Soft Focus

“Letting there be room for not knowing is the most important thing of all.” —Pema Chödrön, Buddist Teacher

There’s a difference between hypervigilant scanning and mindful awareness.

Hypervigilant scanning is driven by anxiety and focused on threat detection; it is narrow, tense, and exhausting. Mindful awareness, on the other hand, is driven by curiosity and openness. It is expansive, relaxed, and energizing.

The practice of mindful awareness involves soft focus: a relaxed attention that can take in multiple streams of information without fixating anxiously on any one particular thing. It allows us to appreciate where we are right now. Aware and relaxed simultaneously. Soft focus is what allowed me to notice these beautiful fall anemones blooming outside the Arby’s in Ashland, even though I was hungry (way past lunch time) and even though I wasn’t on a “photo walk” and even though the setting wasn’t necessarily picturesque.

Donna, October 2025, taken with Yashica T4, Kodak Gold 200

I couldn’t have chosen a better hobby than photography for myself. Maybe chosen is the wrong word; it feels as though I kind of stumbled into photography. At first, taking pictures was another achievement for me. Something to master. For a while, I tried to make it into a small job, a side hustle. And many times, I thought about giving it up entirely. I am glad I kept at it. Because, over time, photography became a powerful healing practice in my life. (I am recovering from relational trauma.)

Photography provides me with consistent, gentle experiences that teach my nervous system about present-moment safety.

Sometimes, like this one where I was photographing the anemones, I start out with sharp, distinct focus as I begin the work. Then I settle in. And I end up with soft, relaxed focus. I wonder if this is why I like film so much. It gives me the latitude to step away from the immediacy of picture-taking (which, let’s face, is what digital photography is all about: instant feedback). The film approach suits me.

Leaving and Waving

Leaving and Waving, October 2025

I am deeply moved by Deanna Dikeman’s project, Leaving and Waving. Deanna took a small gesture of love, a simple family tradition, recognized it for the work of art it was, and then proceeded to document it for all her worth. Every photograph in her project resonates with my own experience as the parent of adult children. Waving good-bye after they visit is our tradition, too. And always, that goodbye is bittersweet. So proud of the men they have become while still holding tight to the little boys they once were. Deeply happy to see them, to hug them, to witness their lives. Willing to let them go. Knowing this is the right thing to do. Looking forward to their next visit before they even make it to the highway toward their own homes.

Pictures Make the Best Gifts

Artifact Uprising is having a 30% off sale on calendars right now. I’ve been designing and ordering these calendars to give as Christmas gifts for years. I’ve always been pleased with the quality of the prints, and the gifts have been well-received.

It would be easy to spend hours deliberating on photo choices for calendars, especially if you’re into specific themes. But I take a simpler approach, mostly driven by the “does this spark joy” criterion. Generally, I look to photos from the current year— though I often have to go back a few years to find winter images since I tend to take fewer pictures during those months. I try to stick to a color palette so that the monthly photos flow smoothly. I don’t get too hung up on something specific for a given month like hearts for February with Valentine’s Day, but I do take a seasonal approach.

When I think of showing and sharing my work, this is one of my favorite ways. It’s not about approval-seeking or external validation of my photography skill. It’s simply sharing something I love to make in the same way I might make jars of granola, sugar cookies, or loaves of poppy seed bread as gifts. A joyful act of kindness.

Calendar Images for 2026