stacy. february 14, 2010.

the flurry of last week has inexplicably landed some quiet moments at the start of this one. i found one of those blank spots, an opening, the space where the details converge and it all comes together somehow.

i sat all day yesterday working with images of a lovely woman (who happens to be pregnant). and as i took each photograph and pieced them together into a collection, i was pleased with the story they began to tell. one of elegance, sophistication, grace, wholeness. it felt raw, tender, and lovely. it felt free. and as i put it all together i was able to see how this maternity portrait work relates to the doorways project. how the message is essentially the same.

the doorways project is all about finding passages to wholeness. it is about women bravely crossing thresholds toward greater freedom in their lives. it is about opening the door to freedom from suffering. 

and maybe that doorway is as much about a camera as anything else. i mean, clearly, it has been for me. and that is my intention with this trip to uganda–that the images i bring back will provide a means to connect and a vehicle for greater awareness, support, and, ultimately, open more doors for the women and communities there. but what if this is just as true for the women who grace my lens here at home?

true, they do not need the same kind of doorways opened for them, but they are still seeking freedom within themselves. they are seeking wholeness. value. potential. fearlessness. they are fierce and tender mothers who are complicated and varied and capable. they might need to see the photos to believe this, but therein lies the opening.

so, with that, i feel a strong body of work coming on. no pun intended. i am able to see how the work at home marries the work afar. how one supports the other; and how connected themes are woven together.

stacy has written about her experience of our photo session here (along with some eloquent thoughts on our changing stories). i can only add that it was a gift to work with her–ALL of her–not just the maternal part. she is delightfully bringing life into this world, in more ways than one. and i know she'll raise her little girls up to know what it is to be free.

enjoy the slideshow of this photo session here. turn your speakers on for the full effect.

AND,  i could still use your help getting to uganda. we're so close. thank you doesn't even cut it. i promise it'll be worth it. no donation is too small. my friends and i have lovely things to give away to many lucky donors, too. you can donate by clicking on the chip-in button in the sidebar and everything you need to know is in this post.