Overcoming the fear of failing creatively starts with building your own self-esteem. A true artist, Joanne Widart speaks to the process of creative photography and how she finds inspiration to empower women in her art.

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Introduction (3:58)

How do you break the rules to create art? (4:53)

I’m like a child. Children are outside of their comfort zone all the time and they’re not afraid to fail. I’m not focused on the result – I enjoy the process. Don’t generalize the failure – identify exactly what went wrong and fix that.

How do you build creative photography sessions into your schedule? (9:01)

I book a creative photography session every month, complete with a mood board and a make-up artist. I try new lighting techniques, new posing, etc. I always learn something.

Overcoming your fear of being creative (13:51)

It’s like playing, and my photography tools are my toys. The real fear is the fear of being different, and the fear of being criticized.

How do you deal with criticism? (17:31)

Criticism from other photographers is often a mirror for their own shortcomings. I remind myself now that it’s not my business what everyone else thinks of me.

How did you find your passion for women’s portraits? (18:53)

It’s a slow and long process. I started in landscape photography, then moved to self-portraits. I started doing portraits when family members asked me to photograph them with their newborns. Now, I feel like I empower myself through empowering other women – it’s like a mirror.

What is your biggest inspiration? (20:12)

I don’t just have one thing, I have different levels. I think about mood, colours, light and intention. I don’t photograph what I see, I photograph what I want to see.

Do you play music when you photograph? (22:34)

No, I use music when I’m finding inspiration, but when I edit, I actually watch movies.

What are you artistically curious about? (23:51)

I’d like to work with a bigger team of creatives.

What challenges have you faced personally and professionally? (25:27)

My biggest challenge was to develop my self-esteem and self-confidence.

What advice do you have for brand new photographers? (27:12)

Calculate your overhead costs and make sure you cover that. Don’t overspend on props. And be kind to yourself.

What is your next creative photography project? (30:35)

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Discover more about  Joanne Widart
Website: https://www.joannewidartportraits.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joannewidartportraits  
 Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/joannewidartportraits/ 
Bio: Joanne is a Belgian portrait photographer, an educator and a speaker based in Luxembourg. She is known for her elegant and modern women portraits. Her images are bold, dynamic and stylized.

Over the last years, Joanne won several awards such as the Overall Photographer of the Year 2017 and Digital Art Photographer of the Year 2017 in the Newborn and Portraits Show (UK), the 1st prize at Rangefinder Family Photography Awards in maternity category in 2018 (USA), winner of the 14th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers in Black and White Category in 2019 (Spain), and received some Gold distinctions in 2020 at the Societies of Photographers (UK) and at the International Federation of Photographic Art. She won the second place at WPPI second-half 2020 in maternity category and won the 1st place in studio maternity category, 3rd place in Fine Art category and in the top 10 in nude maternity category at the Maternity Photo Awards.

She was published in some prestigious Magazines and Art catalogs such as The Eye Of Photography and the Art catalog of FotoNostrum Art Gallery in Barcelona, where she showed one of her personal work during the month of March 2020. Joanne also gave lectures in Sao Paulo (Brazil) at the Newborn and family photo conference and in Verona (Italy) at Cifoto in 2018. In 2019, she gave lectures at the Photo Days in Brussels (Belgium) and at the Salon de la Photo in Luxembourg.