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I am finally embarking on a long awaited read of inner Excavation by Liz Lamoreux – the book has literally been sitting, always perfectly positioned within my eyesight for months now just waiting for the “right” time – the time when I would create and allow space, margin, unrushed breaths in my perpetually over-committed and hectic pace of life.
This book invites investing in and exercising the “true self” muscle on a journey of exploration…gathering, looking, seeing, opening, knowing…through photography, poetry and mixed media. Liz takes the reader through a series of photo and word excursions, artist illuminations, and “unearthing” prompts and exercises to get the mind, soul and creativity fully engaged and present. I first grabbed this book not just because it’s beautiful and a work of art in itself but also because I am drawn not only to the expression of art but also to the practice and discipline of art and artist – of nurturing the artist in moments of creating but also in the stillness, nurturing the creative spirit when engaged but also when resting and observing, stretching the “artist muscles” by using them and challenging them. I look forward to taking this side-step of sorts, out of my own way for a season, to rediscover and reclaim my artistic voice. As part of this journey, I will be chronicling some of my discoveries, exercises and thoughts in the hopes that you will respect and take good care of them, reader.
So without further adieu, I bring you a photo excursion exercise: Document one “ordinary” day in your life in photographs. Sounds easy right? Think again. This is one of the most difficult exercises I have ever done – because the purpose is not to create “pretty” or portfolio worthy photos, it’s not to create a technically perfect photo, it’s not to “stage” an ideal set-up for capture, it’s not to pick a day when you know you will be somewhere beautiful or on a special occasion and it’s not even to like what you are photographing necessarily. The goal is to strip all that away and try to capture the ordinary in my day. Unfortunately, the day I had already chosen to be my day turned out to be a rainy, dreary day that I was completely swamped with work on anyway and wasn’t even able to leave the house at all, adding an extra layer of difficulty to my challenge. I am not going to disclaim, explain, defend or justify any of the photos and I am not looking for feedback or approval. Instead, I would rather share with you how difficult it was to see and convey interesting amidst the ordinary. I was reminded that sometimes I try too hard and in doing so, I don’t really look closely enough or specifically enough or long enough…and sometimes I just don’t see what may be right within my eyes’ plain sight. I want to remember to always return to exercises like this – to keep my perspectives, my sights, my expressions, and my voice authentic, interesting and anything but ordinary.
So here’s my challenge to you – try this, no scratch that – do this. Document one ordinary day in YOUR life in photos or words. Even if you’re not a photographer, you can do this or do it with words instead to verbally describe your ordinary day. As you do this, please share what you learn, what you see, what you capture by posting a link to your blog, Facebook, or wherever you have posted your capture in the comments box below.
by admin