Too Prepared

I wanted to be as prepared as possible for the shoots I had scheduled. I anticipated creative resistance — that familiar weight that shows up before I even press the shutter. It’s become a pattern for me during model shoots: doubts that settle in, questions about my process, my pace, my purpose.

So I prepared.

Notes. Shot lists. Lighting options. Backups of backups.

I wanted the shoot to move efficiently — get the shot, move on, no time to dawdle. Maybe that comes from childhood. Perhaps it’s just how I’ve taught myself to operate: don’t pause, go. Keep moving. Do the work.

But with Marisol, it didn’t go quite the way I hoped.

Too much explaining. Too much time spent managing the plan. Too much effort to steer the ship before it had even left the dock.

And none of that was her fault. Marisol was incredible — thoughtful, kind, fully present. The overthinking? That was mine.

I’ve done this before — overprepped myself out of presence. I know what that looks like. And still, I do it.

What changed things for me was my next shoot — the one I now refer to as My Zen Shoot.

This time, I didn’t show up empty-handed. I still had notes — but only four sentences. Simple prompts. Reminders, not a roadmap. Just enough to keep me oriented, not boxed in.

One camera. One lens. No pressure.

That was my solution: simplicity.

From our shoot. Calm and composed — even when I wasn’t.

I let go of trying to control everything. I stopped chasing efficiency and allowed the shot to unfold. And what came out of that felt better. More human. More honest.

Moving forward, I’ll still prepare — but I’ll prepare less.

I’ll leave room for the moment.

Room for connection.

Room for the work to surprise me.

Because here’s the truth: I should’ve known better.

I started this way — one camera, one lens, and a roll of film. That was enough.

And I suppose, deep down, I’ve always known this.

I don’t know when I decided that having options was better. I don’t know when I adopted the mantra, “better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.” But if I’m honest with myself, that mantra isn’t mine.

It’s not how I work best.

Less really is more — when I trust it.

The rest of this set — the ones I can’t show here — will be on CreativelyBare.com soon. But this one felt worth sharing here first.