Shutter Sisters

home away from home

By

 

The other day I had the privilege of working with the fabulous Romi Lassally of True Mom Confessions fame. A handful of moms (myself included) were there participating in a project she’s working on in conjunction with the release of her book and her new website—go Romi—but beyond that I had my camera by my side capturing the ins and outs of the day.

 

I have become a seasoned story teller of my own everyday life but stepping out of mine and into someone else’s life was enlightening. A couch found friends chatting amongst themselves, yet these friends were new faces to me. A fruit bowl on the dining room table filled with oranges, not apples. A chalk board for family memos, instead of the bulletin board I use everyday. Although it was all new and different it was so familiar and everything around me felt worthy to photograph.

 

As a portrait photographer I have been invited into people homes on a great many occasions. Arriving at a scheduled time I am met by families who have been harried and hurried to get prepared for my visit; everyone dressed and ready for ‘the portrait”. It is after all, the reason for my visit. And so we get right to it and spend our time together making that happen. Rarely do I get the chance to notice the fruit bowl.

 

I felt a sacredness being in a home as merely an observer; an outsider looking in. Watching and noticing all the details that make a home and being given the opportunity to capture what I saw through my lens. It was an honor to be there.

 

What details of your home beg to be seen? What are you compelled to capture under your own roof? Or perhaps there is a view or vignette of someone else’s home you covet? You are encouraged to share images from your own home discoveries.

Comments

  7. I love your photo. And what a wonderful coincidence that you write about this today! Because I wanted to write here that I’m beginning to submit photos for the One Word Project, and my word this month is "home." I’ve been cooped up this winter because of the cold and because I’m pregnant and feeling exhausted and, well, pregnant! I wasn’t taking many photos, and I didn’t think I would find anything inside my messy house to inspire me, but finally one day I decided to try. So I’ll being posting these photos. Here is one I posted today. Thanks!!

    http://www.mamaofletters.com/Site/The_Focal_Point/Entries/2009/2/4_Doorway_(Screen_in_Background).html

  8. Oh my goodness… considering I’m a stay at home, homeschooling mom and it’s the middle of the cold, snowy winter most of what I photograph is my home, day in – day out.

    Here’s a couple recent favorites:
    Breakfast oranges
    http://fimby.tougas.net/morning-oranges?size=_original

    Saturday morning light through the bedroom door
    http://fimby.tougas.net/light-through-open-door?size=_original

    End of a winter’s day at home:
    http://fimby.tougas.net/node/2362?size=_original

  14. i love my home – it’s small, but cozy, with a lot of natural light that makes me very happy. It’s filled with furniture made by my dad and paintings by my mom (and daughter) and surrounded by God’s beauty.

    I post a lot of photos of my home because it is very much a part of me and it makes me happy but here are 2 mosaics I did recently that kind of wraps it all up.

    http://autumnsun08.blogspot.com/2009/01/2-honouring-my-inspirations.html
    http://autumnsun08.blogspot.com/2009/01/birds-will-sing-their-sweet-song.html

  21. On taking your home away from home when you go…
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/8702729@N02/3253245925/

    Tracey, I love your people photos, what you do with your colors, how you process your shots. I’m shooting a lot of macro because there aren’t a lot of people around, but I’m a photojournalist at heart. Every time I see your people pictures, I want to go out and find some people to photograph! This particular photo is a favorite of mine – I’m going to find it and favorite it on Flickr!

  22. I’m looking with envy to all your pictures, taking a peek into this "home" feeling I am longing to bring here, in what is my new country (for at least two years). I see a cat here and colours that are warming my heart up. I also think some of you live in wonderful places with home mixing with Nature (forest, mountains), it’s like a breeze.

  31. When I first started out in photography most of what I took photos of was inside. Now I’m so caught up in the business side of things I rarely take a moment to realize there are so many things under my own roof that deserve to be photographed. Thanks for sharing this.