Every once in a while, I like to feature a guest post. It is good to look at joy from a different view than just mine.
This week Undaunted Joy features photographer and podcaster, Marc Shea. Marc and I connected on X (formerly known as Twitter) where he invited me onto his podcast. You’ll be able to listen to that podcast soon but know that I had such a blast, I knew we needed to collaborate more. I wanted to look at joy through a different lens, Marc’s camera lens! I love what he’s done here in his photo essay and I hope you will too.
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So let’s get this out of the way right from the start…I’m not a writer. I’m a husband, father, photographer, and a podcaster. Basically that means I have found joy in chaos. Or at least I’ve learned to find enjoyment in it. But it hasn’t been an easy road. In fact, whether it's recording a podcast or shooting a concert, I’m basically a bundle of nerves until the action begins.
Several years ago my daughter, Josie, was heading to middle school and worked herself into a pretty intense state of anxiety about the whole thing. I was sitting on the couch with my wife and she told her to sit next to us. My wife then calmly explained to Josie that what she was really feeling was excitement. Josie looked confused and my wife told her that fear and excitement have the same physiological reaction; you just have to make your brain look at it differently.
I may have gotten more out of that short speech than my daughter; although it was definitely valuable for her. I still get nervous before anything live. Tricking my brain into positivity isn’t a fast, easy, or natural process for me. There are so many variables when I’m working live.
When I’m recording a podcast, how will the connection be? What mood is my guest in? Have I prepared enough? Am I asking everyone the same questions? When will everyone realize I have no idea what I’m doing?
For shooting a show, what will the lighting be like? Will I have a limit on songs I can shoot (for big acts it’s usually 2-3 songs and then the camera has to be put away). How many other photographers will be there? Is there space for me to shoot? When will everyone realize I have no idea what I’m doing?
But as soon as the show starts, my brain now turns that fear into action. The hell with everything else…I’m here to get something accomplished. Suddenly I feel confident. It may be the only time in my life I feel confident about anything. That’s when I feel the joy. The joy of capturing a great image, making adjustments on the fly because lighting changes, the crowd is pressing against me, or I need a different angle. I can feel the energy and that’s what drives me. I want a visual or audio interpretation of the energy I’m feeling.
There’s no better feeling than driving home from a show or saving the podcast file and knowing that I can’t wait to dive into them and start editing. I love the joy of chaos and I have my wife and kids to thank. So thank you Bev, Josie, Marc, & Maggie!
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Marc Shea is a podcaster and photographer with a love of music and self-deprecation. When he isn’t recording, editing, or posting his podcast, Performance Anxiety, he can usually be found at a concert in the Washington DC area with his face behind his camera. He has a very patient and understanding family. His concert reviews can be found at https://parklifedc.com/ His photos are posted there and @marcxshea on Instagram. His podcast, Performance Anxiety, talks with creatives in all areas with a focus on music and can be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. You can follow the show @PerformanceAnx on Instagram and X.
If you would like to write a guest post, send me your submission. Perhaps we can find a home for it! With 1200 subscribers, I’d love to use this Substack to share other joyful voices.
I work with Marc at ParklifeDC. Love his photography but this post is spot-on. The fear/excitement before covering a gig is something I thought only I felt! Great read, Marc, and thanks for sharing.
This is so great! Love the photos too--esp. the one of Brandi Carlisle, love her! There's so much to be gleaned from this guest post. I often wonder why I willingly do things that scare the heck out of me--not like I could kill myself, but I could embarrass myself to death. But by this writer's definition of anxiety, I just might be excited, not necessarily fearful. Thanks for helping me develop a new, more joyful and less fearful mindset, Shemaiah, and to Marc for this important reminder!