Shutter Sisters

feast

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Love After Love  

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other’s welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life. 

 -Derek Walcott

If there is an image that shines a light on the feast of your life, share the bounty with us today.

Touching Down

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Returning home after our 24 hours in Chicago

 

There are those moments that sweep us up from where we stand and carry us beyond where our normal motion might ever dare take us. Events when our feet leave the ground, our head in the clouds, with a lightness of feathers drifting with the wind of possibilities. In this state of being we allow ourselves to be led, up and down by the lofty elevation of circumstances we don’t have the time nor the desire to process.

 

I’m a pretty grounded person; feet firmly planted, taking great comfort in my well-established roots of routine and predictability. And still, I will move and sway, arms reached up like branches welcoming the movement of what the climate might bring. Although I much prefer a zephyr to a gale, one can’t control the weather. Nor predict it.

 

The last few days a nor’easter of chance has howled through my life leaving me feeling, among other things, displaced and disheveled. A swift force of nature uprooted me and yet the thrill of shifting, spinning and spiraling in such unstable conditions felt as invigorating as they did overwhelming. And so I let go.

 

As quickly as they came, the winds are dying down and I feel my feet once again touching the ground. I sense the sturdy, solid weight of my body settling in again, using the earth below me as my stability and my strength. I remind myself that below me is hallowed ground and I sink my roots back into the soft, earth. It welcomes me home again. I am altered, there is no doubt. But what remains is who I am and no winds of change can ever take that away.

 

How do you deal with sudden climate changes of your life? Are you open to being tossed about in the currents (good, bad or otherwise) or would you rather batten down the hatches and keep yourself firmly planted? If there is by chance a photograph that illustrates a symbol of your stance (or flight), I hope you choose to share it today.

Blissed Out

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 Follow your bliss. I had a huge epiphany in my life approximately one year ago. I had spent my life doing things I thought I should or simply could. I rarely took risks or stepped outside my perfectly contained box. I felt stifled and stuck, and I didn’t know why. Right around this time I saw the quote that begins this paragraph. It resonated with me in the largest of ways. I made a choice to change things up a bit- a lot, actually. I started making choices simply by focusing on what makes me happy, blissful. Everything magically changed.

 

I started bliss in March and through my blog I have been introduced to so many amazing women. I became overwhelmed by all the inspiration around me. I started taking photos in a different way—I took pictures of things that made me giddy. Following my bliss created a blissed out version of my former self. Slowly I started to share my photos with my readers—my new blissful photos. A funny thing happened. People seemed to love what I was throwing at them. This became true in my daily life too. My new existence had changed every aspect of my life in the best of ways. Happiness suited me.

 

This is why the photos I now take mean so much to me. They are totally and completely me. The me that comes easy, the me that is happy, the me that isn’t trying too hard; just sparkly me.

 

Shortly after, I joined the Shutter Sisters pool on flickr and met yet another group of crazy-talented women. During this time the sweet Kristin mentioned something about the blues in my photographs. I was a bit confused. I looked back at my photostream, and WHAMMO! There it was, that sweet shade of blue that defined bliss for me. It was everywhere.

 

 The thing that is perfect about happiness or bliss is that it is completely different for everyone. It also comes across completely different through the lens of a camera. Where do you find your bliss? Where is it in your photographs? I have my blues. Take the time to explore this and see where your photographs take you; if you’re lucky, your life will follow.

 

Photos and words courtesy of the lovely and talented Traci French (Mrs. French if you please) who can be found sharing her bliss on her blog of the same name, posting her ‘blues’ at Flickr and sharing and selling her gorgeous imagery at etsy.

 

And Traci’s not the only one with bliss on her mind, I will be posting my reflections on the topic at bliss midday today. It’d be heaven if you’d stop over and say hello.

 

A Feast for the Eyes

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I am far from a foodie. To be truthful, I consider myself an anti-foodie. Don’t get me wrong, many of my dear friends are all about the food; passionate, spicy spirits that choose their ingredients with great care, prepare a meal with immeasurable love and enjoy what they’ve created by sharing it with family and friends. Seeing them in action only makes me wish I had the gift of loving food. But, I don’t.

 

What? Pause. Why? Pause. How…? I field the questions often and have no good answer. But cooking is so creative. Yes, food and cooking for many offers a creative outlet. I guess one could say I have my outlet. And it’s not cooking. But you already know that. And if you didn’t, you do now.

 

yet even taking my aversion to food into account (especially when it comes to the age old question, what’s for dinner) I do find myself drawn to the images of food that are found in passionate and delightful blogs and at Flickr. I marvel at how much attention and care someone like Jennifer Causey / simply photo gives to her daily culinary vignettes. Succulent. Simple. And totally irresistible. Or the way Kristy Bee makes the whole world seem extra sweet and juicy with each image she shares.

 

I must admit, there is something special about capturing images of food. Although you’ll never find a shot of a favorite recipe or a meal in my flickr stream, the tasty little morsels that are found in my home often call to me through their color and texture; in simple yet eloquent shapes, curves and highlights, organic and natural are too beautiful for me to ignore.

 

What about you? What do you find at your kitchen table that beckons to be noticed? Is there something that is begging to be savored by your palette or your lens? Tantalize us with your tasty food finds.

When Motherhood and Photography Collide

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Chatting over the phone with mother/writer/author Jennifer New (of no relation to me although oddly enough my maiden name is New) I was asked to reflect on how motherhood has affected my photography for a piece she was writing for her blog Mothers of Invention. Wow. How hasn’t motherhood affected every part of me (photography included)?

 

She graciously listened as I spilled my guts on subjects like my dirty laundry and post-partum depression (pun intended) among many others, that for me are all tied up with my creativity and being a parent. As I recalled the days, the hours, the minutes of life with a newborn, I couldn’t help but feel cracked open again just as I did when I became a mother. It was the revisiting of those tender and tumultuous times that exposed me once more and reminded me of my intense dependency on my creativity, on expressing myself in words and pictures and seeing and documenting my life though my lens.

 

Did becoming a mother change my photography?

 

Does a torrential deluge change a landscape?

 

It begins as a quenching of a deep thirst; glorious, refreshing, welcomed. And as the water continues to pour down, it can seem relentless, and as everything is saturated, full, there remains no room for anything else. Then comes landslides and quicksand. And the feeling that there is no end in sight. The days are dark and the nights are darker. There is nothing to do but wait…and trudge through. Because you have to and there’s something about the smell of the rain and the clean air that sustains you.

 

Eventually the clouds break and the sun peeks through with the promise of hope. And if you’re lucky, a rainbow. At last, the gradual dry-out begins. Slowly the tiny sprigs of green hope emerge from the soil, fed and fertile. Blooms begin, the birds return to the sky and sing a song like no other. A world that is so new, so beautiful it’s almost painful.

 

I remember almost to the day when the sun warmed my face and the light almost blinded me. It didn’t come a minute too soon.

 

Although, the past feels so palpable when I speak of it, write about it, I do recall those early days as foggy. Spotty memories, shadows, tiny sparkles of light and shimmers amidst a hazy shadows. I recall that my camera was with me through it all as a trusted friend, an extension of myself, a microscope, seeing eye glasses, a necessity. It helped me to find impossible beauty when I didn’t have the strength to see it for myself. When my camera became a saving grace, that’s when it all changed. And I have the pictures to prove it.

 

I encourage you to read Jennifer’s piece on photography and motherhood at Mothers of Invention. If by chance it’s not up yet when you click over (and even if it is) be sure to read Mama’s Got a Brand New Blog while you’re over there. I know you’ll love that one too!

 

What has affected or changed your photography? Is there an image that speaks of the transformation?

belly up

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When Melisa asked me if I had any tips on shooting great pregnant belly shots, I jumped at the chance to share. As you all know, I do like sharing. A lot. And although it seems as if many of my clients have passed the pregnancy stage, big, round robust bellies still remain one of my most favorite subjects.

When I was pregnant the first time around I had only been wielding a camera for a year or so. And believe me when I tell you, hip and cool pregnancy portraits had not yet made an appearance onto the scene. It wasn’t really until Demi Moore hit newsstands that people began rethinking the pregnant body. I don’t have to tell you that amazing photographs of mothers-to-be are everywhere now days. It’s amazing and inspiring to see that we now openly celebrate the planetary curves that carry the future of the world. Even artsy little me viewed my first pregnancy with a shrouded lens (and body). Looking back I am disappointed at how few photos I took or had taken of my largest self. Thankfully, I took off my lens cap (so to speak) when I was pregnant with my second daughter. I had almost 6 more years of experience as a photographer and the world, and my body were entirely new planets. Seemingly literally.

Being stretched to capacity by what feels like an alien—and I mean that in an endearing way of course—doesn’t  happen every day. I clicked the shot above in the mirror of my bathroom less than 24 hours before I went into labor. Yowza. Now, that’s a belly. I’m just glad I had the permission and pride to let it all hang, er, pop out and the gumption and guts to get it on film.

Melisa’s post should be up later today at the new Pregnancy Buzz blog at CaféMom so be sure to check it out later, if it’s not up already. Hopefully you will come away with a few helpful hints if you are so inclined to shoot big beautfiul belly portraits. Please feel free to link to anything you may have that captures an orb-like experience. And if you’ve got any tips on the subject, you can post them at Melisa’s too. Enlighten us!

Right from the start

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holiday session from way back when of dear family friends

Alas! Today we officially begin the great greetings! blog series here at Shutter Sisters. I appreciate your comments when I first mentioned the idea. I love knowing that you can see the value in getting a jump start on the giving season, specifically with your holiday cards. This is going to be fun, I promise.

Here are a few things I would like you to mull over before you begin the process (if you haven’t already…which I haven’t, just so you know).

First, distill your goal. What is important to you when sending your holiday card? Whether it’s to fill everyone in on the happenings of your family, just to get a recent and overdue photo out to the family or to offer a sparkling sentiment, you should focus on that purpose throughout the process. It will keep you focused and on task with your objective.

Starting early will help tremendously in helping you meet your end result creatively and joyfully. Building in extra time for yourself means having more fun with it and allowing for sweet surprises along the way. It also means avoiding rush charges, long lines at the post office, late nights with your address book and unnecessary stress.

Be realistic. The object here is not to take on more than your current life’s picture allows. This is me telling you to give yourself a break. Figuring out what kind of time and money you are willing to spend will help keep you from musing on a photo or card project that will extend your limits. Once you’ve gotten a good idea of how much you are really able or willing to put into your cards this year, you can take a look at the options and how they fit your needs. There’s a lot that goes into creating great greetings. Let me refresh your memory (not because I want to stress you out but because I want to help you decide what you want to do and what you want to delegate): Photography, card design, printing, assembly, addressing, return addressing, handwriting.

Now, here’s the delegating part. Try to enlist help whenever and where ever you can. That is an order. We have a lot on our plates this time of year and requesting a helping hand is for your own good. Trust me. Try to take the list above and save what you enjoy for yourself. The rest can be dished out.

Here’s a few ways to delegated if you so choose:

-Hire a photographer.

I know…that’s probably the one thing this community enjoys doing for themselves but even still, depending on the goal of your card this year, it may be something to consider.

-Buy your cards.

We are a crafty bunch around here but there’s no need to reinvent the wheel if you don’t have the time this year. Pre printed card design has come a long way with every possible style and taste accounted for so unless you are totally dedicated to doing it all yourself, keep this option open.

-Get the photo printed on the card with a design built in.

This is how to avoid hand assembling your photos to your cards which can be a big time saver. Choosing a drag and drop option like some companies offer can be a simple and stylish solution.

-Get your message and/or your family signature printed on the card.

In other words if you don’t have it in you to handwrite “Warmest Wishes from the Smith Family” on 100 cards then don’t do it. Many card companies have the option to personalize your cards for you. It’s sweet. There’s also the option to get your return address preprinted on your envelope too which is super-convenient.

-Have your cards mailed for you.

If you are as organized as I wish I was, you have all of your addresses in some sort of computer address book. Some card companies even will mail your cards for you if you import your address into their system. This would never work for me but dang! I wish it could.

-Hire help.

It’s not as indulgent as it might sound. Enlist your kids, husband, mother or even babysitter to help stuff and put stamps on envelopes. It may sound strange but it has become part of our family routine and my kids actually enjoy it. My husband? Not so much.

When you break it down, you realize that there’s a lot to it. Which is probably why we often get stressed out. Just remember, the purpose of sending greeting cards is to spread a little holiday cheer. The more we can have fun with the process and offer tap into our creative selves and the giving spirit, we will be sharing not only cheer but plenty of love to go with it.

Wanna share your process? Then pop over to our great greetings! Flickr Pool where we can continue our conversation, encourage and inspire one another as we go! Andgrab a button for your blog to help us spread the word about the series.

one sweet shot – october 2008

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I am absolutely positive that anyone who saw this shot by the amazing Kirsten Geyer (perhaps better known as Something Cheeky) was totally blown away. I know you are all nodding. Even still, I had a hard time choosing which image from Kirsten’s collection to choose as my One Sweet Shot. Her 365 project is teaming with incredible self portraits.

I am not only impressed with her creative vision—how on earth does she come up with these cool ideas?—but the way she pulls them off and captures her intention in these exquisite images. And under circumstances that aren’t the easiest to deal with. It’s remarkable and very inspiring. I’m having fun just watching what she comes up with next.

It leads me to some other sweet shots you’ve honored for today’s OSS.

Dr Lyn is honoring not only this shot by My Inspired Heart but also this entire set from e. darcy

Lisa Luckie honored this shot from Andie, wife mother painter and posted about it on her blog Becoming Lisa Luckie

Cassandra Sasse is honoring this shot on her blog Sasse Babies

Johanna is honoring this shot by maja paja

And since my inbox has been a little sleepy this month (I hope I didn’t somehow overlook any OSS honorees…) please indulge me as I extend this list and offer little link love to some other stellar sets that caught my eye recently.

tlcsphoto’s mexico set

crash-candy’s crashinto:drama set

boo’s 50mm 1.8 set

she saw things’ the mothers set

Until next month, happy clickin’.

Friday’s Featured Resources in a Creative Bookstore

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Today’s post is chock full of resources of the creative kind. We’ve got lots of incredibly gifted ‘sisters’ out there doing amazing things. Like getting books published. And I mean lots of them! So, in honor of these awesome accomplishments I thought I’d do a little round up of some of the blogosphere’s finest.

A Year of Mornings

Many of us followed Stephanie and Mav’s blog 3191 from the early days and I know on more than one occasion I thought, this would make a beautiful book. Guess I wasn’t the only one thinking it. The photographic connection these two friends share in not only uncanny, it’s mesmerizing as is the new book. I can only guess what book is next.

Taking Flight

Only the incredible Kelly Rae Roberts could bring such beauty together in one book. And the best part is that she not only shares her work and her process with us, she makes us believe we can do the same. The pages are filled with enchanting art, love, wisdom and her creative spirit as she beckons us to fly with her.

The Creative Family Life

Every time I visit Soule Mama’s blog I swoon. She lives her daily family life like a celebration; an ode to the beauty of everyday moments. To have the sage wisdom of Amanda Blake Soule in a treasury such as her book is a gift.

Ordinary Sparkling Moments

The infamous Swirly Girl (Christine Mason Miller) breathed this book to life with the art, knowledge and insight that only a true artist of life could. Her work graces the pages and her words lift us up and challenge us to recognize all that perfectly wonderful in our ordinary lives.

Sharing you Story

It’s no big news to all of you that Ali Edwards works magic into everything she touches. With her latest book she features mini scrapbooks as delightful means to help us tell the stories that make up our everyday lives using words and photographs (and if she has anything to do with it, a little magic too).

How to be an Explorer of the World

This offering from the prolific Keri Smith is quite literally hot off the presses. I can’t wait to get my hands on it. If her previous titles Wreck this Journal and the Guerilla Art Kit are any indication of what’s in store, it’s going to be creative genius I’m sure.

Congrats to these lovely ladies on their accomplishments and lucky us to get to reap the benefits of their soul work.

Last but not least, it is with great pleasure we open the doors to the Shutter Sisters bookstore. We’ve begun with these titles and more and look forward to adding to our virtual bookshelves. If you have a book you would like to recommend, something that has made your creative spirit sing, please feel free to leave it in the comments or email us. We love to be inspired!

Leave a comment today to be entered in our random giveaway of a $20 Amazon Gift card. You have until Saturday at midnight to enter. The only tough part will be choosing which book to buy with your winnings!

A Likeness

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On a shelf in our living room is a small stack of old family photos we just found. On top is a school photo of my husband. He looks about 6. When a friend stopped over the other day, the picture caught her eye. She held it up and covered part of the photo with her hand. What remained revealed an incredible resemblance to my oldest daughter. I was shocked I hadn’t noticed. Looking at the whole photo and seeing the big picture didn’t make the similarities obvious but looking at the smaller part, the little detail, it…he looked just like her.

When I shot this self-portrait I recognized my tom-boy side —comfortable in my soft cotton and denim ‘uniform’. I saw myself in my bathroom mirror, as I do every morning,  getting ready to start the daily routine. What I didn’t see was my father. Until I took the detail above. And then, all at once, in one thumb nail, I saw him. Undeniably. I’ve known I have my father’s hands for years now but it’s one of those things I forget about.

I’ll admit I have often complained about having masculine hands—my dad’s hands—but this time when I saw a glimpse of my father in myself, it made me happy. And incredibly proud. His hands are big and can still make mine feel small. They are incredibly strong. And even amidst the cracks and calluses from years of hard work, the are soft, tender and loving.  I can only hope that having my father’s hands means having all of the other wonderful things that they hold.

Have you ever seen someone or something in yourself that stopped you in your tracks? Something you’ve known all along or maybe a pleasant surprise? Give us a glimpse, won’t you?