Reach

My head is swimming. As photography starts taking over my life, I find that I can think of nothing else. Mostly it is the business side of things that consumes my thoughts. I am in the beginning stages of developing Spark Photo, and I feel like I am at the edge of the deep end, sticking one toe in the water. My thoughts can sway from fear to excitement in 3 seconds. One second I’m thinking, “Can I really make this work?” and the next, I’m sure of it. I am so inspired by what I see in the Shutter Sisters Flickr Group as well as a few others I frequent. Every amazing photograph I see pushes me a little further and makes me even more sure that this is what I need to be doing. It’s kind of funny that it has taken me this long to realize that a career photographing children, babies, and families might be what I’m passionate about. In fact, I’m not sure why I didn’t put two and two together in college when I was majoring in art and working part time at a preschool. I have always loved kids and visual arts. Now I realize that when I briefly considered majoring in art education I was so close to figuring out a way to combine the two.

But as happy as I am to have found something I am passionate about, I find that I have a constant stream of questions running through my head. And I am always making mental lists of things I need to learn, buy, or do to make Spark Photo a functioning business by summer. However, as daunting as it is, I am encouraged by the amount I have learned in a short amount of time. I’m approaching the point of no return and I’m ready to go for it.

Seven AM

Nature’s gifts never cease to delight and inspire me. I’m often drawn to the smallest, most delicate of objects in my home, on the street, out and about. If something calls out to be noticed I rarely nod and just forget it. Inexorably guided by my passion to create photographs, I have to stop everything I am doing and get a camera.

I discovered this lone leaf the other morning looking like it had been meticulously placed there on the lid of our trash can just for me. As I was in the midst of emptying the garbage it caught my eye, still bleary with the morning, as it seemed to be boasting its juxtaposition of dainty ruffles and crooked lines. Accentuated by the soft early morning light (a contrast against the dark slick surface ) it stopped my in my tracks. I stood there in wonder…in the street…in my pajamas. And then of course, I got a camera.

How is it that no matter how many leaves, pods or blossoms I study, I am continually amazed at how striking and inimitable each one is? And then I notice the way each photographer can uniquely capture them in a photograph and I am forever charmed by their beauty.

Love Thursday: January 24th, 2008

Welcome back to Love Thursday, everyone!  I'm so thrilled that Love Thursday has found a home here at Shutter Sisters, and hope you'll participate every week on Thursdays.  To remind you how this works:  please share links of your images depicting love in the comments below -- your images could be symbols of love, or images which illustrate fraternal love, romantic love, love of life, love of a child, love of chocolate, whatever.  The images should be original works, and they can be to your blog, or photo site, or a flickr image -- whatever.

I can't wait to see what you share.  If you're looking for some inspiration, be sure to check out what Camera Shy Momma, keeper of the chocolates and sweet|salty captured through their lenses -- beautiful work!

fun and games

I've spent much of the last 24 hours graciously soaking up all of your comments and eagerly reading through encouraging and constructive emails. The love and support of this community is invigorating. Thank you all so much.

First, please pardon the error in the registration process. We have reworked it so you can sign up under “get into the click”. We appreciate how enthusiastic you are to join us! The more the merrier!

So, now we continue to carefully contemplate things around here, slowly and steadily making our moves,  playing behind the scenes to work it all out. It's a game I'm new at but I'll tell you what-- I'm sure glad you've all come to play. It makes the learning curve so much more enjoyable. Keep the feedback coming.

a blog is born

I spoke to my mother yesterday and shared with her some details about Shutter Sisters. I commented that the project has been swimming in my head now for almost a year. “Time to birth it,” she said calmly.

Indeed.

So, here I am, writing a birth announcement for this baby that has grown and evolved more in the last few months than I could have ever imagined. Who knew that when I registered the domain name and shot the collection of photographs of my daughter and the Brownie on a whim that this collaborative photo blog would come to fruition as it is now? I feel like the quintessential proud parent.

It could have never come to be if it wasn’t for the help of ten women, all of whom have worked by my side in one way or another, like my own community of doulas; dedicated, attentive, encouraging, focused, kind and creative. Two of these women played hard-core advocates, never wavering in their support. Hello Jen and Myriam. The other eight are the contributors you will find here who day in and day out have provided rich content, ideas, artwork, html code and above all else, beautiful photographs. And then there’s all of you. I am so happy to have you here for the big debut. The site is still in its infancy so there are surely kinks to iron out but we are all eager to hear your thoughts and get your input.

I am so grateful for all of you...the community of creative women that have helped birth what is now Shutter Sisters and I look forward to what the future holds. They say it takes a village and I believe them.