Expressive Self Portraiture Coming in March

Self-portraiture is a portal to the parts of you that have been dormant, wounded, silenced, and hidden. It’s a doorway to a better version of yourself. It’s a creative form of storytelling and self-expression.
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I’m considering opening up Expressive Self-Portraiture for another round in March. If this is a class you’re interested in or if you would like more details, please email me at sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com . 🤍

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Finding Inspiration in Nature

There’s magic to be found in the everyday. Sometimes, all you need to activate it is a little creativity. Imagination.
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I found a dragonfly’s wing in my yard the other day. I combined it with a print of this self-portrait and re-photographed it using my @lensbabyusa Velvet 56.
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This unconventional self-portrait could have been made in Photoshop, but the process and meaning wouldn’t have been the same for me.
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If you have any questions about my process, email me or comment below! As both a Lensbaby and Click Pro Ambassador I enjoy representing both brands and sharing as much as I can. Click here to shop Lensbaby and save 10% on your purchase with the code wsharon ♥️

Interested in becoming a Click Pro? I save you $15USD off of the application fee by clicking here.
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Sony a7riii | Velvet 56 | f/2.8 | 1/320 | 640

Are you Feeling Supported?

Something that often comes up in my class, Expressive Self Portraiture, is the fear of sharing such deep and personal work while not feeling supported by those closest to us. I always encourage artists to share their work and trust that it will reach the right people at the right time, but this is no easy feat even for some of the most esteemed artists.
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It can feel confusing and even hurtful when the people we are closest to do not show support for our art. Why does it seem to be common to feel more supported by strangers and people you have never met in person? There can be several reasons for this.
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Our art is not for everyone.
I’ll say it again.
Not everyone is going to understand or connect with our work.
Our work can cause uncomfortable feelings for some people.
It may encourage them to face something in themselves that they are not ready to face.
They may think following you is enough.
They may feel intimidated or feel like an outsider to the art world.
They may not know how or feel comfortable interpreting our art.
They have their reasons and whatever they may be, just know that it is about them and not you or your work.
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As artists, we sometimes fall too deep in the trap of external validation. When we don’t see the support we would hope for from friends and family we tend to stay small. We don’t speak up or question it, but instead we hide with our feelings of unworthiness, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome.
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Fellow artists, keep doing what you’re doing and supporting each other. I know what gets put into making personal work. I’m a firm believer in artists supporting artists. I support you and appreciate your support- every comment, like, share, review, and recommendation.
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Thank you!
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Let’s discuss this. Do you find this is something you have struggled with or encountered? I believe it’s much more common than we think.

Sony a7riii | Velvet 56 | f/2.8 | 1/250 | 200

✨ Don’t forget as a Lensbaby Ambassador I can save you 10% on your purchase. You can click this link and use the discount code- wsharon . Tag me on Instagram with any images you make with your Lensbaby gear so I can show my support!

A Foggy Morning with the Lensbaby Velvet 56

I loved the conversation we had in the comments of my last Instagram post that I shared here yesterday. I think it’s helpful to learn the process of others, whether it’s finding out they are similar to you or learning something completely new. Thank you for sharing!
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Yesterday morning we had fog again. I knew I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. This was one of those shoots where I wasn’t thrilled with my results at first. I needed to sit with the images for a bit. I ended up editing one in color and one in B+W.
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I’ve been very pleased with the results of my @lensbabyusa Velvet 56 lately. The combination of this lens and the fog really helped add to the atmosphere here in this self-portrait. It makes me feel like it’s from another time, another land, a scene from a movie, a page from a book.
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Don’t forget, as a #lensbabyambassador I can offer you a 10% discount. Use this link and type in the code wsharon at checkout. Tag me in any work you make with them. I’d love to see and support you!
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To Plan or Not to Plan Your Creative Shoots?

Are you the type of artist who pre-plans your creative work? Or do you work off of a feeling? I used to have the mindset that in order to create art I needed to have a plan set in place. I felt that all of the professionals worked that way.
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Through time and experience, I have come to learn that there is no one way of creating art. I now can go into creating with an open mind and no expectations of a specific outcome. I don’t always pre-think all of my shots and instead, I allow myself to be present in the moment to find and create what my heart sees and feels.
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It may just be a whisper or a nudge, a sense or a feeling. I try to be receptive and
open so I don’t miss it. I listen and watch for signs and guidance. I’ve had plenty of shoots that didn’t produce an image in the end, but it did provide me with lessons and an experience. It all depends on how you look at it.
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This self-portrait? I was driving home from dropping my daughter off at school yesterday morning and the early morning fog called to me.
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So tell me, do you favor planning or going with your intuition? Or maybe a mix of the two like I do? There is no wrong or right way! Can you see a difference in your work with one way over another?
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Sony a7riii | Velvet 56 | f/2.8 | 1/250 | 200

As a Lensbaby Ambassador I can save you 10% on your Lensbaby purchase. Just use this link and the code wsharon at checkout! Tag me on Instagram @sharoncovertphotography with any Lensbaby work you create!

Lost & Found {Self-Portrait}

You can only find the right way after you lost it
Erik Tanghe
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Expressive Self Portraiture - Registration Opening Soon

“Whenever a fairy tale is told, it becomes night. No matter where the dwelling, no matter the time, no matter the season, the telling of tales causes a starry sky and a white moon to creep from the eaves and hover over the heads of the listeners. Sometimes, by the end of the tale, the chamber is filled with daybreak, other times a star shard is left behind, sometimes a ragged thread of storm sky. And whatever is left behind is our bounty to work with, to use toward soul-making.” - Clarissa Pinkola Estes
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What does your story you long to share look like? Come join me in Expressive Self Portraiture! Registration is opening soon.

Who is this class for? Some photographers may feel intimidated or turned off by the conceptual feel to my work, but that is not what this class is about. It’s about you as an individual. It’s about us as a collective group of photographers learning about ourselves and from each other.
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This class is for all levels. I’ve had students who have just begun learning how to shoot in manual all the way to advanced photographers looking to try something new or push themselves even further. Some are terrified at the idea of being the subject of their work, while others have done it for years.
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What I’ve witnessed over and over again is a group of diverse artists coming together and forming a common thread. We laugh. We learn. We play. We create. We cry. We heal. We love. We grow. Together.
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Whether you are feeling a small pull or a burning fire, now is the time! You can read testimonials HERE and feel free to email me with any questions. sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com

Embracing Your Weirdness: Finding and Using Your Voice in Photography

If I allowed my fears and worries to control me, I would never share the art I dream up and make. I'd still create it, but setting it free would be another story. When I first began exploring photography, I took a cookie-cutter approach. It was the time of Photoshop actions, color, sun flare, over-exposed images, and *gasp* selective color. The thing to do was use your children as little models, dress them up, throw in some props from time to time, and call yourself a photographer. I did what I thought I needed to do to earn the title, Photographer.

The thing is, that's not me.

That's not who I am.

I wasn't making art when I was mimicking others and trying to fit in. With that said, I needed to go through that process. I needed to recognize and learn that making that type of work didn't light me up. Taking pictures of other families was great practice for me, but it made me question if this is really what I want to do and how I want it to be.

The answer was a loud and resounding, NO.

When I began to show up unapologetically in my art, I found my voice. When I decided I wouldn't allow myself to be defined or swayed by societal pressure, I found my freedom. It's easy to fall into the trap of being small to avoid judgment from others. But there is no growth in that. If you approach your work with an open mind and open heart, you can expect to expand and grow as an artist.

I encourage you to tend to the next idea that pops into your mind. That little spark of inspiration is trying to tell you something. It's trying to show you pieces of you. Create the world in your dreams. Don't let fear stop you!

Embrace your inner weirdness. Everyone is a judge! So what?!

I found my inspiration for these self-portraits in a deck of Tarot cards. It came to me instantly in a flash, and I knew I couldn't let it go. I needed to bring it to life.

What is the oddest thing that has inspired you? Share in the comments below!

** Sharon Covert is a teacher and mentor at The Define School. Sharon's courses, Expressive Self Portraiture and The Art of Authenticity are both available through The Define School. For more information email Sharon at sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com or visit The Define School by clicking this link. You can sign up for Sharon’s newsletter HERE to stay up to date and receive a bonus black and white editing video.

Make Bad Art: Letting Go of Perfectionism and Creating With the Intention of Growth

I once came across the phrase, " Perfectionism is another form of procrastination." It took some time and thought for me to wrap my brain around that concept. It's not always easy to admit you're guilty of such things.

How often do we wait for the time to be right before we begin something? What does that even mean? How will we know that the right time is upon us unless we start the work now? Chances are, if we keep waiting for the perfect time, it may never come. We'll always find something in the way.

While we are on the topic of time, how often do you find yourself saying that you have none? Time is what you make of it. Time is always available to us. It's just a matter of what you prioritize. Stating you have none is yet another form of procrastination. I will be the first to admit that I have been guilty of saying this.

We cannot learn something new, let alone master it unless we begin. We need to be okay with being a beginner sometimes. We have to be willing to take the leap or even to take baby steps to make progress. Sometimes, this means making bad art.

I've had my fair share of what I consider to be bad art. My time as an artist consists of much trial and error, and a healthy dose of mistakes and failures. I wouldn't be creating the work I make today had I not been okay with letting go of the outcome and failing.

If you're feeling a pull towards learning or creating something new, I urge you to go for it. Don't wait until you have the perfect camera or the right lens or ideal lighting. I've come across this time and time again and especially while teaching my Expressive Self Portraiture class.

Many women are scared of this class. They can't bring themselves to begin because they fear the judgment of others, they need to lose weight first, or grow out a bad haircut, or find the perfect location, or learn to forgive and love themselves. Whatever that thing is, it is only holding you back from growing. Those things will come in time, but first, you have to make lousy pictures.

Allow me to share a piece of my timeline so you can see my progression.

The year is 2014 and I was newly exploring self-portraiture. That reflection you see in the piano? Everyone loved that. It was sheer luck and completely unplanned. I had no idea of what I was doing. I had no vision for this self-portrait. I just knew that I liked to play the piano and I liked photography.

Another self-portrait from 2014. I began experimenting with slow shutter speeds and garage light.

In 2015 I began to explore a more conceptual route with my self-portraits. This was one of my first attempts at some type of a levitating image. I was laying down on my piano bench and was stiff as a board! I still had no message, but I was allowing myself to try new things.

Another from 2015 where I first began experimenting with tulle and the window light in my small spare room. It’s a tight, small space and I was on the floor for this image. I was beginning to find ways to express and process grief.

In 2016 I began using vintage dresses and masks. I was looking for ways to portray characters and express my story.

2016- This was the day the rabbit mask arrived. I had no plan or idea of what I would use it for. I put it on and was immediately transformed and inspired to take this self-portrait as a test shot. It became a signature image of mine and it was born out of a test shot. Imagine if I had waited for an idea or an ideal moment to use this mask?

I created this all time favorite image. Before this image came to be, I experimented with making clouds and really terrible images.

Here is one of the failures! With this failure, I knew I was on to something.

2016 was one of my most creative and experimental years. This was a long exposure I made and titled it “Turn Your Back on Me”.

2017 came and I bought a wig at the Halloween shop. It was another way to add anonymity to my self-portraits. By this time I had my black and white editing down.

2017 and one of my all time favorite self-portraits to date. I won a giveaway for a dress that belonged to Brooke Shaden. It was torn and tattered and I wasn’t sure how I could possibly use it. Then I made this in my back yard, and got poison ivy from the shoot.

In 2018 I slowed down and became creative in other ways such as writing, yoga, and health.

I created with more intention in 2018 whereas the years leading up to that I created anything and everything.

2019 brought a new camera and with that, a learning curve. I went from a Canon 5D Mark III to a Sony a7r III with one lens.

In 2019 I have put more thought and care into each self-portrait.

2019

These are just a small sampling of my growth over the years. There are thousands of images in between these.

Thousands.

The moral of the story is just to do it. Allow the time, space, and practice for your growth. Allow for mistakes, failures, mishaps, and pleasant surprises along the way. Most of us are not prodigies at our craft. We earn it, the hard way.

* Sharon Covert is a teacher and mentor at The Define School. Sharon's courses, Expressive Self Portraiture and The Art of Authenticity are both available through The Define School. For more information email Sharon at sharoncovertphotography@gmail.com or visit The Define School by clicking this link.

Oh Dear!

The masks I use are a form of symbolism and often represent different characters in my story.
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This one is the first one I ever purchased. It still remains an important piece of what I do. Masks have been a transformative and pivotal element in my art.
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Credit to artist @tumblingup for sculpting such amazing masks 🎭 🐰

Come Back to Self

Sometimes, oftentimes these days, my mind is a blur. Everything is whizzing by and I’ve come to realize I need to slow down, practice saying “No”, and prioritize better.
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I began this journey to Self about a year ago now, and I’ve become aware that somewhere along the way my attention began focusing outward again instead of inward.
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So here I am once again, ready to commit to myself and complete the tasks that I take on along the way. I don’t want to lose sight of creating for ME in the process.
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Here is a self-portrait I made yesterday. I’ve always loved out of focus images. They stay with me longer, like a memory or dream. They are a feeling, a time, a place.
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What does an out of focus image represent to you? How do they make you feel? I know some struggle with them because they are technically incorrect and flawed. I think the flaws are what make an image unique, just like us.

Surrender | Self-Portrait

Making this type of art feels so natural to me. It’s become a part of who I am. I tend to forget that for many, it’s not what they would consider normal.
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It’s easy to fall into the trap of being small to avoid the judgement from others. We (I) have to remember to be unapologetic about who we are (who I am).
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Making this self-portrait today felt so damn good. While there are certainly times I wish I had someone else to create with, share ideas with, someone to have this experience with- I also find myself feeling energized and excited to have this time with myself. Today was no exception.
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Introvert much? 
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Here’s what I did with some of my alone time today. I put on a nude colored body suit, went into my backyard, lit a smoke bomb, covered myself with a vintage bridal veil, and put myself in all sorts of odd poses.... and it felt great to express myself in this way once again.
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Do you prefer to create alone or would you rather have a partner in crime?

Hi! I'm Sharon Covert

Hi, I’m Sharon Covert! For years I lived under this false belief that you could get to know me through my art alone.

I allowed fear to control what I shared.

I allowed fear to censor my words, my truth.

Fear of judgment. Fear of not being understood. Fear of not being liked.

I hesitated on sharing the good things that have come my way. The things I have worked hard for, all in fear that you would think I’m bragging or being show-offy. I made that word up, but it fits.

I held back my WHY, my reason why I began experimenting with self-portraiture.

All in fear.

This year the one sentence that has come up the most for me in my journal is this-

Lead by example.

It’s small yet profound, and I plan to do just that, for me, my children, my family and friends, and you. I can’t possibly be the only one who has experienced these feelings.
And while I may be writing more for YOU to get to know ME better, I also want to get to know you better. Has anyone else experienced similar thoughts and feelings when it comes to your art and social media?

If you made it this far, thank you, and it’s nice to meet you!