Through Her Lens

by Kelly

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen nor touched but are felt in the heart. Helen Keller

Standing on the shoulders of giants.

That’s what comes to mind when I think about my photography…when I think about what it means to be a female photographer. Great works by the likes of Dorothea Lange, Vivian Maier, and Sally Mann, immediately come to mind. I love the way they capture everyday moments, but even more than that, I am particularly inspired by their gritty, almost raw, portraits.  How they seem to capture not only a moment in time, but also the full spectrum of human emotion in their subjects.

I thought the subject of women photographers was fitting since March is designated as National Women’s History Month – the purpose of which is to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of women. The three women I mentioned (along with many, many others) paved the way for all of us who dare look through the lens and press the shutter. All of us who have experienced great healing from putting ourselves in the presence of beauty and wonder. All of us who use photography as a tool to challenge ourselves to see the world differently and then go out share that with others.

The truth is, I wholeheartedly believe that women have a unique perspective when it comes to photography. And I think one of the reasons is because of our roles as mothers and/or care-givers...the way we nurture and tend to needs of our families and loved ones. It is a fact that women are hard-wired for bonding – connection to others is encoded in our DNA.  So it is no surprise to me that this shows up in our photography.

I recently had the opportunity to visit with Zach Jenkins, the Community & Content Manager at Flickr. This month Flickr is celebrating women in photography with the #ThroughHerLens campaign, and he urged me to invite all of you to share your work and your stories with the Flickr community.  I can’t think of a more fitting way to honor the legacy of the incredible women whose gifts and talents have made such a valuable contribution to world of photography.

Finally, I can’t speak about women and photography without thinking of you.  Community, connection, and inspiration has always been at the heart of what we do at Focusing on Life.  Our hope is to create a place where we can all learn and grow and nurture our passion for photography.  And I feel so proud and honored to share this space with all of you.

Until next time,

Kelly

Ubunto

by Judy

Over the past week I've had many ideas about this blog post, but I couldn't bring all of my thoughts coherently together.  Although I wanted to write about spring, or photography, my mind kept going to my friend Jeannie, who passed away last Wednesday evening, just one week ago today.  She had a horrible form of cancer that didn't respond to any treatments, and she suffered a long, arduous journey.  

She is survived by her wonderful husband, and two precious sons - one, a 10 year old, and the other, a 14 year old who is a good friend of my own 14 year old.  

Even though I still weep at the thought of her being gone, I'm trying to focus on the way that the community is coming together to try and help.  Neighborhood Mom's and Dad's, all of her family, the boys classmates, school administrators, church members and coaches are coming together to help the family through this.  

"Ubunto" is an African tribal philosophy that is about the community coming together to help one another.  We've all heard that "it takes a village" to raise a child, and even in this modern, tech-filled world we live in, the community is still such an  important part of supporting our friends and loved ones in need.  

In this time of sadness it is so heartwarming to see all of the good that is surrounding Jeannie's family.  It's human nature to band together and to help one another.  I see that there is still a lot of love and hope in this world, and that's a good thing to remember when it seems we only see what is wrong and hateful in people.  

I don't have the answers that Jeannie's sons want to hear right now, and I certainly can't fix this, but I can be there for them, and I will be there for them.  I need to help her children on their journey through this, to not only survive this awful time, but to thrive.  And I know that they will thrive. This loving community of people are going to see to that!  

"You must not lose faith in humanity.  Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."  

Ghandi

Community Sparks Creativity

by Carol

A dress made entirely on envelopes

Do you sometimes page through Flickr or Instagram and just marvel at the talent on display? Does that sometimes translate into thoughts of inadequacy?

I believe the way around that is to change your reference point. Failure is a very important part of learning. Watching others struggle and overcome teaches so much more than watching successful finished products over and over again. Because each gain represents a trial. According to Danny Gregory - an artist who studies inspiration - when you watch others work through an issue, it makes the process more external. In other words, it separates your own ego from failures and illustrates how problems are solved.  That gives you a thought process in which new ideas can pop up. It provides hope that creative problems in general, are solvable. It frees you to experiment without vulnerability.

That's what's so wonderful about having a creative community. We watch each other experiment. One of us enters a creative surge while another is blocked. New solutions are floated that spark different ideas in another. 

A safe encouraging environment where you are allowed to be vulnerable. Isn't that a breeding ground for creativity? Who doesn't desire that in every aspect of life?

                                             

                                                  He who works with his hands is a laborer.

                                                  He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.

                                                  He who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist.

                                      

                                                                                                                        St. Francis of Assisi

Because They Get It

by Kelly

This time two weeks ago, I was in Phoenix.

As Terri described on Tuesday, we spent three days exploring all the wonder and magic of area.Having never been to the desert before, I was amazed at colors and textures...all so beautiful.  I like to say I fell in love with the desert on that trip.

Equally as wonderful though was getting to spend time with my friends. I spent the long weekend with four of my FOL sisters and also was thrilled to meet our mutual friend, Barbara Carroll, in person.

During our time together, there was obviously a lot of talk about our surroundings.  Throughout the weekend, Terri was a wonderful hostess and I learned so much about the desert landscape.  During our time with Barbara on Thursday, she introduced me o the native beauty of Barrio Historico and Mission San Xavier del Bak.

Some of my favorite times on the trip though, were when we were sitting together over a meal and talking.  Conversations about life and family.  Conversations about photography, art, and creativity.

I would just like to say for the record that I am blessed with a tremendously supportive family.  And although they may not share my enthusiasm for {P}hotography, they encourage me and even let me practice on them.  But entertaining a lengthy, esoteric conversation about whether or not it's appropriate to Photoshop out a distracting element in a photograph???  Yeah....not so much.

My photography family though...they get it.  They get the struggle with Art and Vision.  They get the challenge of trying to stay authentic and true to one's creative vision.  They get the frustration of social media and the comparison trap and how it can often lead to doubt and insecurity.

In this month traditionally set aside for gratitude, I am truly thankful for all of the FOL family. I am thankful to have a place where I feel accepted and appreciated for my own unique gifts and talents.  I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow as a Photographer in whatever direction that takes me.  And I am grateful to you for giving me a place to share it all.

Love, Kelly

Goodbye doesn't always mean, the end . . .

by Kim

"I wanted a perfect ending, Now I've learned, the hard way,

that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a

clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing,

having to change, taking the moment and making the best

of it, without knowing what's going to happen next."

- Gilda Radner

Honestly, I'm having a really hard time finding the right words. What to share, what not to.

I too have learned the hard way, as all of us have at one point or another, that life doesn't always wax poetic. That sometimes the chapters we find ourselves in are, well, just not the ones we pictured ourselves starring in. It doesn't mean that the entire book isn't a good one, just that we might have to make some minor adjustments. Not to the book, but with ourselves.

As some of you may know, my son has a chronic illness, a rare type of juvenile arthritis (SOJIA). The last two years have been challenging to say the least, with its ups and downs and several hospitalizations due to complications. And right now I'm struggling to juggle everything.

That's why I've had to make the decision that for now I need to allow myself a little more breathing room. After over three years of sharing photography and thoughts about life here with this incredible community, sadly this will be my last regular post. There have been some recent developments with my son that are making it harder to show up with any kind of inspiration.

I went down memory lane this last week and read some of my posts from the last three years and am taking away with me some of my own advice as I exit stage left (or is it right?) and maybe something might speak to you as well.


To give myself permission to redefine choices of what is and what is not absolutely necessary.

That happiness is accepting where I am, and when I observe what is in front of me I will still be able to see joy dancing.

To make time for nothing, it's where peace and tranquility resides.

That in chaos, life depends on being able grow where I land (or where I'm thrown).

To pay attention to metaphors through my lens, life is constantly teaching me a lesson if I'm willing to listen.

To start out each day with something agreeable, like a rose, and not a thistle.

Focus on the gift of today, it has no shelf life.

Do not take for granted that gratitude can lead me through a day.

To remember that sometimes the more I chase things, the less likely I am to find it.

I am going to allow myself to be in the stillness of a space without a plan.

That art can be used for healing. That pain can be turned into something beautiful. To see the silver lining in the things that feel so hard.

To remember to look a little harder, to take a little extra time, to dig down deep, to find the good in the places that are the most difficult.

And I'm going to do my best to continue looking for beauty beneath the gray days, knowing that there is always something shimmering like gold somewhere.


"Never say goodbye because
goodbye means going away
and going away means
forgetting." -Peter Pan


To this fabulous community of creatives, and to my FOL sisters, it has been a privilege to be a contributor here. I am grateful for our time spent together and our friendships, and for your support. Focusing on Life continues to be such a great platform for sharing our lives and our art and I will still be one of your biggest fans.

So, I'm not going to say goodbye. Just see ya 'round.

Love, Kim xo

Welcome to the Club

by Kelly

Who do you think you are? With your amateur equipment and your pictures of coffee cups and garden flowers?  Really? You call yourself a photographer?  Don't make me laugh....

I used to think these kinds of comments were just my overly-active, imaginary inner critic.  But apparently I was wrong.  Because it was to these real critics that David duChemin addressed in his recent blog post, On Real Photographers.

Now admittedly, David was referring more to "professional" photographers - those that are, in his words, "gluttons enough for punishment that we want to do this for a living".  But I still very much appreciated his attitude of inclusion and abundance.  In fact, if I might extend his metaphor...it sort of felt like the coolest boy in school invited this new kid to come sit at the table with him and his friends at lunch.

I'm wondering if you can relate?

And if you can, today I would like to extend an invitation to you to come sit at our table.  At Focusing on Life, we are a community of women photographers.  We are a family of light seekers and storytellers.  Magic finders and moment capturers.  Truth sayers and joy documenters.

To be part of our community, you don't need a pedigree or series of letters after your name.  You don't have to show us a W-2 or spend your days as a starving artist.  You don't need a portfolio or thousands of Instagram followers.  (Although if any of those describe you, you are more than welcome to join us as well!)

No, all you need to be part of our community is an open heart and a desire to learn and grow as a photographer.

So my friends, whether you're new to photography or new to Focusing on Life, welcome to the club...we are so happy to have you!  Won't you please come sit down?  Here is a bit about us....we would love for you tell us a little bit about yourself too.  And if you've been with us for a while, we still love hearing from you.  Tell us what you've been up to?

Personally, I still have so much to learn.  But the one thing I do know is that this journey is so much more gratifying with friends.  Thank you for letting me share it with you.

Love, Kelly