I felt like I needed to have a finale for Be Still 52, a year long class on still life photography that I took with Kim Klassen. I was looking forward to the last post and the last week's exercise. The post came with a beautiful photo, a thank you, and a goodbye from Kim, but no exercise. I was disappointed. I felt a little let down. So, I decided to do my own finish. I chose to create a few still life images with sea shells, since that's how I began a year ago. The first picture I posted for the class is the one above. I don't know that I can adequately describe what I have learned this year. This class was a big step outside of my comfort zone. I am not a still life photographer unless it is a still life in nature. I struggled the first few weeks. I just could not create those beautiful soft images like everyone else. My heart had to be in it and it wasn't until I began to create with the things I love; bits and pieces of nature. That's when I relaxed, breathed, and found peace while setting up and photographing my simple arrangements.
The shell above is one that I picked up when our family vacationed on Dauphin Island, Alabama last summer. I was captured by it's imperfections. The sand? Along with the shells I did bring home a container full of sand!
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Playing with the shells and sand brought back such wonderful memories of the best vacation I've ever had. I loved the beauty and sound of the ocean and I loved the week spent with my family!
I enjoyed the early morning walks along the beach; the sun coming up, my bare feet in the sand, and my little red bucket filled with shells. Oh, how I long to return. Maybe someday!
Good for you Kathy, I love these beach theme shots makes you feel you are there. I think Kim's attention now is elsewhere, her studio and The Studio. The whole last few weeks or months seemed to be only prompts, which was a disappointment for me anyway since I don't do well with prompts.
ReplyDeleteI love your shell captures, Cathy - such a lovely way to finish your year doing Stoll Life photography! I like the way you've used sand in these shots. It makes me want to be beside the sea and to feel the sand between my toes and the gentle wavelets refreshing my feet! It's so hot here now!
ReplyDeleteLovely! I think that was perhaps the most valuable take away. Do what we love.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to have come upon your blog this year, Cathy, as I've really enjoyed your photos! Your beach themed finale photos are beautiful--especially like the first one with the single white shell... Hope you do get the chance to return to the beach with your family very soon :)
ReplyDeleteA perfect ending for a year of amazing growth.
ReplyDeleteI have been inspired every week by the way you have embraced this challenge, stepping outside your photographic comfort zone. I loved the way you shared on such a personal level those things that you love and have deep meaning to you. Congrats for seeing it through each week. Love this final images.
ReplyDeleteooooooo, these are so me!!! your best work so far!!!!! always do what you love :)
ReplyDeleteit sounds like you've been on a wonderful still life journey, and photography is so good for reliving memories isn't it?
ReplyDeleteOh, some of these images really inspire me to sign up for this course. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI need to do a post like this, too, Cathy. I had many similar feelings throughout the class, and was also disappointed that we didn't really have a final lesson to wrap things up. I'd been looking forward to it! I love that you brought sand as well as shells back from your vacation. (I did that long ago on a trip to Hawaii and called it my vacation in a jar.) I love the still lifes you created from these treasures, so beautiful in their simplicity.
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