I was around the age of 7 when I came across a Minolta SR-2 camera that no longer worked. I spent hours with that black and silver device, snapping pretend photos and imagining a magnificent world beyond my small country town.
I envisioned all the splendor of my own unique prints – how the light would dance upon the fresh dew of a petal fallen too soon…swords of light protruding through outstretched tree limbs…fiery orange and red sunsets over mountain tops…the fog as it’s shadowy veil lifted over the meadow…
As I grew, so did my love of photography. I made sure to take classes in high school where I could process my film and manipulate the exposure and tone of my final piece. My passion for dodging and burning reflected my love of light pressing through dark space – something that would become my life’s theme.
Over the years I took many photos, spent hours experimenting in the darkroom taking great care to process my film and turn negatives into prints. I was enamored with the entire process from start to finish.
And then, as so often happens in life, I no longer made time for the thing I loved…
I left behind my camera for the ease of using a cell phone camera…but never left behind the passion for a perfect capture.
A few weeks ago, I ditched the phone camera for the real deal. I took myself, my boy, and that camera for a long, uninterrupted walk. We explored, we skimmed rocks, we jumped and splashed. We watched light peek through trees and pirouette across the water. We were calm, at peace, a mindless restfulness…
And that’s when I saw it – his light through a different lens…
The petal, seemingly fallen from it’s host too soon, graced by the kiss of dew…
Outstretched limbs, embracing, sheltering…
Fiery orange and red, burning boundless, a mother’s love…
The cloudy veil now lifted…
The passions and dreams of my childhood had taken human form and were now standing before me and I marveled at the parallels, the truths, the coming full circle.
He is my splendor, my greatest passion, my soul’s eternal work.
He is always the light pressing through my dark.
