E114 Photography and Artistic Wellness
Let’s Be Well Together Podcast - Episode 114
Date: April 2 2024
Participants: John Webster, Elise Seifert, Cameron Earnshaw, Julie Wilson and Stephen Seifert
Guest: Mike Farkas
Start Times and Segments:
[0:00:16] What’s On Your Mind: A social media post came at the right time, when we were feeling down in the dumps. It’s about choosing joy over despair, because joy is what the earth gives us daily.
[0:08:53] Expanding Minds Interview: [Artistic Wellness] We interview Mike Farkas. Photography creates something timeless, especially when it comes to family events and loved ones. A photo can bring you back to a feeling or an emotion. It’s so powerful. Mike talks about how he found photography, then turned his passion into a career. He loves capturing the day for his clients, and ideally expressing his artistic happiness through his personal vision. When he’s choosing what to shoot, he first sees an image in his mind. Then it’s about executing what he envisioned. It’s extremely exciting for Mike to see that vision, then make it happen, then turn the camera around to show the subject the image. Their positive reactions feed him with energy.
[0:24:14] Adventures of the Starving Artist: Cameron was surprised when his drink bell unexpectedly behind him during a performance. No one was close to the stage. He deduced that the power of bass marched his class off the table.
[0:29:53] Move That Body: We continue reviewing a list of ways to exercise while doing other things, so you may not even realize you’re exercising. It includes standing on your head, handstands and playing the games you played as kids.
[0:34:36] Running Popup: John was struck by a thought: imagine if someone from 200, 500 or even 2,000 years ago saw what we see every day. They would be astounded.
[0:35:57] Flipside of the Coin: What is the Scandinavian sleep method, and might it help a relationship? Elise and Stephen’s own version of “accidentally well”.
Quotes and Take-Aways:
Mike – I started snapping pictures as a hobby. I fell in love with it. People starting saying, “You’ve got an eye for this”. It snowballed. It’s still going 15 years later.
Mike – A lot of photography comes from viewing the world. You see a beautiful sunset and it catches your eye. You think, “It’s gorgeous”. I’ve developed more of that and enjoyed it more. I look at things differently. I look at life differently. I see little details in things and think, “That’s pretty”. I might see how a flower stands out against a bush. Then all I need to do is snap it and capture that moment.
Mike – I notice things, like how colours or shapes go together.
Mike – Photography became so passionate. I enjoyed it so much that I decided, “This is what I’m going to do.” I went full force at it. I dedicated my life to it, and it took off.
Mike – I’ve always been attracted to something a little bit darker, with interesting badass lighting – a bit on the edgier side sometimes. When doing a job, there’s also getting the job done. You need to shoot the whole day for a wedding, but there’s no reason I can’t add a little of my spice throughout the day.
Mike – I accomplish the job for the client by documenting the day well, but also let some of my artistic happiness come out. It’s something I love to do.
Mike – We try to have a little fun with it, by putting a bit of spice on it. It also brings fun into the experience.
Mike – When I was learning, all the Youtube videos say to check out the photography site first. I prefer to be thrown into the situation without seeing it; without preplanning. Maybe the light will come different on the day, or maybe the situation is different. If you show up in the morning, the light comes one way. If you show up in the evening, it comes another way. I like to come in and analyze the situation as it is, in that moment. I start putting the pieces together – subject, background and lighting.
Mike – I’ve always enjoyed being thrown into a situation and figuring it out on site.
Mike – 95% of the time, the photo comes into my head first. I see it, then it’s just about executing what I saw in my head. I know my technical side. I know how to achieve what I just envisioned.
Mike – It’s exciting. It’s extremely exciting to see that vision in your head, then turn it into reality, then turn the camera around to show the subject so they get to see it. You just brought something from your imagination, put it into a camera, turned it around and get a reaction. People say, “I look cool”, or “I look awesome”, or “that’s pretty neat. That energy feeds me.
Mike – Photography creates something timeless, especially when it comes to family and loved ones. A photo can bring you back to a feeling or an emotion. It’s so powerful. It might be a picture of you and your family at a beach. You remember the sights, the smells and the way it made you feel.
Mike – On the artistic side it’s a beautiful thing. We get to create something that’s truly beautiful and timeless.
Mike – Beautiful wedding photos increase in value as a marriage goes into the future. It makes me feel great that it was cool and fun.
Bulletin Board Quote brought to you by Mike: I’ve always been attracted to something a little bad@ss
Guest Information: Mike Farkas, owner and lead photographer for G3 Designs Photo Video. With 15 years in business, Mike is a driven and dedicated photographer that truly looks for the beauty in the details.
Website: G3 Designs
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Thanks for joining us,
(-(-_(-_-)_-)-) Your wellness check-in team
John, Sammy, Cameron, Sheila, Elise, Isabelle, Noura and Julie