Tap into wonder: how to create a photographic conversation with Casie Zalud

Casie's photo on the left (running feet), Linnéa's photo (dog whiskers) on the right

A few years ago, A Day in the Life photographer, Casie Zalud, came to a crossroads in her work. Her photography felt stale, stagnant and a little too literal. She was looking all around for inspiration, then it dawned on her that inspiration was right in front of her all along. 

On a whim, Casie gave an old, inexpensive digital camera to her then 6-year old daughter, Linnéa, and from there, the Relinquish mother/daughter photgraphic conversation project was born. 

Linnéa's pint-size self-esteem could fill the frame and then some. Her 6-year old perspective was clean, simple and undeterred by the demands of the every day. 

As any self-assured child would, Linnéa took the creative lead on the project and taught Casie the merits of handing over the reins to her capable 6 year old hands, slowing down, being present, patient and never missing an opportunity for play. 

After her daughter would take a few days worth of photos, Casie would choose one from the bunch and challenge herself to create a photographic diptych based off of whatever Linnéa had seen through her fearless and carefree camera lens. 

Linnéa's photos were evidence of the tangible interactions she had with the world around her. She created from a place of emotion, curiosity, and pride, unfettered by self consciousness or creative blocks.

By riffing off of whatever Linnéa had shot, Casie found that missing childlike piece of wonder, meaning and serendipitous beauty in her own life and work.

The paradox of life is that when kids are given the grown up tools to be independent, they flourish, and when adults are encouraged to embrace life a little more like they did when they were a kid, they flourish as well.

Apparently curiosity, freedom, whimsy and wonder create meaning at all ages. 

Relinquish project is a testament to these qualities of childhood.

It is a reminder of how much children can teach us, especially if we slow down long enough to let them. By consciously following the example of her six-year-old both Casie and Linnéa's worlds grew for the better.

Casie Zalud will be giving a Life Feast Workshop on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 11am PST, 12pm MST, 1pm CST, 2pm EST

How to Create a Photographic Conversation
with Casie Zalud

Get ready for wonder, whimsy, minimalism and meaning. Casie Zalud's work encompasses it all. 

From double exposures to diptychs with her daughter, Casie's creative photographic perspective is one well worth paying attention to. 

As a former Day in the Life family photographer, Casie has always been drawn to those head-scratching, heart bursting "is this really happening" moments in family life. But when her own work felt stagnant from the demands of adulthood, she found inspiration and a whole new point fo view in collaborating photographically with her 6 year old.

In this Life Feast workshop, we'll learn how to jumpstart our own curiosity, dip back into wonder despite the demands of the everyday and collaborate in a photographic conversation with those we care about. 

As Casie says, in adulthood, the world whirls past us at warp speed. It's easy to lose focus and miss the beauty that's all around us. 

In this workshop, she'll talk about getting out of our daily distractions with diptychs, double exposure and documenting the everyday meaningful moments that we might otherwise bulldoze over in our busy lives.

While the Relinquish project was shot with her DSLR camera, Casie has often pushed her own iPhone well beyond its perceived creative limitations with gorgeous underwater family photography and creative double exposures. She'll share a few of her favorite iPhone creative tips and tricks as well. 

Join us LIVE for this workshop on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 or get the recording the next day.  

This workshop is available to all Life Feast members. Joining the Life Feast is easy and there's so much inside! You can find all the details about the Life Feast here or hit the button below and join us for the workshop with Casie!

Casie and her daughter, Linnéa. 

Casie has always pushed the creative "limits" of her iPhone. This underwater shot is an iPhone favorite. 

In addition to the diptychs with her DSLR, Casie also creates double exposures with her iPhone

While she typically shoots in Black and White, this joyful pop of double exposure color is yet another example of how Casie embraces wonder in the everyday.

This comes from her commissioned work as a Day in the Life family photographer. This is one of those moments of chaos, tenderness and lighthearted family life that Casie would capture for the clients she worked with. 

About Casie Zalud
Casie believes in slowing down, celebrating childhood, and noticing the inspiration that's smack dab in front of us. 

She believes that less is more when it comes to TV, processed food, and being the same as everyone else.

She's an avid cyclist, a campervan aficionado, a skier, a yogi, a connoisseur of whiskey and a consumer of potato chips. She's been a documentary family photographer and fine art photographer based in Boulder, CO. 

She's an introverted extrovert, loves dogs, is trying to love cats and prefers a passport full of stamps to a household full of stuff. She lives in Boulder, Colorado with her husband and daughter, she works in marketing and technology and still makes plenty of time to travel, camp and, of course, pause for those chaotic, lighthearted, joyful moments in everyday life.