Erin Covey Creative Blog

I’m not trying to say that I’m “allll that” because I’m certainly not.  Far from it.  But I think one thing that makes me adept at shooting weddings and never missing a moment is that I shoot sports almost every weeknight.  This has helped me in so many ways to “get the shot” quickly in all genres of photography.  When you shoot sports this much, you learn to wait…camera pressed up against your face…shallow breaths…intense focus…and then go ballistic on the shutter for two seconds…then repeat.

Sports has helped me further master what I call (in my head) the ‘whip-around’…when the bride is coming up the aisle and you whip around and catch the groom’s reaction, then whip back and catch the brides reaction to his reaction! This unfolds in about 3 seconds but I’ve never missed one! Some people question why I love shooting sports so much (because I never watch sports) but I truly love shooting it.  It gives an A.D.D’er like me some nonstop action for two hours!

I used to be a competitive swimmer.  Used to be.  I used to gauge my success against others and be judged by an arbitrary time.  During my formative years I would calculate “The Time.”  That is, The Time of my events I would need to feel like I was of worth and successful.  “The Time” of any one race that was coveted by others, even if it meant nothing in the grand scheme of life.

This continued through high school and college, measuring my success against others.  Quite often, my worth was announced on an 8×11 nondescript white sheet of paper.  All of us would line up to see the other swimmers’ collegiate times.

I haven’t done laps in a pool in years.  I don’t even know who that person is anymore, but a recent assignment to cover competitive swimming brought me back.

Who I was, is far from who I became.  In photography, it’s easy to compare yourself to others and measure their success with yours.  How much do they charge for a wedding? How many blog hits do they get? I realized quickly, this an unwinnable race.  Every time.  The rules for a competitive athlete are clearly defined, success is black and white.  Now, over a decade later, the guidelines I employ on myself are anything but.  While my own measure of success is often drifting about in gray territory, it is overwhelmingly more important.

It is not how much money I make, but how much integrity or kindness I show.  It is not how many people see my work, but if said work consistently gets stronger.

I now define my worth by my own standards and I’m not lining up anywhere to see how others are competing.

Took an environmental portrait of a local coach today.  Full story and more photos are here.

It’s about that time…are YOU ready for some football? I am!

I have no idea who most of you are.  Every now and then I take a look at the number of people who visit this ‘lil website of mine and I’m always shocked at how many of you actually come.  First…why in the world are you wasting your time here?!

I kid, I kid… (kind of)

In truth, I’m truly honored and really grateful that so many of you come visit every day.  I’ve been getting an average of 800 visitors a month here.  And I’m super jazzed…and sometimes it makes me wanna…jump! Jump! (Sort of like the Kris Kross song but without the backward pants.)

No really, thank you for stopping by.

THANK. YOU.

“If you only do what you know you can do- you never do very much.” – Tom Krause

The inspiring story here of a local woman who refuses to let disabilities contain her spirit or her attitude…

Figured I’d forgo the usual softball action shot and do something fun today…