Today's History Lesson

My husband is a history enthusiast, and because he supports my passions, I support his. We have stopped to read almost every historical marker between our home and anywhere we travel. We have hiked battlefields and visited museums, stopped at visitor centers and kiosks, listened to park rangers tell the stories of lands and people from long ago, and studied the nature of and within the places wherever we roam.

Spotsylvania Battlefield | Donna Hopkins, 2023

I admit that I am not as enamored of history as my husband is—having found the subject incredibly boring in school. The memorization of dates and events without context or story felt like punishment and my aim was simply to get through the course with a passing grade. But photography opens the doors for my learning and growth in ways I seldom see coming.

Today’s Sunday Edition of Photosnack features photographer, Owen Davies. His advice really hit home.

Recently, I’ve been learning to trust my intuition more when it comes to creating images. I’m trying not to question why I’m taking a photograph of something when I feel compelled to raise the camera to my eye and press the shutter.

I’ve been making visual work in some capacity or other for nearly 15 years now, so I’d like to think I have developed a good sense for an image. If my brain is telling me to take a photo in the moment, I’m taking it as a sign that there’s something there, even if I’m not entirely sure what it is yet!

I searched for Owen’s original feature on Photosnack #421 (December 17, 2024) and discovered his website. I absolutely fell in love with his work. Especially his story, The Great Outsiders. Here’s a little background.

During the prosperous 1950s, visitation to national parks grew significantly as more Americans could afford and had the time to take vacations. Most traveled by automobile, which expanded the range of locales available for family vacations and made it easier to reach remote parks. The increased visitor traffic placed considerable strain on the outdated facilities at most parks. In 1956, the National Park Service designed a billion dollar project, the Mission 66 program, to restore park infrastructure and services.

In studying the architecture of Owen’s photos, The Great Outsiders, and reading about his project, I immediately recognized the modernist style of the buildings, including the Visitor Centers and Kiosks at National Park Battlefields in my area. I also knew right away that I had a few pictures in my archives of these locations.

Wilderness Battlefield Visitor Center | Donna Hopkins, 2021

Like Owen, I simply raised the camera to my eye and pressed the shutter. I knew I was drawn to this style and to these scenes, but I had no idea why. The photos remained in the shadows of my hard drive, waiting for me to recognize their worth and meaning.

The Great Outsiders documents remaining visitor centers from the Mission 66 era, exploring the under-appreciated beauty of these outposts of suburbia and their presence in a modern parks system looking to move on. —Owen Davies

Thank you to Tomasz Trzebiatowski, the founder of FRAMES, and to Owen Davies, for the wonder of Sunday morning magic, where there is time for creative exploration and new growth.

Picture Love

Those of who take pictures and those of us who love pictures know this central truth. We take pictures to give some measure of permanence to things that are here today and gone tomorrow. The act of taking a picture is our way of fixing that memory in our minds and hearts. We line up in groups at family reunions and snap a picture. We mark our children’s first day of school with a quick photo. We spend a small fortune on wedding pictures. All so that we may remember what we hold dear.

A friend wrote today to ask if I could do her a small favor. Her brother-in-law had passed away suddenly. The family simply didn’t have many pictures of this person and they were scrambling to come up with a usable picture for his obituary. Could I crop out her brother-in-law from a group photo to create a small head shot for an obituary? I did my best, working from a small, low resolution image. And I was happy to help.

But all of this got me thinking about the practicality of photography. For all the talk of artful photographs, many of us would give anything to hold in our hands just one small reminder of those we love. To that printed picture we may apologize; we may pray; we may beg; we may weep; we may sing; we may be filled with joy or sorrow. But that picture is the thing that activates our nervous system so that we might feel anchored to all that holds meaning for us.

Mom at the Bedroom Window | Donna Hopkins, 2016

I’m taking a mental note to be sure to take pictures of the people I love.

The Bigger Picture

I love words like growth mindset and neuroplasticity and cognitive behavioral therapy. For me, these words represent hope and change and love and evolution. I try to balance these parts of myself, those that are stubborn and fierce and sometimes relentless in their pursuit of what might be better, with the other parts. Those that are peaceful and content and balanced and grateful and relaxed and accepting. This is a tightrope that I walk everyday. And, if I am honest, most of the time, it’s more like I am bouncing up and down on a see-saw than carefully stepping heel-to-toe on that tightrope. I find the whole process exhilarating.

Four Seasons & Ivy | Donna Hopkins, 2016

From Katherine Metzelaar, Shifting the focus: Praising what truly matters

What if we focused on praising qualities that really matter in others and in ourselves—like kindness, strength, or creativity? What if you celebrated what your body can do, rather than how it appears?

Here are some examples that you can try:

For Your Own Body:
“I’m really proud of my body for carrying me through today, even when I felt tired.”
“I’m thankful for my body for allowing me to move in ways that feel good.”
“I appreciate my body for nourishing me and helping me show up every day.”
“I’m proud of how my body has healed and grown over time.”
“I’m thankful for the energy my body gave me to accomplish everything today.”

For Another Person:
"You bring so much warmth and kindness to everyone around you."
"Your sense of humor always brightens the room."
"I admire how thoughtful you are"
"You inspire me with how dedicated you are to your passions."
“You have such a calming presence; I always feel at ease around you.”

By shifting the focus, you remove the pressure tied to appearance and help others feel valued for who they are, not just how they look.

Four Seasons & Ketchup | Donna Hopkins, 2025

From Annie Wright’s post When Your Professional Strengths Become Your Relationship Blindspots, “Emotional responsiveness is the bedrock of a secure relationship.”

My husband and I read every word of this article together as we work on securing and strengthening our marriage of 44 years. This work is absolutely worth it!

Four Seasons & Cigarettes | Donna Hopkins, 2016

Copying

I’m working on a new project, and I couldn’t grow and learn without copying.

I love Austin Kleon’s take on copying.

“Don’t just steal the style, steal the thinking behind the style. You don’t want to look like your heroes, you want to see like your heroes.”

I love taking pictures and creating photo books. And while I wish I could take a class at Maine Media Workshops and study with Eliot Dudik, those opportunities come with hefty price tags that are simply out of my reach financially. I do all of my work at our desktop and don’t even own a laptop, so I’m not sure how I’d benefit from some of the courses on bookmaking I read about (I’m talking about you Mary Virginia Swanson). Money (or the lack thereof) is a powerful creative constraint. And I thrive on constraints.

So I set about designing my own curriculum, driven by the desire to read and learn and practice. I give myself permission to make learning fun and follow the path that seems right for me.

A little more from Austin Kleon’s, Steal Like an Artist.

“The writer Wilson Mizner said if you copy from one author, it’s plagiarism, but if you copy from many, it’s research.”

For my current work, I pull from people and work that speaks to me, transforming their work into something of my own. Adding something to the world that only I can add.

You can keep up with my current project, A Guidebook For Small Travels - how to know very well your own little place in the world, over here. I’m opening up my process and inviting you in.