A Healing

 

"I was born with a camera in my hand", is a common phrase said by some of the best photographers.  Unfortunately, this is  not a common phrase for me.  Photography was something I had always loved, even as a little girl posing My Little Ponies, but photography came in a different way for me.

As I grew older, got married and had children, my life was put on hold to be a stay-at-home mom.  Although many sacrifices came with this job, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  A little over 3 years ago my husband bought me my first DSLR camera.  I started off by taking photos of tutus that I was making and selling but found that I was getting more attention for my photos than I was for the actual tutus.  Over time, I started to get more and more requests to take photos of friends and family.  Shortly thereafter, like a lot of other people in this country, my husband lost his job.  This came as a huge sadness to our family as we lost our home, the majority of our belongings and even our beloved dog, Dougie.

This change in our life is what gave me the opportunity to finally go after what I loved: photography.  The passion to fight to make the business a success came with the struggle, hardship, hurt and pain of this new change.  I loved photographing and capturing the happiness in families, the joys of newborns, the true love of weddings and the success of graduating seniors.  Photography is what made me happy and healed a lot of fears and frustrations that were occuring in my own life.  Being able to photograph all these great moments in other people's lives reminded of what is truly important. 

This is now my business and I am loving every moment of it.  Running your own business can consume you but I have been blessed with meeting so many amazing photographers and clients, many who I can now call friends.

What has photography done for you? Today, show us how much you love photography and show us the photos you love.

Images and words courtesy of the lovely and talented Desiree Niumata of Desiree Niumata Photography.  You can also find her on Facebook and her blog, as well. 

Creativity and Art

Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but the making something out of it after it is found.” ~James Russell Lowell, poet

You are all such amazing artists.  Take one look at the Shutter Sister’s flickr pool and you will see the awe inspiring visual poetry that is created and captured through the cameras lens. Through your blogs and photos I’ve also discovered how so many of you are talented and creative in more than just photography. As a busy wife, mother to four and painter I have learned through the years that art is not just a photograph or painting, meant to be hung on a gallery wall. It is anything and everything we put a piece of our soul into. Isn’t that so wonderfully freeing?

Creativity and art, like the quote above states, is taking what is ordinary and making it extraordinary and personal.  It is seeing a gorgeous photo from my friend Claire and making it into a painting.  It is seeing the light hit your property fence and clicking.  It is making breakfast and choosing what to set your focus on.  This is art. 

By choosing to be mindful in our daily life and in ordinary routines, we can spark tremendous creativity within us.  Art is found in how we love, how we live, how we teach our children, and how we laugh. 

Today, show us all of your creativity and art.  Let’s see your photographs, your paintings, your scrapbook pages, the way you home school, your jewelry designs, your home, your poetry and especially…your heart.

Image and words courtesy of the lovely artist/photographer Andie Edwards.

Another Palete

Food is for me is like paint for a painter. At the farmers market, all I see are endless possibilities for color combinations, textures, and patterns. The food is so close, so vulnerable, I love being able to reach out to touch and hold it in my hands. Somewhere between looking, feeling, smelling, and even tasting, my mind is formulating an image. My sensory exploration of the scene helps me capture the essence, the feeling, of what I’m immersed in that very moment.

Every time I make a picture that conveys a feeling, I well up with gratitude and joy for having been at the right place and the right time. I have nothing to do with creating those moments, because they are already happening all around me. I love the challenge of communicating life’s fleeting ephemeral and sensual moments via a picture. 

Pictures of food speak volumes. There are endless metaphors about life and food that have been ingrained in so many of our minds via society and culture. There are also endless hang-ups and road blocks folks have when it comes to the kitchen, many of which I’ve experienced myself at one time or another. But what if we were to shift our outlook just a little, and approach the kitchen like we do a photo: with curiosity and eyes wide open. Next time you open the fridge, take a good look at the color of your fruit, feel the texture of your mustard, feel the weight of your carton of milk. Try looking at the items in your fridge not just as necessary edibles, but fresh paint for your palate of ideas. Then let us know if something in there surprised you, or maybe even became a muse.  

Images and words courtesey of the lovely and talented Tricia Martin of Eating is Art.

The Six Questions featuring Jesse Freidin

Photographer Jesse Freidin isn't just your average shutter brother. In fact, he's top dog. Literally. Jesse's unique style of dog photography has earned him critical acclaim and the praises of photography buffs and dog lovers everywhere. I mean, what's not to love? From his Doggie Gaga project to his latest photo workshop with the Impossible Project, Jesse is full of great ideas and awesome images!

We are thrilled to have him here answering our Six Questions. In Jesse's case, he opted to answer a few more for us. What guy! 

1. What's the story behind this photo?

This is one of my favorite images from my current Impossible Dog Series, which is created completely on The Impossible Project’s new instant films. I walk my own dog down this stair case every day on the way to the dog park, and have been dying for an excuse to photograph there- the light and texture is dreamy.

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

I’ve been enthralled with creating instant images since I was little- borrowing my parent’s Polaroid and secretly wasting their film when they weren’t looking. But it wasn’t until I bought my first beat up old Polaroid Land Camera during my first year of college that my brain totally exploded. I remember peeling that first black/white peel-apart Polaroid and feeling my heart literally skip a beat. I had created something with this temperamental plastic camera that perfectly matched the image in my head. And it was beautiful and imperfect. From that second forward nothing has brought me more extreme joy than photographing. It is a need. It is a creative addiction.

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

A good question… Though I’m known for my work with animals, I do a fair amount of human portrait work (mostly for my personal portfolio) on the side. Yet my approach is always the same- there needs to be a connection between you and your subject, and within that connection there needs to be a string of emotion. In my head, that emotional string (it looks like red yarn in my mind… don’t ask why) connects the heart/mind of the photographer, runs through the camera, and attaches to the heart/mind of the subject. The photographer needs to open himself up to the experience of the image in order to create an authentic photograph. I’d like to say that this is how I live my everyday life as well, but it always seems easier to do when I have a camera in front of my face.

4. Where do you look for inspiration?

I feel inspired by watching people connect with their animal companions, and I feel inspired standing in the middle of a field in the middle of nowhere. I love taking myself to museums and wandering around, and building my photography book collection. I get a lot of inspiration from other photographers, musicians, film makers who push the limits of their field.

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

style? What do you think makes an image recognizable and uniquely yours?

I use a 1970s Hasselblad, black/white 120 film, hand process all my negatives, print all my photographs by hand in my darkroom, cut all my own archival matts and frames, and make sure each piece that leaves the studio is signed and perfect. Start to finish I am creating my prints with my hands, and staying true to the craft of traditional photography. I guess I’m just stubborn, but I want to create the most intensely beautiful photographs I possibly can for my clients. And to me- a warmly printed photograph on the highest quality fiber based paper is the epitome of magical. I think I’m one of the last photographers using this method on the West Coast- maybe the country. I’ll continue printing this way until I cannot get supplies. Or pass out from chemistry inhalation. Whichever comes first.

6. What aspect of your photography are you constantly working on, trying to improve?

I’m not much of a gear-head, and never know what the newest lens is or who has the best pixelthings. But I’m always striving to learn from other experienced photographers, go to seminars or exhibits, and learn how to continue to stay dynamic. Also, I wish I was better at talking while photographing. But that one’s hard to practice.

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

I drove across Rt. 66 years ago when I moved from the East Coast to California. I’d give anything to do that trip again, with 37 cameras in town. The desolation and color and space and light was just so inspiring.

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

Annie Leibovitz and Diane Arbus are two of my top favorite photographers, and always have been. I think they are spiritual ‘shutter sisters.’ I could maybe be their ‘shutter brother.’

To learn more about Jesse and his work, visit his website and for more info about The Impossible Dog Portrait workshop at The Impossible Project Space in NY, check out this blog post. Rumor has it he has only a few spots left so if you want to attend be sure to sign up right away.

Let's give a big sisterly nod to Jesse, his imagery and the love of our creature companions by sharing our pet portraits today! Woof!

capturing authenticity

There is little I desire more in my work than authenticity, and yet it has often seemed so elusive.

I long for the images I create to say something genuine- to be more than a pose, a smile, a physical likeness. I have frequently struggled with how to achieve that consistently.

In reflecting on past work, I noticed a common factor in the images that really spoke to me- there was an emotional connection happening with my subject. It seems so simple, and yet I have rarely put enough emphasis on the importance of those connections. I might remember every other necessary detail for a great shot, but if that connection is not made, there will be little true depth in the final image.

The connections I’m speaking of happen when I as the photographer honor the humanity and uniqueness of the person I am photographing, and allow that to be the focus of the images.

In every art form, a certain level of vulnerability is required from the artist in order to convey something that is real. In photography, this is in allowing ourselves to be open and thoroughly ourselves in our interactions with those we photograph. Through our genuineness, they will feel comfortable showing us the truest parts of themselves.

This discovery is such a gift, because it makes every session an opportunity for real relationship. If I know my subject already, then I get to know them better, and if they are a client whom I just met, a new friendship is formed. My work has become about connecting with people and telling their stories rather than only being focused the technical aspects of creating great images, and through that I have discovered a new passion for what I do.

When we pour our hearts into our work, the result will be beautifully authentic.

What are some specific ways you connect with the people you photograph? In the comments, share a favorite image that you feel embodies something real.

Image and words by Guest Sister Hannah Mayo. Visit her site Hannah Mayo Photography or her blog to discover more about her and her work.