold you?  I have many people but Jessica is certainly one of them.  Which this in turn leads me to Ashley.

I will be shooting a wedding with an upcoming photographer, who had some really amazing friends that thought *SO* highly of her – they bought her ME. Ok, let me back that up a bit – that sounds ODD… Ashley loves photography and her friends love HER so much, they wanted to push her and have her learn. She was turned onto my work through a friend of a friend kind of thing and I think she found an affinity and kinship  in my work. They wrote me and hired me to mentor Ashley. When I first met Ashley, we spoke briefly at LaHacienda over a couple margaritas (I instantly liked a fellow margarita lover) and I decided that instead of being much of an instructor in life. I’m a do-er.  I tend to be the verb instead of the noun. So she had her own wedding coming up to shoot. Tomorrow actually that I will be helping with.

It’s always fun to second shoot a wedding and get to tap into your creative self when you find yourself getting stale. I try to get as creative as possible in most situations, but when you get 15 minutes to do photos at a wedding,  you end up pulling out the traditional gotta- haves. That’s not inspiring, but actually stifling to a creative mind wanting to expand and <CREATE>.  So while second shooting, you get to do NOTHING but be CREATIVE. AAaaaah, music to my ears. I do tend to get many brides that will factor in lots of photo time, but there are some weddings that photos get rushed and it makes a world of difference. I will be posting some of these wedding images on here soon.

In trying to figure out what images to blog, I thought I might choose the prom images I did recently. They are fun, and fresh and youthful and it’s that season so here is Vince and Ally’s prom shoot.

In my efforts of tearing down the walls that defined me, I hope not to bore you to tears about my uneventful life. I am pretty sure I had such a traumatic childhood that God & the Angels decided my adulthood should be very mundane. And depending on who you are, maybe it is and maybe it isn’t.

Enjoy! I think my A.D.D. is kicking up — Oh look, something shiny…

XO