As I embrace the challenges of film photography, I find this simple phrase helpful. Slowly but surely. In fact, I am looking for space everywhere in my life. It’s taken a conscious effort, but I no longer seek to fill the days with non-stop activity. And what a difference it makes in my creativity. I liken this to a kind of re-wiring of my nervous system, restoring healthy and efficient patterns.

I learn so much from the Just One Thing newsletter from Dr. Rick Hanson. This week’s practice was called Empty the Cup. Worth reading and considering.

Here’s an excerpt:
“Put some space between finishing one thing and starting another. For example, after sending one email, take a breath before replying to another one; when the dishes are done, pause for a break; in a conversation, let the ending of one topic reverberate for a moment before launching another one; take real time for lunch.”

Finishing rolls of film. Waiting for film to be processed and negatives to be scanned. I’m antsy for something to make.

One Picture/One Paragraph

I’m never quite sure what to make of a picture like this one. I know what drew me in: the delicate flower buds and blossoms woven among the architecture of the branches. But how do you take a picture that focuses on the buds and blossoms while still tracing the curl and swirl of the branches? After all, the background and foreground are present on the same plane of paper. Is this even a picture worth taking? Wouldn’t it be better to use a telephoto lens and isolate the flowers? But, in doing so, would I lose the messiness of nature? Even in a botanical garden, nature cannot be totally tamed. This photo was taken with my medium format Mamiya 645 and Kodak Portra film. I tried converting it to black and white. I tried cropping. I thought about deleting it altogether. In the end, I just accepted that I love what I love. And let it be as it is.