the six questions featuring Amanda Gilligan

There's something endearing and authentic about photographer Amanda Gilligan's dreamy images that makes me want to drop whatever I'm doing and dwell in every corner of her little world. But what I love most about Amanda is her beautiful spirit of giving. She shares tips, insights, tutorials and inspiration on her blog Mocking Bird with kindness and sheer enthusiasm, reminding me every day that one of the most wonderful things about photography is the ongoing conversation between passionate people, and the joy we experience by sharing what we love.

Amanda was kind enough to answer 7 of our 8 questions. Here are her answers:

What's the story behind this photo?

This Polaroid is my little sister and my muse. I've been photographing her since she was a baby and have been so lucky to watch her grow into a beautiful young woman. The Polaroid was taken on a special trip away with our mother, just the three of us spending a special time together. She picked up the dandelion and I noticed the beautiful flickerings of the light in the trees behind her. As soon as I grabbed my camera, she knew what to do. She's my perfect model and my muse.

2. What was it that lit your photography spark? Do you remember a particular camera, course, person, roll of film?

From a young age I always loved creating stories and was always encouraged to be creative. I was given my first camera at the age of 8 but remember really wanting to find the art in photography after being given a book of black and white portraits by an Australian photographer. I loved the photojournalistic style of the portraits and it felt like something I could do. The portraits seemed to be taken from quiet places. I tend to be the one sitting in a corner at parties and observing life- those photographs seemed like something I would shoot and it inspired me to buy my first SLR camera. I haven't looked back since.

3. What's your photo philosophy? Does it reflect your life philosophy?

My photo philosophy definitely reflects my life. I believe in shooting from the heart and shooting things that are important to you. I never try to be something I'm not, it doesn't work. My life is quiet, inquisitive, peaceful, full of light and emotion. I would hope to think my photographs convey that too. I believe that shooting photographs is about seeing the truth and being authentic.

4. Where do you look for inspiration?

I look for it everywhere! I'm inspired by my family, friends, music, art, books, my home, food, nature, the landscapes of my homeland Australia and my new home in Vancouver, Canada. I think we need to notice and be aware of the beauty around us. I love the films of Sofia Coppola, Michel Gondry, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Pedro Almodóvar and the music of Sigur Rós, Radiohead and Bjork. I love attention to detail and it's the little details in the big picture that I look for. The colours of the pebbles in the sand at the beach, the textures of the fruit at the local market, the softness of the brush strokes in your favourite painting...details are my constant inspiration.

5. What would you say is one of your 'signature' editing tricks, themes or style?

Soft light, low saturated colour and attention to detail. I shoot mostly film so I hope I capture that in my Polaroids and 35mm work.

6. If you could go anywhere in the world for an epic, weeklong photo excursion all by your luxuriously unhurried self - regardless of money, time or childcare issues - where would you go and why?

Paris without a doubt. I have been aching to get there for so many years. I dream about wandering the hilly streets of Montmartre with my Polaroid camera, stopping in for a coffee and a baguette, hanging out in the quiet alleys and searching for the Parisian light that I've heard so much about. I will wear a scarf tied around my neck and pretend I am Amélie.

7. Are there women out there that you consider your shutter sisters? Who, and why?

Oh so many! First and foremost my actual sister, Kelly. She is not only my muse and model but loves shooting with me. I love that she has followed in my footsteps with a love of photography. Myla Kent has always been a power of strength and inspiration to me. She is so supportive and a wonderful photographer. I adore my Polaroid girls Jenifer Altman and Susannah Conway. We are sharing a special secret journey together at the moment and they inspire me to be better on a daily basis. I know I can always turn to them for support and when the three of us get together there is going to be some serious Polaroid damage!

Thank you Amanda!

You can see more of Amanda's work on her blog and Flickr Pool.

lyrical

"I will live my life as a lobsterman's wife on an island in the blue bay.
He will take care of me, he will smell like the sea,
And close to my heart he'll always stay.

I will bear three girls all with strawberry curls, little Ella and
Nelly and Faye.
While I'm combing their hair, I will catch his warm stare
On our island in the blue bay.

Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life."

 [lyrics to Far Away by Ingrid Michaelson]

Have you ever taken a shot that made you think of a song?

Share your lyrical images with us here today.

Reaching for the Sun

 "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Anais Nin

Spring is here and I can actually feel the dynamic energy in the air, can't you? During this beautiful season, transformation is literally welling up from the ground and inviting us to start over, to renew and to bloom. I love the idea that just like sweet little buds, we can also reach out to the sun, make space for new life and unfurl all the dreams and projects that need to blossom in our lives.

Today, let's share some images that can help us manifest warmth, rebirth, transformation and light!

note: I believe you still have time to register for Picture Spring! Don't miss this chance to practice mindfulness and tune in to all the inspiration surrounding you this season. You can also view "picture spring" gallery updates here.

Perfectly Imperfect

She wore the too big dress and too big shoes for a project her mom and I were working on and she managed to hobble outside so I could take her picture.  She really hadn't been in the mood to do it and it was obvious.  She could barely stand in the shoes so we decided to let her sit.  It took both of us to gather up the folds of tule and satin so she could sit down and once she sat, we stepped back and had to laugh.  Her expression was priceless and the shot was too good to pass up.  Was it the look we had originally intended? Not at all, but it worked.  It was the perfectly imperfect shot and in my experience those shots usually end up being my favorite.

What about you? Do you have a perfectly imperfect shot? If you do, please share.  We'd love to see it. 

This Is How the Universe Says 'I Love You'

You cannot convince me not to love this photo.  And yet, this was one of those shots that I almost deleted the  moment I captured it without even looking at the result because I had not meant to take a 1 second exposure.   When I finally saw the image for the first time on my monitor at home, however, I was instantaneously smitten.  Yes, it's blurry and partially blown-out and not anything like what I thought I wanted to capture, but upon first sight, I knew it was perfect.

Was it merely good luck or a happy accident that produced this photo?  Perhaps a little of both.  Nevertheless, I prefer to see it as the Universe's way of whispering 'I Love You' to little old me.   It's probably not evident to anyone else, but what I recognize in this photo is the fluttering of my heart as I witnessed beauty unfolding before my eyes, the beauty I am woven into as part of my little community of love and faith.  In between the blur and fuzz, I see grace and hope embodied in the bended knees of people I cherish dearly, people who bow their heads in love not to ideology or religiosity or unexamined faith but to the humble task of leaning on one another and carrying each other's burdens.

The Universe knew I would never think to take a long exposure, and so she intervened on my behalf and left me this little love note, and for that I am ever so grateful.  It is personally more powerful and more meaningful than any image I could have captured with my own human eyes.

Please share with us today your images of serendipity/luck/happy accidents/gently whispered messages from the Universe, those images that unexpectedly made your heart skip a beat.