Expressive Self Portraiture Coming in March

Self-portraiture is a portal to the parts of you that have been dormant, wounded, silenced, and hidden. It’s a doorway to a better version of yourself. It’s a creative form of storytelling and self-expression.
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I’m considering opening up Expressive Self-Portraiture for another round in March. If this is a class you’re interested in or if you would like more details, please email me at sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com . 🤍

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Expressive Self Portraiture - Registration Opening Soon

“Whenever a fairy tale is told, it becomes night. No matter where the dwelling, no matter the time, no matter the season, the telling of tales causes a starry sky and a white moon to creep from the eaves and hover over the heads of the listeners. Sometimes, by the end of the tale, the chamber is filled with daybreak, other times a star shard is left behind, sometimes a ragged thread of storm sky. And whatever is left behind is our bounty to work with, to use toward soul-making.” - Clarissa Pinkola Estes
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What does your story you long to share look like? Come join me in Expressive Self Portraiture! Registration is opening soon.

Who is this class for? Some photographers may feel intimidated or turned off by the conceptual feel to my work, but that is not what this class is about. It’s about you as an individual. It’s about us as a collective group of photographers learning about ourselves and from each other.
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This class is for all levels. I’ve had students who have just begun learning how to shoot in manual all the way to advanced photographers looking to try something new or push themselves even further. Some are terrified at the idea of being the subject of their work, while others have done it for years.
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What I’ve witnessed over and over again is a group of diverse artists coming together and forming a common thread. We laugh. We learn. We play. We create. We cry. We heal. We love. We grow. Together.
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Whether you are feeling a small pull or a burning fire, now is the time! You can read testimonials HERE and feel free to email me with any questions. sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com

Embracing Your Weirdness: Finding and Using Your Voice in Photography

If I allowed my fears and worries to control me, I would never share the art I dream up and make. I'd still create it, but setting it free would be another story. When I first began exploring photography, I took a cookie-cutter approach. It was the time of Photoshop actions, color, sun flare, over-exposed images, and *gasp* selective color. The thing to do was use your children as little models, dress them up, throw in some props from time to time, and call yourself a photographer. I did what I thought I needed to do to earn the title, Photographer.

The thing is, that's not me.

That's not who I am.

I wasn't making art when I was mimicking others and trying to fit in. With that said, I needed to go through that process. I needed to recognize and learn that making that type of work didn't light me up. Taking pictures of other families was great practice for me, but it made me question if this is really what I want to do and how I want it to be.

The answer was a loud and resounding, NO.

When I began to show up unapologetically in my art, I found my voice. When I decided I wouldn't allow myself to be defined or swayed by societal pressure, I found my freedom. It's easy to fall into the trap of being small to avoid judgment from others. But there is no growth in that. If you approach your work with an open mind and open heart, you can expect to expand and grow as an artist.

I encourage you to tend to the next idea that pops into your mind. That little spark of inspiration is trying to tell you something. It's trying to show you pieces of you. Create the world in your dreams. Don't let fear stop you!

Embrace your inner weirdness. Everyone is a judge! So what?!

I found my inspiration for these self-portraits in a deck of Tarot cards. It came to me instantly in a flash, and I knew I couldn't let it go. I needed to bring it to life.

What is the oddest thing that has inspired you? Share in the comments below!

** Sharon Covert is a teacher and mentor at The Define School. Sharon's courses, Expressive Self Portraiture and The Art of Authenticity are both available through The Define School. For more information email Sharon at sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com or visit The Define School by clicking this link. You can sign up for Sharon’s newsletter HERE to stay up to date and receive a bonus black and white editing video.

Oh Dear!

The masks I use are a form of symbolism and often represent different characters in my story.
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This one is the first one I ever purchased. It still remains an important piece of what I do. Masks have been a transformative and pivotal element in my art.
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Credit to artist @tumblingup for sculpting such amazing masks 🎭 🐰

Come Back to Self

Sometimes, oftentimes these days, my mind is a blur. Everything is whizzing by and I’ve come to realize I need to slow down, practice saying “No”, and prioritize better.
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I began this journey to Self about a year ago now, and I’ve become aware that somewhere along the way my attention began focusing outward again instead of inward.
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So here I am once again, ready to commit to myself and complete the tasks that I take on along the way. I don’t want to lose sight of creating for ME in the process.
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Here is a self-portrait I made yesterday. I’ve always loved out of focus images. They stay with me longer, like a memory or dream. They are a feeling, a time, a place.
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What does an out of focus image represent to you? How do they make you feel? I know some struggle with them because they are technically incorrect and flawed. I think the flaws are what make an image unique, just like us.

Rejection

Have you ever been rejected?
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It doesn’t feel good, I know.
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But what if you used that rejection to fuel your fire🔥 and become even more amazing?
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Instead of allowing it to bring you down, let it motivate you.
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I’ve been checking my email for weeks in hopes of an acceptance email. You usually can tell by the header. “Congratulations!”
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Today the email came, except it was a rejection email.
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For a brief moment I let the sting set in and bring me down. The questions began circling through my mind. How? Why? What could I have done different?
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I quickly put a stop to it and decided I would continue submitting to them. After all, what’s the worst thing that can happen?
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So many people share their successes and leave out their failures. I’ve been guilty of doing that myself ✋🏼. I think many of us have feelings of shame in rejection and failure. It’s embarrassing.
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Have you been rejected recently? Or have you had a recent success? Either way, I’d love to hear about it! Comment below and let’s lift each other up and inspire one another.

Self-Care

In September 2017 I decided to make a commitment to myself. Up until then I poured my heart and soul into my photography.

Leading up to this past year I felt I needed to create almost as much as I needed air, but then I felt a shift.

Even though I have dedicated so much time to art, I felt like I wasn’t giving myself everything I needed to thrive.

I made a commitment to myself. I wasn’t going to allow guilt to creep in, as we all know it tries to so hard.

I began a daily yoga practice, meditation, journaling, and reading as much I can. I blocked off time in my mornings and hoped the people in my life would understand.

I’m not going to lie. Change scares people! It was an adjustment. It was also one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Do you set aside time for you? For the things you love? The things that call to your soul?

I wholeheartedly believe that you will be so much closer to the best version of you if you allow time for yourself.

Guilt free time.

What is it that your heart longs to do that you put off because there just doesn’t seem to be enough time?

When you invest in yourself, not only do you benefit from it, but the people around you and in your life do as well.