“Your intuition is simple, and sure, kind, and calm. It’s the calm things you can trust.”

—Caroline Dooner, The F*ck It Diet

I find so much overlap in my life these days and I take this to mean that things are coming together for good reason. Setting healthy boundaries while still being kind, following the principles of intuitive eating, focusing on movement, sleep, rest, play and rebellion as pillars of well-being. Caring without caregiving. Saying goodbye to people-pleasing, over functioning and hyper-responsibility. Who knew life could feel so relaxed and easy? The work I’m doing on myself shows up in the pictures I make.

I had finished this post and moved on to my next activity, watching Part 3 of FRAMES Artist-in-Residence program with Robert Clark. I love these lessons which feel like one-on-one coaching with a master photographer. Looking at Robert’s examples for this segment, I was inspired to go back to make a black and white version of my photograph from Slaughter Pen Farm. I’m looking forward to the next segment, hoping Robert will delve into his post-processing—and opening the door for me to see the potential in landscape photography as a part of my creative work.

As much as I adore a beautiful still life photograph, the character and style of an authentic space can’t be staged. Life is a lot more about mix than match.

On every photo walk I choose scenes colorful and considered.

And in many ways, warm and familiar.

It must not be underestimated—the shaping power of creative work. The need for expression finds its way like the agency of water that creates stream valleys.

Even when met with resistance.

It’s freezing outside. My foot is painful and limits how far and how fast I can walk. Asking to take pictures feels like a huge risk.

Still, the creative path winds its way.

I feel as though the work flows through me. I am not fighting against. Not striving with stress.

This is the time to practice and play. Freestyle.

Be Just, Charlottesville, Virginia

Washed Out, Montross, Virginia

Closed Door, Montross, Virginia

When I collect advice on my own, it feels like someone opened a door and invited me in. I want to sit down and soak it all in. This is in sharp contrast to unsolicited advice which tends to trigger my inner rebel and often just makes me feel defensive. My mother often said to me, when frustrated by my stubbornness, “I don’t know why, but you have to learn everything the hard way.” I guess she was right. I’m forging my own path.

  • Some really wonderful photography advice and encouragement from Paul Sanders . . .

Always embrace the thirst to be inspired, to have a beginners mind, full of curiosity and wonder, give yourself permission to acknowledge that you are your best, knowing that you will keep getting better at what you are doing through practice and adventure.

One last tip - always give yourself a five star image at the end of each day - one will always stand out, that way you can visually acknowledge you did your best - don't compare it to previous days or week, or hold back in case you do a better image tomorrow.

This isn’t about you getting fixed . . . This is about you living the best life you can with the parameters you have . . . You need to live a life that you can cope with, not the one that other people want. Start saying no. Just do one thing a day. No more than two social events in a week.

I don't like the words "shoot" or "shot." I've used them here, and they slip into my vocabulary now and then because they are part of the language of popular photography. But I fight against it, and one reason is this: photography is not about hitting a target. Not for me, and I suspect not for you. It's about exploration and expression. My subjects are not bullseyes at which I aim, and which I either hit or miss.