When was the last time you took the deepest of breaths and screamed at the top of your lungs?

I seem to be doing this all the time.

Every photojournalism class I teach starts with this simple exercise.  It seems simple, right?  Just a little shout?

It isn’t.  It’s embarrassing.  Painful.  It triggers anxiety and produces tears that you are forced to recognize.

So why do it?

Because it feels amazing.  You can scream about your biggest fear, whatever is holding you back in life or business (or both), let it explode in the air and tumble at your feet, never to be seen again.

I have spent the past two weeks teaching photojournalism at the incredible Snap Photography Festival at Fforest Camp in Pembrokeshire, Wales, then I moved to London for my own Moment-Driven Photojournalism Workshop before I head home to Chicago tomorrow.  I’m sitting in my hotel room this morning, my first breath of calm air in two weeks, thinking about what I experienced in the last 15 days.

I keep going back to The Scream.

In addition to presenting at Snap, I also taught a master class, where we had the forests and fields of Wales at our feet, with only an occasional bored sheep to hear us.  Insert the screaming exercise, and these beautiful, polite Europeans who usually keep things close to their chests delighted me with their willingness to be vulnerable.

We screamed.  Hugged.  I shot over 20 people in one hour, screaming out their hurts, screaming out their pasts, screaming about their frustrations.

I was so full of their emotions that, at the end of this hour, I could hardly walk.  🙂

We ended the exercise in a large circle, the tall grasses at our ankles, with our faces to the sky in one final, primal scream.

I’m so proud of my students!

Talking about your fears, then screaming about them reminds us of one thing, we are all alike, we are all in the same boat, and we can support each other while we get to the next level in our business.

And it feels damned good.  🙂

Here are some screaming photographs and some shots I made during my Moment-Driven Photojournalism Workshop for your pleasure.  Some shots are taken before or after the scream, which is sometimes the best way to document a moment.

Thank you so much, everyone.  Thank you for being vulnerable, being open to change, and taking charge of changing your reality.  You inspire me!

Want to hear join us for the next Moment-Driven Photojournalism Workshop?  Leave your email HERE for future dates!