Embrace your Shadows: A lesson for Light and Life

Music:
'The Lights' by Shawn Williams

This video is a companion piece to my recent 'Protect your Highlights' video. Choosing to exposure images by preserving your highlights means you will create more shadows in your images, but if we accept this limitation we can embrace the shadows and use them to create more interesting compositions and tell better stories with our images... and maybe this is true for life as well.

Share this video on if you found it helpful.

#shadows #exposure #photography

[jordim]

Your channel feels more like therapy than tutorials. Thanks for what you do.

[fabricemunger]

You have to be one of only a handful of people who can create such emotionally inspiring videos on YouTube whilst remaining entirely honest and true to yourself. Thank you Sean!

[joaoldmedeiros]

"we are forged in the shadows"

this video hits hard.
thank you from the bottom of my heart Sean.

[mrdev]

I'm blown away by how much this guy reveals about himself. He "Wears his heart on his sleeve" as the saying goes, with an almost brutal honesty.
cheers 👌

[brandonwells]

In years to come photographers will come to see this video as a classic.

[loveraindown]

This is your calling my friend.... You’re a motivational artist. More than just a photographer. A decent human being. 🙌🏽

[hendrixraven]

While the photography part of your videos is absolutely stunning, the true beauty is in the philosophy. Keep up the amazing work! 🍻

[lakegeneva]

Yep, that is what I do. Messing with low ASA (100) adds to the fun, meaning the shadows remain soft without grain.

[TonyGouge]

"The only time we're changing as human beings is in the shadows, the dark times" Important lesson, on so many levels. You have such an incredible gift for photography, and for teaching important lessons. Thanks for this.

[E-Biz]

I came here for tips and tricks but left with my spirit recharged.

[SteveSnelling]

As a musician, most of the tech talk is over my head, but as an artist, your worldview and observations are spot on. Regarding the value of our "shadow" episodes, a friend had some good advice: "When you are going through hell, keep going." Really enjoying your videos.

[stephenvictor]

I am grateful for what you have gone through to become who you are now. You, what you teach and how you do so is truly a breath of fresh air. Your viewership is your congregation. In merging your passions you have created a unique and lovely way to serve your community. Your use of photography as MacGuffin brilliant. Your use of photography involves the capture of Beauty’s visitations. The late former priest, philosopher and poet John O’Donohue said the heart cannot live without beauty. Your body of work is an exposition of beauty — image and philosophy. I applaud you and your creative expression.

[richardwilliams]

You're one of the very few YouTubers who make drop everything I'm doing, find a quiet place, and sit and absorb your videos.

You're inspirational in photography and your in words.

Thank you for another superb video.

[markkingsley]

I’m 64 years old, but after being introduced to your videos I feel inspired to go out and shoot, thank you so much, you’re brilliant!

[jamiewindsor]

Great video, Sean. Both from a photographic and philosophical perspective. I really think that working to limitations is the key to great creative thinking. And it's those dark times in our lives that focuses us on what's important and what's not.

[specialchoclate]

Man. Sean, I think that 10 minutes of advice from you would change me for a lifetime. You're so eloquent and powerful in your delivery and message. Thank you for being there for us.

[GrimSt]

Among all the photographers/Youtubers around here, the first video I've seen from you had a different feeling.
I knew there were something different : in your voice, in the way you presented your tutorials.
After watching many other videos from you, I know what it is : emotion and sincerity.

The simple speech you had about having shadows in your life and the reference to Carl Jung made me understand that you make your videos with sincerity and emotions, while so many others give their videos a happy, fun and click-bait style just for the views. Don't get me wrong, I understand where they go from this but the type of videos you provide are way more my style. So thank you and keep going. Your content is amazing.

[deepaks]

I haven't realized over the last few months how much I have been drawn into your videos. And looking at the comments I just realized that there are several who feel the same. While the quality of your photography is stunning to say the least, it's the way you communicate, and that it comes straight from the heart that makes a real strong connection. Thank you for all the content you are putting out, with all the honesty and vulnerabilities - it's inspiring, makes me want to be a better photographer, please keep them coming...

[LegatoVibrat]

This is so meaningful Sean. I love that you are not "only" an incredible photographer but also a wonderful filmmaker, and how you utilize both to tell your story. At the same time you show us how we might apply these ideas to our own story as a means of growth. You help us THINK and FEEL into our work as creators, which is to say, as humans. We don't know any better at first; we try to avoid feeling some things. But you express so beautifully that we create ourselves by allowing it, by giving ourselves permission to fail and to feel. And then we can create something that represents the human that we are becoming and the way we perceive our world. And then we can SHARE it, and authentically so. By creating. And in doing so we discover our own language that just maybe can bring the world a little closer. It's so inspiring, healing even. You are doing good here on many levels Sean. Thank you very, very much for sharing, and thank you for bringing the world a little closer with each of your videos.

[MichaelFrazierTube]

You're gift is speaking right to folks' soul man, you're a crisp treasure in an oft murky sea.