Finding Solace in the Sky

by Kelly

This past Thursday, my dad was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia.  In the wee hours of Friday morning he was having so much trouble breathing that he had to be taken to the ICU where he was intubated and put on a ventilator. I got the call Friday morning, then immediately went to pick up my mom to head to the hospital.  I took this photo of the sunrise with my iPhone while sitting at a stop light.

My dad steadily improved and by Saturday afternoon he was able to get off the ventilator.  And I am happy to report that yesterday was moved out of ICU and was able to be taken off oxygen.  Hopefully he will get to come home in a few days...meanwhile our family is incredibly relieved and grateful....grateful for the skilled doctors, nurses, and techs, grateful for the thoughts and prayers of friends and family.

During the course of the weekend, I spent a considerable amount of time at the hospital.  A lot of time was spent sitting and talking with my mom, waiting on doctor's orders, waiting on test results, watching my dad's monitor, observing the activity on the rest of the floor of the ICU.

Friday afternoon, my mom had gone home for a couple of hours to get grab a few things for staying at the hospital.  I was sitting in the chair in my dad's room listening to the gentle drone of the ventilator and the alternating fill and release of the circulation cuffs around my dad's calves.  For all of the frenzy in the ICU, it was a relatively quiet and peaceful moment.

My thoughts turned to my photography...for a half a second I entertained the idea of taking a photo.  But I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  It was too hard.  It hurt too much.

It was the same story on Saturday.  That afternoon though, my mom had urged me to go outside and get some fresh air.  It was a beautiful day - warm and sunny.  A bright blue sky and the promise of spring in the dormant buds on the tree branches.  Another quick snap with my iPhone.

For two days I didn't pick up my big camera.

Understandably, this might not seem like a big deal to you.  But considering that I have taken a photo every single day for the past three years, it seemed odd that I wasn't able to show up to my photography.   For all of my big talk around here about being mindful and learning to see things differently, when push came to shove, I couldn't do it.

Maybe a stronger photographer could have found a way to tell this story - the hospital, the tubes, the wires - better with photos, but quite franky,  I really don't care.  I didn't need to see - I didn't need mindfulness....I was there.  I saw, I was present.  What I needed was comfort.  What I needed was hope.

I don't share a lot here about my personal beliefs, but I am both a religious and highly spiritual person.  And when I need hope, I turn to my faith.  When I need hope, I often look to the sky.

Looking to the sky puts my present circumstances into a little perspective.  It reminds me that there is a much bigger picture outside of my very limited line of sight.  The rising sun gives me hope.  The setting sun encourages trust.

I am so happy to share that my dad is finally out of the ICU and in now on the road to recovery.  I'm sure as time goes on, there will be more time to reflect on the events of this past weekend and their impact of my photography.  But I'm ok with that too.

Once again, I would like to express my family's profound gratitude to all of you for your thoughts and prayers.  They have been a great source of comfort and strength to all of us.

Love, Kelly

366 Days in the Life

by Kelly

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”  Annie Dillard

1,095...the number of days in the past three years...the number of days that I have picked up my camera in the past three years.

I started my first 365 project in 2013 with the goal of improving my photography.  As it turned out, photography has become a way of life for me.  It is my daily practice for my pursuit of mindfulness and being fully present in my own life. And here I am...1,095 days later, still taking a photograph everyday.

As each of the previous three years has drawn to a close, it's always the same question...is daily photography something I want to continue?  Is it helpful?  Is it worth the time and energy?  Do I have anything left to say, photographically speaking?

As in previous years, this year my answer to the question was yes.

In the case that you have decided to take on a photo 365 (+1 for leap year) this year, I wanted to share with you a few thoughts and insights that I have gained from the past three years.  Because, like all new endeavors, it's easy feel inspired and motivated in the beginning.  But as with any year-long project, there will always be bumps in the road.  And, for me, January is a big one.

The short days of January are my achilles heel, and so to combat the problem, I usually try to take my photo in the morning.  But on this morning I was running late and decided that I would do later.  Except that I had to work late and it was dark by the time I got home.  So this was my shot for January 7, 2016.  There is nothing spectacular about this photo other than it's sort of homey.  But this is my real life and this shot tells that story.

I think this might be the most important piece of advice that I could offer someone embarking on a 365 project...you will take some less than stellar photos and it's best to just go ahead and make peace with that right now.  I mean until the day that I can make a livable wage taking pictures of my beside table (kleenex box and all!), my other responsibilities to my family will always come first.  It's not that I am not making my photography a priority - because I am! - it's just that I have to be realistic about it. And when unexpected things like this happens, I take the shot and move on.

But when time does allow, I expose different compositions and perspectives.  I play with exposure - currently I am experimenting with under-exposing my shots a tiny amount.  Loving the deeper, richer tones and moody shadows.

More than anything though - more than camera settings or post-processing - the skill I am working on the most is my vision...my creative vision.  Learning to see things in a new way.

And I think that is why I continue to take photos everyday...because there always so much room for growth here.  

So if you have embarked on a 365 (+1) project this year, don't get intimidated by the number.  Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint.  All you have to do is pick up your camera and take a picture.  There is no 365 police judging your work.  There is no one to answer to... just your heart and desire to capture the magic and wonder in your life. And this year we have 366 opportunities to do so.

Until next time,

Kelly

P.S.  In case you didn't know, we have a special Flickr group just for photo 365 projects.  There you will find thousands of inspiring images taken by the talented members of our community.

365 Days

by Cathy

“Do stuff. Be clenched, curious. Not waiting for inspiration's shove or society's kiss on your forehead. Pay attention. It's all about paying attention. Attention is vitality. It connects you with others. It makes you eager. stay eager.”  

~ Susan Sontag

For the last couple of years I have done a 365 project; a daily photo paired with a few words about the day. I shared the photos on Flickr and on my personal blog. When I set forth to do my first 365 I took a photo every day but did not give much thought to it, focusing instead on learning to get my camera off manual mode. I viewed it a little bit like homework. This past year however I really tried be more present; capturing moments in the day which really spoke to me and not worrying so much about the settings of my camera. 

Why commit to 365 days of photos you might ask? For me it is mainly about journaling proof and learning to pay attention. Plus, it has helped me become very familiar with my camera. There is no doubt that picking it up every single day and shooting in all types of situations has helped me become a better photographer and helped me develop my style. I now view my camera as an extension of myself, something to be used, and not some expensive tool which lives in my padded camera bag. If you were to walk into my home you would see that it is out all the time; in the kitchen if I am cooking, lying on the dining room table or on my desk; in my purse if I am leaving. It gets used. 

Lately I have been using my new iPhone for my daily photos, which has helped me learn the iPhone, after switching from an android device. It has also helped me get to know the new apps I have.

The new year is just around the corner and I am giving thought to just what my 365 will look like in 2015. I have loved this month of gratitude and am trying to think of a meaningful way to continue with that in some manner; but I still have a few weeks to decide. I do know that I will be at it again in 2015, not for the sole reason to become a better photography (although practice is so important) but because it has helped me appreciate this life around me. It has helped me pay attention. It has helped me stay eager.

What do you have planned for 2015? Do tell. . . . 

Isn't life grand! xoxoxo