the first day

In Brazil, where I was born,  we have several New Year traditions that are followed by pretty much everyone in the country. On New Year's Eve we all dress in white for good luck, peace, purity, a clean slate and the possibility to start anew.  Then, just before midnight, we all gather somewhere along the four thousand miles of the Atlantic coastline, jump seven waves, throw flowers into the sea, light candles, make wishes and say prayers. This custom comes from the mix of African and Indian cultures developed in Brazil.  The belief is that Yemanja, the queen of the ocean and the feminine principle of creation, will bring us good luck and make all our wishes come true.

While that is my favorite way to close one year and start another, I was happy to enter 2010 by jumping seven waves and walking along Ocean beach in San Francisco with my husband. The scenery was misty, hazy and somewhat mysterious. The fluffy foam on the sand looked like heavenly clouds, reminding me once again that right here, in the first day of a year's journey, where the earth meets the sky, anything is possible.

I'm curious to know... Do you and your family have any New Year traditions? And are you in for the 365 project? What did your first day of the year look like?

Best shot of 2009

As the end of the year approaches, how about going through your photos to select your best shot(s) of 2009? I think we can learn a lot just by looking at our collections of images, noticing what works, what catches our eye and what could be improved.

I chose the two photos above because they represent how far I've come as a photographer this year. They remind me of how much I enjoy the entire process and how rewarding it is, when it all comes together: scouting, styling, hair, make-up, lighting, modelling, shooting, post. I also like that I can see myself in the bohemian style, in the warm lighting and in the yummy saturated colors. All around, these images just inspire me to keep believing, shooting, learning, improving...

So, here is what I'd like to propose: Go through your folders, make a gallery of your favorite shots, print some pictures if you will, spread them out, put them up on a wall. Whatever your selection process is, find that photo that jumps out as your favorite. It may be a shot that you are technically proud of, a shot that captures a special moment, or simply a shot that mysteriously makes your heart skip for a second.

Flickr is hosting a group pool with the best shots of 2009. It might be fun to join in and upload yours.

We are ready! Show us your best shot(s) of 2009.

Framing

To frame: to arrange or adjust for a purpose.

A practice that constantly challenges and helps me improve my Photography is the attention to framing. If Photography is visual storytelling, then framing is a form of editing on the spot. When I point the camera at a scene, I try to ask myself two questions every single time: "What kind of a story am I trying to tell?" and "What part of this scene is absolutely necessary to tell this particular story?" Ever since I started playing with that, I noticed patterns in my ways of seeing and (I think) I began to develop a stronger point of view and style. For example, I learned that one of my favorite things to do is zoom in and crop body parts, with the intention of adding a tiny mystery to the image and just a hint of a story.

How about you? Any framing ideas to share? Show us how you edit what you see.

Always There

Even when we weren't looking, our life was always there. The morning light was there, the mug of fresh coffee, corn flakes, milk, the shiny spoon on the counter, reflecting our kitchen and our life back at us. It was always there. Their smiles were there, their sleepy eyes, the striped socks, crayons, the big fun mess on the floor, our childhood and theirs. It was always there. The condiment jars in our pantry were there, our favorite records, the cheap souvenirs from our trips, old letters, faded pictures, things lost and things found. It was always there. Even when we weren't looking, all those things that make up our messy lives and define us, have always been there, waiting for us to notice and cherish them.

So today, show us something about your routine, your family, something that is close to your heart. Something that is always there, even when you are not looking.

Come as you are

As I began to think about my post for Shutter Sisters this week, I was overwhelmed by a feeling of doubt. What do I have to offer? What if I fail? 

I noticed that these questions often arise for me in Writing, but never in Photography. Writing is definitely more vulnerable. It requires me to stand still and hold my reins firmly in the open fields of thought, in the land of “wild horses”. Writing takes me galloping on an emotional journey, and only if I am lucky (and blessed with unexplained divine intervention!), it brings me back to what is simple and real. Sigh. It is that good when the writing process comes full circle, isn’t it?

Photography, on the other hand, by its own mechanism, grants me permission to release, both the shutter and the expectation. It invites me to keep it simple: to show up and see, to focus and release. It is a process rooted in the present. It whispers to me: Come as you are. It seduces me: Whether you’ll miss it, like it or not, you’re about to enter the truth of a moment. How can one resist, right?

Indeed, it is in the merging of both of these Art forms that this post and I exist. I had to roam freely, tame fears, and in a moment of clarity, remember to let myself be charmed by what I love, and release. So now I tempt you to join me and “Come as You Are” as well. Show me whatever you’ve got today that represents your journey, your process, without any worry, without a plan, just with the truth of what is.

So excited to introduce Alex de Souza of Gypsy Girls Guide fame as a new regular contributor here. Yay!