Shutter Sisters

Tuesday

09Feb2010

obsessions.

Obsessions (noun):the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc.

I have a beautiful tree right in my yard that changes with the seasons and brings me great pleasure. In the autumn as the tree begins to shed its orange and red leaves, a whole new world opens up to me. The tree is just outside of my balcony and I'm able to sit quietly in my patio chair and observe the world of the gorgeous finches that grace the tree. I have to admit: I've become obsessed with these birds. They entrance me with their expressions, as if they're watching me watching them. I've never really paid much attention to them before but now, I can't get enough of them. Even more so, I cannot take enough photos of these little guys. I'm now known in my house as "The Bird Lady".

What about you? Is there something that you love to photograph over and over again? Please share...because I don't want to be the only one with an obsession!

3 Comments |

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |

Chris Sneddon | in

chris,

fun,

musings

Monday

08Feb2010

Joy for Haiti

Image by Tracey Clark

She was the one. We knew this from the start of our Picture Hope travel planning process. Haiti was on our minds because Myriam planted that seed in our hearts many months ago. Jen and I had intended to travel with Myriam, to the place where she was raised, in February to catch and share stories with Myriam's extended family in Haiti. We visualized our happy selves sitting on front porches smokin' and jokin' (sans the smoke) and dancing in the streets at Carnival. But everything changed on January 12, leaving us nothing to do but wait quietly beside our friend, watch the tragedy unfold, and wonder what hope might look like.

And so the Picture Hope journey to Haiti has changed for us. Jen and I are following Myriam's lead because she knows what to do and how we need to do it. This is no longer a photography and storycatching project for us to direct, but a profound experience to be felt and shared through loving eyes. I have no idea what this looks like. I have no idea what we will see, hear, do, or feel when we land in Haiti later next month, but we're open and eager to let the experience move through us and out to each of you just as it should.

Please take a moment to meet our friend Myriam and help spread a little Joy for Haiti.

3 Comments |

Monday, February 8, 2010 |

Shutter Sisters | in

Picture Hope,

stephanie roberts

Sunday

07Feb2010

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.

19 Comments |

Sunday, February 7, 2010 |

sarah-ji | in

inspiration,

sarah

Friday

05Feb2010

A Preview of the Mom 2.0 Exhibit

Last night was the preview party for the Mom 2.0 Exhibit. It was fabulous; seeing dear Houstonian friends(folks from Houston are Houstonians I was told), meeting new ones, and being surrounded by photographs created by the women, the mothers of this community here at Shutter Sisters. It made my momma heart proud and my photographer/artist heart giddy with excitement. I got a chance to get a preview of the preview which was awesome. Of course, I took lots of pictures.

To see images that I have so admired from the web, off my screen and larger than life displayed in the exceptional space of the FotoFest Gallery was amazing. Universal and sacred moments of womanhood, of motherhood celebrated and honored as the art that it is is so incredibly validating and empowering. I know we don’t needanyone to tell us that what we do matters everyday but it sure is nice to hear. And having the first gallery show of Shutter Sisters’ photography wasn’t a simple whisper either. It felt more like a shouting from the mountain tops, See this everyone? This is who we are. This is our life. And it is beautiful and heartbreaking and exuberant and really really important!

The installation of the Mom 2.0 Exhibit will grow and change and become even richer and more textured between now and the next time I get to see it; featuring more than just the images we share online, but also the stories and the words we share everyday. It’s going to be something to experience for sure. And there will be an auction of the work as well with proceeds going to Haiti which is amazing as well (details to come). I do hope you can join us for the Mom 2.0 Summitand the reception on Friday night, Feb. 19. But, even if you can’t, just knowing that the Shutter Sisters spirit stretches above and beyond our computer screens and into the world is something we can all take great pride in. Yay us!

A special thanks and congratulations to all the sisters who have their work displayed in the exhibit: Sarah-Ji, Kate Inglis, Jen Lemen, Stephanie Roberts, Karen Walrond, Maile Wilson, Irene Nam, Meredith Winn, Kristin Zecchinelli, Chris Sneddon, Meg Fahrenbach, Angie Warren, Gabrielle Blair, Laurie Smithwick, Maggie Mason, John Armstrong, Siobahn Connally, Ali Edwards, Aimee Giese, Sheri Reed, Yvonne Marie, Maria Claudia Costa and Xanthe Berkeley. (links to al this awesomeness to follow...I'm still at the airport coming home!)

The exhibit is up now through Feb 20th at FotoFest for the public to enjoy! The FotoFest Gallery is at 1113 Vine Street Ste. 101, Houston, TX 77002. For more info (like a map and hours) visit www.FotoFest.org. And tell them Shutter Sisters sent you.

13 Comments |

Friday, February 5, 2010 |

Tracey Clark | in

tracey

Thursday

04Feb2010

exposed

I've been working on a project which required me to spend some time yesterday going through various photography quotes. I found this one here, which got me to thinking: how important is your intention when you're photographing someone? We sometimes change the traditionally aggressive terminology that's associated with photography. Instead of taking a picture, we make one. We don't shoot or capture, we save moments. But then I thought of a friend of mine who goes out of her way to take unflattering photos of people. She always means it to be a joke. But when you're the unlucky one who gets caught in her lens, the word "captured" most definitely describes how it feels.

This got me to thinking about the whole process. It can be a mutual exchange of exposure and trust. And it can also be a violation, like the paparazzi who stalk people waiting for a chance to expose something embarrassing. But what makes it embarrassing? I think it's the idea that a vulnerable piece of us would be carelessly spotlighted for others to see... and worse, judge.

So when a person allows you to take their picture, they're essentially saying that they trust you with their vulnerabilities. This makes it such an honor and responsibility, and also a special challenge if you don't know much about the person. Sarah Rhoads is one of my all-time favorite photographers. She recently went to Thailand, and had some really interesting things to say about her approach to street photography. She talks about how it's not easy to walk up to a stranger and ask if it's okay to take their picture. But I think it's the willingness to be vulnerable first which opens the door for someone to trust you enough to expose them.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. How do you bridge the gap between trust and exposure?

17 Comments |

Thursday, February 4, 2010 |

Maile Wilson | in

maile