Shutter Sisters

searching for the words

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Words can be little gifts for your soul. You find the right one and it speaks straight to your heart.

I gravitate towards words all year long; grace, hope, and trust (pictured above, handwritten on a the tiniest seashell. A treasure from a friend who constantly inspires me with words.) Sometimes words choose me. That very thing happened this past year on my trip to California for Camp . On our first night there pre-camp, we gathered for dinner, randomly choosing our own seats at the table. At each seat was a mug with a medallion tied to it,  each medallion imprinted with a different word. I sat down and the medallion in front of me said “journey”. It was the perfect word for that very moment. That was exactly what I was on, a huge personal journey. I fixed that medallion around my neck for the entire week.

All month long we are celebrating “your word” . I love pouring over the One Word pool  on Flickr reading all your chosen words and seeing the images you have captured to convey your word. Some an interpretation of a word, others the word is the image, and some choosing to layer their word over their image. I can feel the purpose in your chosen words, the power they hold. Helping you set your intentions for this year ahead. Your word may be a reminder to yourself, a word to empower you, or maybe a word to help keep you on a certain path. Perhaps you have not chosen a word yet, no worries, you are not alone. Give yourself permission to take your time. I have not chosen one in particular, instead I am feeling a pull toward a few words this new year; balance, center, simplify...  I think I will embrace all 3. That is what is so great, it is your word. You can have more than one, you can change it if you like, only you know what word you need and when. Do you write it down? Wear it around your neck? Ink it permanently on your skin? Or try it out with a marker? What words are whispering to your heart these days? 

 

stepping in to something new

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Sometimes trying something new is scary. Not in a nightmarish sense… but in a fluttering of butterflies way. You know what I mean? When you know you are facing something that you are supposed to be doing, butterflies are often the side product. This was how I felt as I began my adventure that would take me to the coast of Maine on New Year’s Day.

Years ago, I made a wish. I made a promise. And it turns out that I arrived in New England much sooner than I expected. Sometimes life follows a crooked little path to get you exactly where you are supposed to be.

I can wax poetic here, but I’ll save that for my blog. What I want to say is: try something new. Try something outside of your comfort zone. What are you dreaming of for 2012? 

If you’d love to relive our experience of jumping into the icy Atlantic waters off the coast of Maine, you can view Kristin’s slideshow and my youtube video to get you into the spirit of doing something crazy in the pursuit of big dreams. Today share with us your dreams, or allow yourself the space and freedom to set your intentions and say those wishes outloud.

And thank you thank you, to all of you who cheered us on from the sidelines. Your support through donations, comments, and best wishes really fed my spirit.

 

right at home

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I am not sure what it is that transforms a place from being just another space to somewhere that feels like home. Maybe it’s when you know it is safe to hang up your armor of defenses at the door. Or when you realize that you leave little bits of your heart behind whenever you spend time there. Or perhaps it’s when you see your child plop down on a futon with a familiarity as if she has spent countless hours hanging out on that piece of furniture.

I love this photo of my daughter making herself right at home in my friends’ apartment. To me, it is actually a perfect depiction of how I feel about that space, the affection and love I hold for that locale and for the friends who live there. It is a reminder that I photograph the spaces I inhabit because the photos become repositories of the memories knit together by love and friendship and laughter and conversation in that very place.

Please share with us your images of the places where you can hang your heart, the places that make you feel right at home, whether you actually live there or not.

A new year, a new word

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Happy New Year! We made it…together.  Another year behind us, a brand new one ahead.

Oh, the bright and beautiful possibilities!

It’s that time again, for setting our intentions, making our own personal creative goals and exploring new ways of being in the world. For the last few years, we’ve joined collective energy with our dear friend Ali Edwards through her One Little Word tradition. Way back when, at the start of our One Word Project, it was Ali that inspired us and proved that indeed, One Little Word could make a really Big difference in our creative journeys.

Today, we kick off this month of beginnings with YOUR word. We did it last year, just like this; asking YOU to celebrate YOUR word all month long for the One Word Project, in honor of One Little Word. YOUR word. Share it with us here in the comments and in our OWP Flickr group and who knows, YOUR word might be featured here!

So, as we start, share with us…what word do YOU choose to begin 2012?

grand finale

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Can it be? Is today really the very last day of 2011? It hardly seems possible, but of course it is. What a year it has been. We have grown and accomplished so much this year here. We welcomed new contributors. We saw the fruition of our very first Camp Shutter Sisters. (so exciting) Through it all you have been right here with us. You were present, open & brave. You paid witness and honored. You contributed, encouraged, connected, and grew. You constantly inspired us with your words, images and love. We thank you.

Each month you helped us celebrate a new One Word. January was ‘your word’. February, ‘words’. March, ‘numbers symbols & letters’. April, ‘inspiration’. May we went ‘mobile’. June, we sought beauty in the ‘details’. July was full of ‘life’. August you took us on an‘adventure’. September we shared many a ‘story’. October was all about ‘you’. November we were ‘thankful’. And all of December we ‘savored‘. For all your enthusiasm and participation, again we thank you.

If you began a 365 project on Jan 1 2011, today is the culmination of 365 days of clicks. Congratulations! YOU DID IT! Even when you wanted to stop (you did right?), or forgot (and then quickly forgave yourself), you kept on and here you are 365 days later, mission accomplished. Job well done. Thank you for sharing your year in photos with us.

Today is a celebration of all these things. We have shared so much together this year. 2012 holds many new wonderful opportunities and surprises here at Shutter Sisters, the new year is going to rock ladies! But before we begin those new year’s resolutions, and intentions, let’s honor all we have seen and done with our cameras this year.  Let’s send off this last day in style. Pick any image from 2011 you love and share it here. If today is your 365 finale, DO share that with us. Happy last day of 2011 sisterhood, we are so very grateful for you. XO!

dream destination

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As you read this, I’m visiting one of the cities on my dream list to photograph… I can’t quite believe my family and I are visiting New York for New Year! I’m so excited, as of course my camera and my eye get to savor all it’s delights. This trip had been one of my dream destinations for as long as I can remember….

Where would you like to visit with your camera? Let’s dream BIG because you never know what opportunities could be round the corner, and if we all dream together, we might just make it happen.

Oh….YES you can

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Say you can, you will…..say you can’t…you won’t.
Is it that simple? Hmmmm, maybe not quite. But this has worked for me, time and time again.

Throughout my creative journey I have always believed I ‘could’, even before I began, and it has served me well over the years.

If you simply believe that you CAN, you really CAN do amazing things in an extraordinary way. 

In my twenties I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up, so I got married and had two kids by the time I was 23. The one thing I knew for sure was that I wanted kids, so it was an easy decision to make. In time, after the baby stage was over, I came back to the question, ‘what am I going to do with my life?’

A few years later I decided I wanted to paint. I simply started painting…dove right in. I never did take a painting class; I just kind of faked it, til I made it. I had no idea where that painting would take me! The more I did, the more in love with the process I became. I started calling myself an artist early on. I think that belief, that clear intention, laid the groundwork for my future and allowed me to build a career with my art. Honestly, if you were a stranger looking in you would have thought, is she crazy… she’s really not that good! But yet with great intentions, I made it happen. I managed to create a career around my art, a career that has helped support our family, a career doing something I love.

When I discovered photography I never once thought I couldn’t do it. I just did it…forging ahead…learning as I went. When i finally decided to learn photoshop I dove in with both feet….simply believing I could.

Just the other day someone asked me: ‘but how do you know how to do all this stuff?’ And I simply answered ‘Easy, I never doubt that I can, and I learn as I go.’
All the knowledge and inspiration we could ever need is at our fingertips; right in front of our eyes in just seconds. We don’t even have to leave home. There really are no excuses.

I’ve watched my children struggle to find direction in their lives. Their biggest obstacle is a ‘can’t do’ attitude, but I know one day they will discover that they really can. And for that, I can not wait!

Whatever you want in life, you can do it…. It may take hard work…there may be mountains to climb, obstacles to move….but it’s completely doable. First you must believe you can.

Are you struggling with your photography? Do you think you can’t take pretty pictures, or you can’t get out of automatic mode, or you can’t learn how to use the big, bad photoshop? 
You are right! As long as you feel that way….it will never happen. You gotta switch your thinking….. 

Now’s the time, my friends…. It’s almost 2012….. are you IN? Are you READY? Can you do it? Whatever it may be…..You can… I can… We can!!

Today I am giving away a spot in my new eCourse, Beyond Layers, a year of art full inspiration. 52 weeks of encouragement, motivation and inspiration……centered around, but so much more than photoshop……

I’m so excited to share this with the world. I’d love for you to be a part of it.

To enter please share with us your ‘I can’ statement for 2012.
In 2012…. I can…..
What is it you’ve been wanting to do? State it here…. and believe you can with all your heart. 
I will be right here, cheering you on!

*****

For more information about the Beyond Layers eCourse, click HERE. The give away winner will be announced at the bottom of this post on Saturday, December 31st at 12:00pm.

loved

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A bell is no bell ’til you ring it,

A song is no song ’til you sing it,

And love in your heart

Wasn’t put there to stay –

Love isn’t love

‘Til you give it away.

~Oscar Hammerstein

 

There is usually one holiday gift each year that speaks to my heart.  Sometimes it is a handmade card from one of the boys, a silly trinket in my stocking, or that perfect gift that only Santa knew I wanted.

This year,  love came to me in the mail from Camp Sister, Chelsea.  A tangible reminder that I can wrap my hands around, feel the warmth, and bask in the knowledge that I am important to others.  

Today, share with us a photo that reminds you that you too are loved.   It is such a wonderful feeling.

your best memory 2011

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I can’t help it. The last week of the year I have to thumb through my journals, dig into my archives and look at all the photos that I took the past 12 months. What I love most about doing this is that it helps me acknowledge that I’m nowhere near where I thought I would be a year ago, and that it’s okay. This makes me profoundly grateful for every experience that enabled me to learn and grow, for the people in my life, and mostly, for the memories that I now get to cherish and look back on fondly. The photo above was taken during a family trip in Switzerland. And this is my best memory of the year 2011.

Today show us yours.

When It Rains

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It’s been raining for days. There have been moments of pause, but they’ve been gray and mostly wet. Sloshing through puddles and damp air, the sky offers a dim setting. She reaches for her polka dot boots and red rain coat. My black umbrella. I focus on my girl and desaturate the image, thankful for the evidence of motion. There is warmth and light tucked beneath that umbrella. Sun waiting on the rain.

What do you see in the rain?

I shot this image with my iPhone 4 and processed it initially using Photo fx and Instagram. Using Aperture on my desktop, I reduced highlights, decreased saturation and added a slight vignette.