Today I’m updating you on my FotoInspired August 2019.
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FotoInspired August 2019
A total of 5 double-page spreads, 3 of which were about our California getaway.
August is usually a month of transitions, but this year they seem to bigger than usual.
- Ella and Luke both went back to school, and are now both in High School.
- It’s becoming quite evident they no longer need us as much.
- Eric and I went on a little getaway.
- Creating a new workshop has taken much of my creative energy.
I have been here before as shifts in life and the process of documenting it are all part of the process. 
A Mirror of Life
Your FotoInspired project represents what’s happening in your life.
It’s easy to get discouraged when you get to the end of your month and realize you haven’t taken too many photos.
- Know that this is part of the process.
- Along with the ups and downs in life come the shifts in your FotoInspired project.
- You will naturally take more photos one month than you might the next.
- There is a definite pattern in my photos where busy/full/preoccupied = fewer photos.
- And that is totally OK.
- This leads to an accurate representation of what life looks like for you.
You’re FotoInpired project can keep you engaged in the process.
It all starts with awareness of what you are and are not doing in your story telling.
- Just showing up every month to download your photos and take an inventory can help keep you on track with this project.
- Oftentimes this is the just the nudge you need to be more mindful about perhaps taking a few more photos next month.
- And sometimes, it can be a relief to know, you have few pages to create after a particularly harrowing month.
- Success comes when you make your project fit your life each month, as opposed to the other way around.
When the FotoInspired project gets hard.
Don’t let big transitions, hard stories and busy lives become showstoppers to your project.
- Just slow it down or do less.
- Share only what really matters, or tell just parts of the story.
- It’s OK to pivot to different creative endeavors or commitments.
- Don’t try to do more than what you can manage.
- Setting realistic expectations is the ONLY way to stay on top of the project.
Walking the Talk
Change is happening around here and I’m pretty sure this is going to affect the direction of my FotoInspired project over the coming months and years.
- Ella and Luke are progressing into their latter teen years, and while neither thankfully is opposed to my photo taking and sharing, they simply are not around as much.
- This means that I have fewer opportunities to take photos of them, and they have always been my main subject of interest.
- I’m embracing this new season, but also not forcing the process of what will replace the barrage of ‘children’ photos, that have been the focus of my pages for so many years.
- Evolution can be slow and steady and I’m looking forward to sharing when it becomes clear to me.
- It could come in the form of fewer pages each month or a focus on something else, my painting or travels, or what I consider to be art.
- In the meantime, I’m quietly being open and just noticing what types of images and stories light me up the most.
aA Creative Team Inspiration
There is no right or wrong way to be FotoInspired.
Keleti | Margo
Embrace the Time | Nancy
Make Your Mark | Laura
August Sun| Miki
Rise Up | Marnie
Pivot, evolve, embrace, open, notice…Anna, I appreciate your words describing a flexible, fluent process of artistic documentation. Your FotoInspired Templates are my absolute favorites! And, how is it possible both of your kids are in high school?!
IT’s the only way right? At least without losing your mind. And I know time is flying by…
Yes, to Marnie’s comment and your words Anna! All of these layouts are so inspiring and very beautiful. Thanks for sharing, and creating the best digital supplies for us, along with motivating and sensible words.
You are very kind Beverly. Thank you for your kind words of support.
I’ve been at a standstill with my layouts, so much stress in my life right now. Getting ready for some major changes in my life, by the end of October mid November my job will end and I will go into early retirement. By next year the house will go on the market and we will be making a move to Arizona or Idaho, not sure yet. So your article really spoke volumes to me and I don’t feel so bad that my creativity is currently at a standstill. It will happen again in time. Thank you for always sharing…..
Yep. There is a definitely ebb and flow. The trick is to get in sync with that and not force. Good luck with all the changes. It’ll all work out in the end.
Love all the frames in Anna’s layouts… where do I find those? What are they called?
Hi May, you can find all my FotoInspired Templates that include frames https://www.oscraps.com/shop/FotoInspired-DoubleTemplates/
More frames can be found here https://www.oscraps.com/shop/Frames-c-421/
Please let me know if I can assist further.
I look forward to these FotoInspired posts each month. I tend to leave them open in a browser window for a week or more so I can continue to study them and apply what I see to my FotoInspired pages. I think it’s all your little embellishments which really bring the pages to life and make them so interesting. I also really love these newer ‘superinposed’ frames with wider borders for adding some captions. Anyway, thanks for these posts 🙂
Diane – Really happy to hear this. I enjoy sharing them but never quite know if they’re useful 🙂 Love that you’re studying them and applying the inspiration to your own pages.