2010

Dear Just-Starting-Out-Caroline,

I sit here at the other end of your journey—sort of. I know the journey is far from over, but you will find yourself free from so much that encumbers you now, in a few short years. Life will be hard. Very hard. You will spend many nights in tears over things you cannot control, but your artist’s heart will flourish in the storm. My advice to you is to go to the museums, walk in nature with your little kids (they do grow SO FAST!), be observant, and surround yourself with things you absolutely love. Declutter and give the surplus to charity. Try not to spend so much time watching what other photographers are doing. Trust me, I am saving you years of wasted time! I can tell you that all of the success you will achieve is because of time spent doing what you love, not what you do out of obligation. Stop buying long and heavy lenses, you know your neck and back can’t take it! Lastly, your kids will grow up and you will be lost for a very long time. They will shun your camera and your identity will be confused for a while. Keep moving forward. Don’t stop until you find something that makes your heart sing again, even if it is only a sliver of light on a flower petal. Focus on your voice, your message, to the world. Let it flow naturally. Oh, and one last thing, choose nature and exploring over screen time. You will thank me later!

Caroline Jensen, A Sony Artisan of Imagery, is a photographic artist living on the prairie. Her favorite things include cozy nights in front of her natural wood fireplace, camping in her Airstream, and read alouds with her children. Photography is her expressive outlet and features emotive black and white portraiture, unique macro work, colorful landscapes, and food photography. Her gear includes her Sony mirrorless cameras and lenses, as well as vintage lenses and Lensbaby lenses that express her photographic voice perfectly. She has been featured in many publications including: Dreamer Journal, Sony Alpha Universe, Pro Photo Daily, Huffington Post, and numerous times in Click magazine as well as on the packaging of the Lensbaby Sweet 50 and Velvet lenses. She teaches three popular workshops at CMU where she encourages creativity and development of visual voice.