Organic Photography

This piece was written by a fellow MFA colleague of mine who is working for the New Britain Museum of American Art. I am thoroughly honored and thought that I should share here. To read the post, go here .

There is a saying in writing about getting a project done. The first and foremost thing that you have to do as a writer is show up at the page. It is required. It is your responsibility to the art of writing. The same is true for photography. I have a friend who always says "Shoot every day." I think that is a valid premise, but I prefer to take it a bit further. To me, Show Up at the Shutter is a little more involved than just creating an image every day. There is some sort of obligatory feeling associated with shooting every day that doesn't carry with it the weight of being present . I've been writing a lot more recently and I have come to a new understanding that showing up at the page isn't just about putting gibberish down on paper (or, clicking it into the screen) but rather about coming to the page and earnestly trying to get something pertinent down. Even if you end up staring at the screen and doing nothing else for hours, if you are searching th...

I received a shipment of books today for a column that I am writing for a Photographer's magazine. I am a little concerned about where I am going to store all of the books that will be coming should the column be successful. (This first one is a trial run.) Some of them are lovely. I'm excited about the opportunity and the books themselves, just worried about the space constraints of our already full condo. Hmmmm. What is a girl to do?

It has not been an easy few months. When I decided to return to photography after six years in a relatively lucrative corporate position I knew it wouldn't be. Everything that is worth doing is worth struggling for, worth whatever heartache, obstacles, and pressures come your way. Getting this MFA was worth doing. Despite the long and hard academic road, the trials and tribulations of living 200 miles from my husband, the financial hole I dug for us - despite all of that, this road was worth taking. I will never look back at my choices and think "what if." Never. I pursued my dream and it has gotten me here. And here seems to be acknowledging my struggles. I have now had three articles published, two about well-respected photographers and one about me. Three more are in the queue with various publications to be published soon. I was just recently asked to join Photographer's Forum magazine as their book reviewer and will be starting a position teaching photo...

I know I haven't written for a while. That would mostly be because I was concentrating on the show, the defense, and the culminating document. All of that is completed, now. I finished the remaining requirements and as of December 6 th I am officially a Brooks MFA graduate. The ceremony itself was held on December 21st and my immediate family and some professors were there to celebrate. There was a small snafu with the actual hooding process as Dr. Anderson had trouble getting my hood to open and accusingly uttered "Did you sew it shut?" as he frantically tried to pull the edges apart, but aside from that the ceremony went off without a hitch. Now the real work begins. I have been applying to jobs and seeking out opportunities since April of last year, but in many senses I have given myself leeway for not having found work because I was still "in school" despite the fact that classes themselves stopped meeting in August. Now, though, I have to find a job ...