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Entries by Chris Sneddon (69)

Tuesday
Dec282010

A Legacy

Watch this

Those words and a link to a video of Vivian Maier was all that was in an email that my friend had sent to me.  As I watched the short video piece, I was mesmerized and intrigued by this unkown woman.  In 2007 John Maloof purchased from an art auction a box that had been owned by Vivian containing over 30,000 negatives dating back as early as the 1950s. He decided to develop some of the photos (like the one above and the self portrait below) and what he has found is an absolutely amazing treasure.

In John's research on Vivian, he learned that she had never married or had children and was a very private person. She died alone at the age of 82 in a nursing home, her photographs never seen by anyone until now. So incredible is Vivian's photography that there will be a showing of her work next month at the Chicago Cultural Center.  John was able to purchase even more of her negatives and now has over 100,000 of her negatives and hundreds of undeveloped rolls of film which he plans to put into a book or make a documentary about Vivian.

Two things came to mind after learning of Vivian.  First, how sad that this wonderfully talented woman died alone, having never shared her gift of photography with anyone, ever.  If she had, I wonder how different her legacy might have been.  She very well may have helped pave the way for woman in photography all those years ago in a time when female photographers were a rare commodity.

Second, after seeing Vivian's story, I began thinking of what my legacy might be.  Yes, I would be remembered as a wonderful wife and mother but there is more to me than that.  I'm a photographer, too.  It's a large part of who I am.  If something were to happen to me tomorrow, would I have anything to show for it? Sure I would - and there are hundreds and hundreds of photos on numerous hard drives to prove that.  More importantly, would my husband or friends know how to gain access to them? No, they wouldn't and that is about to change. Some of the hundreds of photos on my hard drives will now be printed, matted and framed, put into books or given to friends.  What good is it to keep all of them stored and never shared with anyone? When I am gone, I want people to say that I was a wonderful wife, mother and photographer. 

What about you? What do you want your legacy to be? If you could choose one photograph (or two or three or more!) that you would want people to remember you as the wonderful photographer you are, please share.  Let us know you, too. 

You can see more of Vivian Maier's photography on the blog, Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work.

Tuesday
Nov302010

Keeper of Hearts: Another Bel Kai Necklace for the Capture Collection

 I can't believe this year is almost over.  It's been a good year for me in the sense that I've made a concerted effort to be more 'in the moment' and to make a point to 'listen with my heart' more often.  I even shared my heart, trusting those who love me to be a keeper of my heart when I needed it the most.  Because of this, I've had some really great opportunities come my way and have connected with some great women that I don't think would have occured had I not let my heart guide me and for that, I am so very thankful.

How fitting then, that I am sharing my Bel Kai Designs necklace, the latest addition to the Capture Collection of Shutter Sisters photographic jewelry.  To celebrate, today we are giving one away.  Just leave a comment here by midnight PST and please, show us what your heart is telling you

(Cross posted at Everyday Heartbeats)

Tuesday
Nov232010

thankful

  

 Thankful - adjective: feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative  

There are 7 us, friends since high school, some of us friends since grade school.  Some of us have kept in touch throughout the years while some of us haven't seen each other since we were in school.  Last summer we reconnected at our high school reunion and like we had never been apart, we picked up right where we had left off.  We'll stay in touch this time, we promised.  It seemed important that we keep that promise, and we have.

Last weekend, after much planning and schedule arranging, we managed to get a much needed girl's weekend away together.  Finally we had a chance to be together for more than just a couple of hours to really get to know each other again and cement the bond of friendship.  Between us we've experienced marriage, divorce, breast cancer, loss and love found.  Souls were bared, a few tears were shed but the laughter was endless.  Our hearts broke wide open, our love spilling out to embrace each of us.

I think our reconnection has occured all these years later for a reason.  The universe has brought us together again to love and nurture each other.  To quote the beautiful and wise Jen Lemen, one of the most powerful things that can happen to you is being seen for who you really are and loved deeply at the same time. I feel safe and loved and accepted by these women and for that, I am deeply thankful.

On this, the week of Thanksgiving, share with what it is to be thankful, either with a photo or your words and know that we here at Shutter Sisters are thankful for you.

Tuesday
Nov092010

Telling the Story

I love for my photos to tell a story.  I want (and hope) for people to feel the emotion that I'm trying to convey through my photography.  It was only natural that once my son joined his high school marching band this year that I was going to photograph them.  Sure, I could take all the group shots and field performance shots of them I want, but that wouldn't really tell their story.  When I took the photos above and then put them together in a diptych, the photos took on a whole different meaning.  These aren't just a bunch of kids marching around on a field at the half-time of a football game.  These are kids that are proudly disciplined and take what they do seriously.  Wow, you make us look so important, my son said upon seeing this.  Exactly, I said.  For my 14 year old to tell me that, my story telling skills are obviously doing just fine.

Today, share your photo stories with us. We'd love to see them.

 

Thursday
Oct212010

Picture Kindness

Kindness, as I've said so many times before, is very important to me.  I try to do at least one kind thing a day, no matter how big or small.  One of the easiest and quickest kind things I do is leave little cards with quotes or sayings on them in different places.  I keep a bunch in my camera bag to make it even that much easier. 

It wasn't until today that I got to experience the joy of getting one of those great little cards myself.  Unbeknownst to me, my son had taken the above card and placed it on my screen door.  We were in such a rush this morning that I didn't even notice it until I got back from taking him to school.  Later, when I picked him up from school, I asked him why he did that.

"Why not?  You need kindness, too", he said matter-of-factly. 

Why not, indeed.  And better yet? I took the picture above, printed it, framed it and it now sits on my desk for me to see everyday. 

I love leaving the cards for others to find and I'm not alone in doing that.  Sandy is leaving one thousand paper cranes with a different postitive word written on each one and leaving them in different places for others to find.  She makes each paper crane herself and photographs them as well.  Pretty awesome, don't you think?

Have you pictured kindness? Please share with us.  If you don't have any pictures to share, that's okay.  Tell us about it.  Feeling inspired? Stop by Kind Over Matter and check out their free, downloadable cards for yourself and give it a try.  You'll be so glad you did, I promise.

 

(cross-posted at Everyday Heartbeats)

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