There aren't many things more turbulent and painful than the creative process. It's filled with moments of glee & utter devastation where you routinely question your sanity, skillset, self-worth, and creative capabilities as you try to come up with something "Good enough." ⁠ ⁠ I originally wanted to do a sketch artist/writer who was having a slight meltdown for my July creative shoot. My good friend, @jtyautry, writes plays and often works as an actor and model. He immediately agreed to model for this shoot when asked. This concept evolved from @outfronttheatre being incredibly generous and allowing us to use their space. Ty and I walked the theater for 15 minutes planning the main shot when lightning struck us - this shouldn't be a single image. This should be a series describing the creative process. ⁠ ⁠ I appreciate working with Ty because our creative brains seem to function on similar wavelengths (which is fantastic and terrifying). We easily share & understand each other on projects and it makes collaborating incredible.⁠ ⁠ So, what is the creative process? It usually starts with an idea or a concept. ⁠ ⁠ Then comes the part where all your notes and brainstorming are laid out, and you have to sift through it all, trying to make sense of the madness. Can I combine these elements? If I pair this with that, then will my ending change? Can I follow the same story path, or does this change the message? Do I care if the ending changes? ⁠ ⁠ The next phase comes when you're implementing the idea. The pieces are there, and you're trying to put them into place, make them real. Often, this is when fear comes in full force when you don't know if what you have in your mind will work or if you're good enough to pull it off. The ideas chase you and flood your brain. You're faced with the compromises and challenges you must overcome when your idea can't happen as you dreamed it, and you have to run towards a solution that meets your deadline and your budget and still fulfills the creative goal.⁠ ⁠ Finally, it clicks. The elements come together, and you pull it off. You've found the idea and how to do it. Pure, glee! Now you have to present it. Damnit 😅