Making up for it

14th September 2017

A double whammy for my epic failure to post last week…

I could feel the cobbles through my plimsolls and each corner offered a potential new scene but resulted in disappointment. We had been walking for a few hours and my role of the pied piper began to make me anxious. I felt pressurized to deliver some excitement.

The concoction of noise pollution rolled into a vibrant din and the constant threat of a speeding moped kept me on my toes. Napoli was so much more beautiful than I had imagined. The windy narrow streets in the old town were perfect for us to explore.

However, forcing an image is like thinking of what to draw on a blank canvas. It is mind – numbingly frustrating and for one of my students, it definitely felt like torture. I asked her to sit down. We practiced some shots; playing with shadows and light and as I took her picture she said her pose reflected her feeling of defeat.

After some incredible pasta and meatballs, we wandered further up the hill and stumbled across a wedding. It was the boost she needed. Plenty of characters filled with wine and enthusiasm. It’ s funny how one moment or person can simply transform the feeling of failure or misfortune into a high of clarity and excitement.