[noun] – The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative: “flashes of inspiration.
i’ve always said that i am drawn to photography for its ability to tell stories, rich with detail and emotion and truth. there is a way of making great art, a way of bringing your gifts and talents into perfect harmony and hitting a balance point. there are moments during my shoots that for a split second, everyone clicks into place and something deep inside feels like peace. and that’s the place i’m trying to get to more often with this project. i’ve been thinking a lot about a project of sorts that i could throw myself into over the course of the next year, beyond my weddings and my other beloved sessions. i thought about doing an art installation or a gallery show in my chicago neighborhood but evaluated that i’m just not ready for that yet. i wanted to give back to my city. there are so many times when i’m running errands or visiting clients and i find myself in unfamiliar territory and wanting to explore more. sometimes i daydream about ending up in pub on a weeknight and chatting up the locals just to hear what stories there are to hear. you never know what someone’s dying to talk about.

my dad’s the best storyteller i know. i am biased perhaps but anyone who knows mr. l, knows that he loves his stories. i just know that i get my love of storytelling from him. he has his grandma’s cane hanging on the wall of his office to remind him of how much his grandmother’s story times when he was a boy shaped him today as a man. i have been thinking a lot lately about how i want to be intentional about using the gift and talents i’ve been given to help others tell their stories. i want to be intentional about using my resources to meet individuals just as they are, where they are. no hollywood. no glitter. no glam. i just want to meet people where they’re at and share the inspirational stories we’re all meant to hear from them. the documenting of life is something you can’t fake, so i’m having to lay myself open to it, wide open and vulnerable to what it might ask of me, what it might require me to give up, get over, get outside of, get free from. i have been surprised to find that i am given more life, more hope, more moments of buoyancy and redemption, the more i give up. the more i let go, do without, reduce, the more i feel rich. the more i let people be who they are, instead of cramming them into what i need from them, the more surprised i am by their beauty and depth.

andria lindquist is one of my all time favorites in the photography industry. we’ve communicated quite a bit on this and i expressed to her that i wanted to spread her idea of inspira(shown) over to the midwest from where she is in seattle. you can read all about the initiation of her idea here. she calls it inspirashown (still pronounced the same way) because the idea is to show stories of inspiring individuals. we want to start a movement of photographers around the country eventually that receive nominations from the local community about “a story that needs to be told. a story and person that needs to be honored. a spirit that must be captured.”


so this is where you come in. i need your nominations. you’ll nominate individuals and i’ll reach out to them, meet them, get to know them, photograph them, and share. i will be doing this as a bi-monthly project-hopefully- shooting one story one month, unveiling it the next and so on. i need stories that you know would bless others. i need stories of strength, stories of woe, stories of joy, stories of reunion, stories of new life, stories of legacies. andria lays out a list of “could be’s:”

a family that lost a child. {let’s shoot photos to celebrate their family}

a girl that’s been training for months to conquer her first marathon. {let’s get out on a trail and shoot}

a mama who just had a baby and her husband is in the military over-seas {let’s send some photos to that new papa}

a couple who just model dedication and love, maybe just celebrated a 50th anniversary. {let’s document their love}

a boy who spends his days at st. jude because of cancer {let’s capture his spirit and boyish behavior}

a husband and wife who have tried for years to have a baby and now are upon the due date {let’s capture those little baby feet}

a student who is a leader and sticks to the narrow path {let’s document their dedication and accomplishments}

a girlie who’s been waiting for 1 yr to see her husband return from Iraq. {let’s go to the airport together}

a person who started an organization to help and give to others {lets show what you do}

this project is meant to be a tool in which i can give back. in which i can be used. i know there are a ton of people that read this blog and i figure someone’s got a good candidate somewhere. the subject doesn’t necessarily need to live in the chicago area. it would be ideal but travel may just be necessary depending on the individuals i hear about. :)

here are the guidelines.

1) You must nominate them. (and not tell them you did so)

2) Send me their story and why they inspire you and others in one page or less (attached word document)

3) Include their contact info: email and phone and location.

4) Nominations can be sent in until the last monday of each month and then I will notify you and them by the last friday.

5) All the information should be sent to JORDAN@JORDANQUINNPHOTO.COM with “Inspira(shown)” in the headline.

thank you for hearing me out. thank you for taking the time to think of inspiring individuals in your life. thank you for sharing. nominations for the month of february start right now. let’s do this.

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Comments +

  1. Rebekah Hoyt says:

    This is a beautiful idea. I cannot wait to see these stories and get to meet beautiful, inspiring people through your photography!

  2. Kelsey says:

    I love this idea – there are so many amazing stories around us everyday that are just waiting to be told. I can’t wait to be inspired by your photos the way I am with every post of yours!

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