I was just looking back over my blog for the last year and I was really working last Feb.  That seems crazy to me, since 1. it’s really terrible looking outside  2.  it’s colder than normal  3. I haven’t seen the sun in, heck I lost count of how long 4. it’s really terrible looking outside!  Is this not the yuckiest winter ever?     I say “DOWN WITH THE GROUNDHOG”  and phooey on 6 more weeks of winter-  I am ready to see some spring around here!  

But I suppose the winter rain is good for staying indoors and I had all my babies home sick today, so why not force them into some pictures?  I have always been inspired by those gritty real life dark black and whites-  lately I have  happened upon some images from Haiti  as well as images from Chernobyl that really moved me.  The images were so emotionally bleak, but beautiful in their play with light and shadows.  I have really been thinking lately about what type of photography inspires me.   I love fun, funky avante guard work and I am often being inspired by other’s work.  In particular, there is a photographer that has always stood out in my mind as  excelling at having visual emotion in her images.  Her black and white images are dark, yet vibrant. While her subjects are children in very odd places, they are beautiful in their composition and with the light and shadows balancing each other  in perfect proportion.  I love light- and I love, in particular, one window in my house that lets in the most gorgeous light filtered through sheer curtains-  that room never lets me down.  So today, with my babies home and me wanting to  play around with gritty black and whites, I went to that room and focused my attention on nice sidelighting and my babies’ beautiful, soulful eyes.  I did come away with dark, gritty black and whites, but also a renewed connection with my children.  I can’t help but look in their eyes and see so much deeper than just a picture, and that will always inspire me.