Shutter Sisters

52 of you (and a giveaway!)

By

“Women are the primary resource of the planet.
They give birth, we come from them.
They are mothers, they are visionaries, they are the future.
If we can figure out how to make women feel safe and honor women,
it would be parallel or equal to honoring life itself.”
– Eve Ensler

Beginning the self portraiture journey helped us discover the empowerment we find through photography. Now we often find ourselves reaching for a camera as a form of self care. Seeing to be seen. Seeing to reflect the beauty we feel inside.  We are all women, mothers, sisters, daughters, sharing this human experience. We all struggle, grieve, fear, celebrate, love, dream, hope and mourn. We have great joy and also great pain. We embrace all of these pieces of self.

As mothers, women, and artists we are focused on documenting the everyday beauty of our lives, our homes, and our families. As photographers, we are good at seeing the beauty of the world around us. We discovered that women were missing from their family photos. We recognized this need for all women, and NOW YOU Workshops was born. Now is the time to honor ourselves by finding our place in it. What do we want to remember? What is our place in the chaos? What is our place in the joy?

Right now we are very excited about our newest eCourse. 52 of YOU is a year long gathering of creative women. This eCourse was born out of desire, companionship, global community, and shared inspiration. This project is our third in a series of self portraiture classes provided online. By having a year long project to gather around, we can keep the focus on you with a less intense yet day to day journey. Registration is now open!

Today we are happy to announce a giveaway! We are offering one spot in our 52 of YOU eCourse. Please leave a comment here by midnight (PST on 12/17) for your chance to join us all year long.

xo,

Kristin & Meredith

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Don’t forget to join our mailing list! 

 

*****WINNER OF A SPOT IN 52 of YOU : Jeanne! *****

 

Comments

  3. I have had this course on my wish list. I first thought of enroling when I was pregnant. It wasn't the right time.
    I have now had our baby I'd love to celebrate me through this course.
    Love Belinda

  4. you two.
    i can't help but admire and be inspired by the way you are changing the course of so many lives through guiding others to see and be seen through the lens. honor self and see others in new light as they also honor self. in the e-course, but inevitably (and so wonderfully) beyond that too.
    you two.
    powerful.
    x

  7. Boy, do I need this class. Learning the art of photography can be a lonely journey. Sharing the process with like minded folks would be a tremendous gift. Thank you!

  10. What great way to start off the new year! I'd love to take part since 2013 is my year to concentrate on my photography.

  11. I too am missing from many family photos being behind the camera. My husband has only one blurry photo of him and his dad. I don't want my son to find himself with no photos of me one day. This course would force me to get in front of the camera for a change.

  12. I love all the creative and evocative self portraits in this post. Self portraiture is not something I have tried much. I am always focused on things like leaves and dandelions. I am not good at the technical aspects (very often even if I try , I don't even make it in the frame!) nor the creative/artistic aspects. I would love to have a spot in your year long class.

  14. it would be a wonderful gift to self. I find as single mother I forget who I am. I would love to be in this class. To help find my inner me again.

  15. Oh my this has to be truly the most delightful giveaway ever! Self portraitures and photographs of myself in general are something I avoid. My personal goal for the new year is to rid myself of this overpowering uncomfortableness I have in my own skin. I couldn't think of a more perfect path to guide me along this journey.

  16. I would love to win a seat in this class! I get aprehensive and shy when turning the camera on myself! This year long course is just what I need! Thanks for a chance to be in it!

  17. how lucky i would feel to win a seat
    in order to make time to meet
    not must me, myself, and i
    but other photographers who are camera shy!

  18. This would be a wonderful start to my new journey after just graduating with my masters after six years of school. I'm ready to celebrate my creative self!

  19. Oh my! Oh my! I was looking for a new photo project to continue en 2013… Eureka! Your "52 of You" fits perfectly with me. I'm ready for new challenge and to go out of my comfort zone.

    How lucky I will be to win a place! 🙂

  21. I often think how sad I am, that I don`t have photographs that include me. I am the one who does document our family events, so I'm never in it. It would be great to to focus on a different kind of documenting – myself!
    thanks for the opportunity to win.

  23. Never one to enjoy seeing myself in a photo – (it's hard enough to look in a mirror sometimes!!) and Always preferring to be behind the lens, I found this concept so inspirational. Maybe with 2013 almost upon me it's about time I took some of that inspiration and used it! New Year, New Me! or even 52 of me (and you). WOW! that could be the beginning of something 🙂

  25. my camera is always pointed outward and I often wish I could point it inward. This sounds like a fascinating way to begin that process and learn more about myself

  26. I've always been afraid of self portraits. However, I turned my life around last year and started running and I've lost almost 40 pounds since then. I'd love to learn to do self portraits now – to capture the changes as they happen, to see myself as a valuable person, to document the things that happen and how they are reflected in my face.

  27. Terrifying idea to this shy woman but my children would probably love to have photos of their mother someday… 🙂

  28. I'd rather be behind the camera, its much safer there. Its much easier to find beauty in others, or in what is around me. But I guess it isn't always about feeling safe is it. Thanks for exploring the scary stuff and for a chance to be one of the 52 of you.

  29. I would love to win! I'm ready for a year long self portrait project – something more substantial than what I've been doing lately…

  32. You two are doing a wonderful thing by teaching this course and building and nurturing the supportive community that results. if you are afraid of self portraits, I would encourage you to run not walk to your keyboard and sign yourself up. you won't find a safer community with which to experiment and learn about self portraiture and about yourself. it's not selfish or egotistical, it's about showing yourself the same consideration you give everyone and everything else upon which you train your lens. it will make you a better, more empathetic photographer, and quite possibly a happier person too.

    no need to put me in the drawing, I just wanted to add a testimonial for all those on-the-fencers out there. do it! make it your holiday/new years present to yourself. the effects will spillover to all you love.

  35. I totally need to do this because I know that I avoid taking pictures of myself. It would be a great exercise in learning to love myself.

  40. Love this concept,you both are so lovely,, Id love to win a chance to do this,, thanks for doing a give a way

  41. I've enjoyed watching many of my online photography friends post their Now You pictures, and I'd love to participate in the new year….

  44. Oooh! Oooh! This would be so perfect. There has been maybe one photo taken of me per month since the baby has been born. This is ridiculous. I need to have a reason to take a photo of myself once per week! This would be perfect and you two beautiful ladies are always so inspiring!! xoxo!

  48. This e-course sounds exactly what I need for 2013! I'm so looking forward to the close of 2012; it was a horrible, long year. Looking forward to celebrating the good I hope 2013 holds.

  56. i just registered for this, Merry Christmas to me!!! The NOW YOU workshop Digging Deeper Workshop I just had the pleasure, luxury, blessing, and priveledge to participate in was so inspiring, moving, transformational, and healing. the idea of 'winning' a spot was enticing…but I couldn't wait to pay you for this in support of the amazing work you do, thank you!!!!!! xo raji

  58. This is such an amazing course! I would LOVE to win a spot! It has been almost a year since my son was born and I left my job to become a full time student and work-at-home mom. My entire world has changed dramatically in the last year and I would love the opportunity to meet the new person that I have become.

  59. great giveaway, great course, wonderful images!!

    I hate me in the mirror so it's a real struggle for me to see myself on photos so I stay behind the camera so I need a push and some support to create soem mummy memoroes x

  63. I am both inspired and in awe of this type of project. a commitment of 52 wks to a project seems like a long time, to add to the idea that it will be a "selfless" meaning I will be the subject terrifies me. Having said that I have been watching your work, among others, and really want to give this a try. The course looks fabulous so I am keeping my figures crossed to win the e-course.

  64. Wow, I can't really afford these classes, so if I get picked for a spot, this will be the best Xmas gift! Thank you for the giveaway opportunity!

  66. I received an email recently about your course. I love the fact that your doing it for the whole year. Hoping to be able to join in the fun!

  67. Wow! I am still hoping to be able to sign up but other commitments are preventing me from doing so right now…but if I win…then that's just affirmation that I need to do this!

  72. i have been so blessed by the love and sisterhood, inspiration and validation from the awesome now you courses. (and dear wonderful meredith and kristin!!) i can't imagine a gift more soul nourishing than a spot in in this 52 week course!!
    thank you so much for offering this opportunity to receive a gift spot. if i had the extra $$, i would have signed up immediately. 🙂
    xoxoxo!

  73. I would love the challenge of creating self-portraits that are uniquely me; trouble being, I have always been on the other side of the lens. A structured class, with guidance, would help me make the transition to "the other side" with support, encouragement, and celebration.

  75. I've taken the two NOW YOU courses and would love to continue the journey over this next year!

  76. I am always inspired by the creative self portraits you ladies take, but I can't ever seem to get too many creative ones of myself. Would love to win a chance to learn through this course!

  84. Of course I would love to be part of the 52 of You. I am already a Now You'er and wouldn't want to be anything else. 😀 I would love a fresh start and perspective for 2013 and this might be just the thing to get me started and guide me on my way for a better year with a bit more of ME in it. Can't wait. The Now You tribe are awesome. We should seriously have our own war cry!
    Thank you ladies for your constant inspiration.

  88. It would be such an honor to win this amazing course, which I have been eyeing. I started my self portrait journey this year and want to dig deeper and document my last pregnancy and all it means to be a mother, wife and photographer.

  89. So tempting and quite frightening all at the same time. This might be a nice gift to myself for the new year?

  91. I've been afraid to look at myself…really LOOK at myself…that older reflection in the mirror now makes me ask, what happened to that young girl with all of life's sweetness in her face? Did she go? Or is she still here…

    I think it may be time to find out ;>]]

  92. I need to get more comfortable with myself as subject…this would be a good (if scary) way to do it.

  93. A whole year of self-portraiture sounds like a great opportunity to tune into my spot in this world in the midst of the whole orchestra.

  95. I was just thinking on the weekend that I need to get in more photos with the grandchildren – I think I need this course! Thank you for your inspiration all year long and your giveaway!

  97. i am always taking the pictures, not often in them. I would love to learn how to turn the camera on me!

  98. Really could use being part of something like this, what a fabulous idea. Thanks for the chance to win!

  100. it's not midnight here yet! I'm in. Would love to continue my 2012 "nowme" journey. Love you girls ~ thank you for providing such inspiration.

  101. That is so awesome! Doing a 52 Week Self-Portrait project is on my goals for 2013, as it's my last year abroad. I would be thrilled and honored if I could do this [for free]! Thank you for the chance! 🙂