how to build a story with David Prior and Ditte Isager | Connemara, Ireland

I love learning. I could be the eternal student if I had the lifestyle, time and money for it. And I am moved by stories – why do people do what they do and how are all these stories a landscape of a bigger cultural movement?

Last week, I traveled to Connemara in Ireland to attend a workshop organized by Lens and Larder and taught by writer and editor David Prior and photographer Ditte Isager. The premise was that – storytelling. Going in, I thought I had a good grasp on storytelling, especially visual storytelling which I pride myself on working at. After two days with David and Ditte, I had a few revelations as to what has been missing in my work and the work that it takes to get to a story. A travel story is not a mere compilation or guide to a place, but how do we find elements in that travel story to relate to larger cultural and emotional moments that connect us all.

I am not a writer. I have never been good with words so I let my photos drive the emotions I feel and desire to convey. How do I use this visual vehicle to get to the souls of people? It cannot be a mere snap of beauty. There has to be something imperfect or something a bit off about a photo to really work for me. This is what I am working towards in my work. Not sure if any of you have noticed a shift in me since I starter working on this blog nearly nine years ago. I hope so.

Here are some of the photos I took on our short time there. Connemara is full of visual poetry. A beauty that is raw, often times muddled by fog and rain.

I hope these photos do Connemara justice – the texture, the color, the wind, the movement.

Thank you Imen and Cliodhna for putting this together. It was life changing.