Light-headed

mother daughter duo

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:42 -0500

It was interesting to observe the dynamics of this mother daughter musical duo. The traditional roles appeared to be flipped in these two, and nothing about them on the outside seemed at all similar to the other. And yet as soon as they began to sing together the uniting of their very different voices was mesmerizing. The contrast itself blending into something sweet sounding and beautiful.

I find it fascinating how diversity can bring about war as well as harmony. What causes the incongruity of people to reach such very different conclusions? Everything in nature teaches us that contrast is a necessary and wonderful thing, and yet we aren’t so keen on this when it comes to people. In music, the intention is one of bringing together very different sounds to create something harmonious and fluid. So perhaps practicing similar intentions in our relations with one another would yield something as lovely as that which these women brought forth the day I photographed them.

~Cynthia

black and white porch

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 07:40 -0500

There is much I don’t care for in this image; all the distracting black and white lines, white tights and bottoms of shoes (darn chilly winter), and contrasty light just to name a few. But after spending the majority of the session in perpetual pursuit of this rapidly moving toddler who seemed to be singularly focused on avoiding any sort of connection with me, this momentary retreat at the end represented a small victory.

Photographing children continually offers opportunities for practice in learning to let go of rigid mindsets and attachment to specific outcomes. It teaches the importance of remaining fluid and adaptable, of making friends with impermanence, and more than anything being grateful for what is, regardless of the imperfections.

~Cynthia

stare

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:10 -0500

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

~W. H. Davies

rocking horse

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:45 -0500

Being shy is quite useful to a photographer, because it gives you the opportunity of not
being shy once you have the field of a camera before you. It protects you from being shy.

~Elliott Erwitt

old stone bank

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:04 -0500

What I kind of like about this image is how the texture of the old stone bank mimics the graininess of film. I stood directly in front of this very studious looking man to frame the shot and get the exposure right, and he never once glanced up. I wondered what it was he was reading that kept him so engrossed.

This was taken last summer in Providence, Rhode Island. I was only there a couple of days and it rained most of the time, but hope to return again at some point as there were endless photographic opportunities, and nothing about it resembled the south.

~Cynthia

'lil tongue

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 11:42 -0500

My guess is that the clients wouldn’t likely be interested in purchasing this image, and I probably won’t include it in their proof selection, but how awesome is this Michael Jordan tongue action along with the flying corkscrew pigtails?!? It was as if this little girl was using everything she had to keep her balance as she barreled full speed down the ramp. I knew as I made this shot that she was wholeheartedly engrossed in the moment at hand, and in my careful attention to her I found that I was as well.

So maybe not art, it does have the cute factor going for it a little bit, wouldn’t you say? Ü

~Cynthia

falling toward the center

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 07:10 -0500

It doesn't interest me if there is one God
or many gods.
I want to know if you belong or feel
abandoned,
if you can know despair or see it in others.
I want to know
if you are prepared to live in the world
with its harsh need
to change you. If you can look back
with firm eye,
saying this is where I stand. I want to know
if you know
how to melt into that fierce heat of living,
falling toward
the center of your longing. I want to know
if you are willing
to live, day by day, with the consequence of love
and the bitter
unwanted passion of your sure defeat.

I have heard, in that fierce embrace, even
the gods speak of God.

~David Whyte

secret planet

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:30 -0500

There is at the back of every artist's mind...
the landscape of his dreams.; the strange flora
and fauna of his own secret planet; the sort of
thing he likes to think about. This general atmosphere...
governs all his creations, however varied.

~G. K. Chesterton

exit

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:00 -0500

I had a sneaking suspicion that at this point in time the young boys might just be ready to exit the photo session. But I’m intuitive this way, and able to pick up on subtleties that other, less tuned in photographers might miss. Because of this special talent I’m able to quickly rush in and grab precious moments such as this that might otherwise be lost, and preserve them forever. What parent wouldn’t want a large canvas of this fine art piece hanging over their fireplace? Ü

Kidding aside, images such as these make me smile because they serve as a reminder that self expression is a gift we all arrived here owning and exhibiting freely. We only had it trained out of us. Who hasn’t had to sit through some boring meeting or mandatory gathering, and secretly wished they could dramatically run to their vehicle with arms flailing in the air screaming, “GET ME OUT OF HERE!”?

~Cynthia

meanwhile the world goes on

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 07:12 -0500

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting --
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

~Mary Oliver