Shutter Sisters

In the Quiet Space

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Last fall I attended the annual ACP (Atlanta Celebrates Photography) Portfolio Review to present a body of my documentary work to gallery owners, photo editors, and curators to actively seek constructive feedback from seasoned reviewers and to create some new relationships. Like many of you, sharing words with my images comes really naturally for me. I might write about the story behind the image to give you a sense of what you can’t see, or I might share thoughts that ran through my mind during or after the process of making the image. It’s my way of processing what I see and how it makes me feel.

But what surprised me during the portfolio review, was how natural it felt to talk through the images as I moved through my prints with each reviewer. Each image stirred up a collection of thoughts that simply had to come out. I wasn’t even aware of how much my mouth moved until Sasha Wolf, my favorite reviewer of the day, stopped me. “You know, you don’t have to say so much about the images,” she said. “They really speak for themselves.”

I think about this statement often. She was right. Much of the power of photography is in the silence. The quiet space between the viewer and his/her personal experience with your image.

Why don’t you share an experience with us today – one that requires no words.

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