Mount Olympus Farm | Pentax k-1000, kodak portra 400

One Picture/One Paragraph

At first, I am disappointed. Nothing in this picture is in focus. It was taken in early morning, not long after sunrise. It was freezing cold outside. Just after Christmas, the little sheds were part of a live nativity scene held each night. I can’t remember the camera settings, but I think the shutter speed was 1/60 second, and perhaps I couldn’t hand-hold steadily enough. I took only two frames and both were soft and blurry. I almost deleted the files . . . but the remembering kept calling me back. Remembering what it is like to stand on the edge of a farm, on a cold frosty morning, soaking in silence, embraced by pink sky, seeing everything crystal clear. In a sacred space. Where imperfect focus is the gift that is brought.

The Birds | Pentax k-1000, kodak portra 400

One Picture/One Paragraph

I was drawn to the simple scene of home improvement, with the ladder and shutters that needed fixing. Many of the homes in the small town of Colonial Beach are summer homes. In the winter, owners set about making repairs. I stood across the street, trying to frame the scene with my 50mm lens. Stepping forward a few steps, suddenly the birds took flight. I hadn’t even noticed them resting in the tree. There was no time to focus or make camera adjustments, only time to press the shutter. When the scan arrived from the lab, I couldn’t help remembering the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Birds. That film scared me to death as a young child, and even when I knew I should turn away, I couldn’t help watching. It was the first time in my young life, I fully appreciated the power and wrath of nature.

Is it enough
to see in this way,
selectively framing each piece as a whole?

The scene in the frame,
is it the essential part
or only the part I am willing to see?

I try to stitch the pieces together,
but the ends don't meet,
the union distorted
like fabric stretched on the bias.

Riverview | Pentax k-1000, kodak portra 400

Boat on the Point | Pentax k-1000, kodak portra 400

Pentax k-1000 | Kodak Portra 400 film

This message from fine art photographer Paul Sanders speaks to me. I love that Paul is passionate about the benefits of photography to mental health and wellness, and this seems like a meaningful way to begin the new year.

“Photography is important to me, but it is not the be all and end all, the most important things in my life are gratitude, love and an open heart. Through each of these creativity is generated, whether that is writing, photography, gardening, knitting - anything creative is born out of things that we often think of as unimportant in this busy world. We see success as winning competitions, getting the promotion, pushing our children to be who we weren't, making money and having stuff.

Success today is really about recognising what you need in your heart and following that, it is about acknowledging you are vulnerable and working with it rather than hiding it, it is allowing yourself to make mistakes and learn from them, it is about doing what you love, it is noticing the change in seasons, it is not about being the best but by embracing that you are the best you can be and that that is enough.” —Paul Sanders