I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was still processing all that I learned from Designer Trek this year. One of my biggest takeaways came from a few discussions I had with some other graphic designers about the creative process. As a photographer – or any creator – it’s easy to be focused on the end product, whether it’s an image or a graphic or a website. I know that my thought process as I photograph weddings and family sessions is all about what the final image will look like.

While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, I realized I am losing something big when I focus on the end product – I am forgetting the process of getting there. One thing I was struggling with when I went to Lake Tahoe was creativity. I have photographed so many sessions and weddings recently that it became hard to be freshly inspired each time I arrived. While there are other photographers I greatly admire who can shoot every day and never become boring, I was struggling to ensure that I truly capture who a couple or family is rather than make easy choices when it came to posing, locations, and lighting...