I’m usually not too excited about driving through Boston in traffic, but yesterday was an exception. I was honored to be given time to speak with one of my best sources of inspiration in photography, in business, and in my life. A friend to both Steve and myself, Arthur Rainville spent the afternoon with me discussing photography, weddings, and most importantly, artistic inspiration.

A little background on Art for the one of you who may not have heard of him. (gasp!) Art is a successful fine-art portrait, landscape, and wedding photographer as well as a well-known world-wide lecturer and teacher. He is currently the chair of the Portrait Department at the New England School of Photography in Boston, and that is where we met yesterday.

Art’s personality is to not tell you what to photograph or how to photograph. Art wants to know what you want to show and tell to people with your photography. He asks questions that we forget to stop and think about sometimes when caught up in wedding season, or when wondering what the next year should include for our new products. Beyond all that, all of the photographers out there to choose from are really only “selling” one thing: their vision. Are they true to their vision? Do you understand and relate to their style and personality? No two people photograph the same way, just as no two people see and interpret the same way when watching something like a wedding day. I know what I see and respond to at someone’s wedding day, and I know what I want to create for people within my photography. When I show my work, I want to know if the viewer understands what I am about, and if that fits their style. I do not pose, I do not interfere. I want to be more subtle and sensitive, as well as intuitive and insightful in my approach. This is what I do best, and this is what Art helped me stay true to.

Some of my inspiration comes from a trip to an art museum. Some inspiration comes from music. Yesterday, my excitement for photography and inspiration for the future of it came from a wonderful friend, Arthur Rainville.