A couple of months ago, I put out a call for guest posts to the Photo-Heart Connection participants. I asked them to write about what the Photo-Heart Connection meant to them this year. For the next few days I will share these very special answers with all of you, celebrating the first year of the Photo-Heart Connection. Enjoy!
Tree Shadows © 2012 Bo Mackison
One of the reasons I participate in Kat’s monthly Photo-Heart Connection is it offers me a monthly routine, that of looking through a month’s worth of photograph to see what it is I have been photographing. It encourages me to ask myself questions about my photography, and then answer those questions. Sometimes the obvious reason, the initial impulse to take a photograph, is only part of a more in-depth story. When I choose the photos which have a true “photo-heart connection” I always discover new reasons for taking certain photos, reasons not immediately obvious.
Pink Queen Anne’s Lace ©2012 Bo Mackison
When I looked through my entire set of Photo-Heart Connection photographs – there were 10 in total – I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I chose a wide variety of photographs using many different techniques. It was a heart-pleasure to realize my photography has developed from my original emphasis – taking macro-botanical photographs – into a block of work that encompasses many styles and techniques. It re-enforced my premise that taking photographs on an almost daily basis, a continuous practice of the craft, feeds not only the passion I have for photography, but also improves my craft and broadens my experiences.
Savanna-Sabula Bridge © 2012 Bo Mackison
I continue to shoot my first love – macro-botanicals. But I also shoot many landscapes, captured moments in time, abstract studies, architectural photos. There are photos that focus on composition, shadow play, mood, light, color. There are photos taken with a deliberate set-up using my DSLR; there are photos taken with my iPhone using the Hipstamatic or Snapseed apps. There are photos straight out of the camera and there are photos which I have intentionally used post processing software to achieve a certain look or feel.
Burlington Northern © 2012 Bo Mackison
But all of the photos had an underlying connection – they were either story-tellers or memory-triggers. I think that is what truly turns a photograph into a heart-connection photograph – the emotional response. Sometimes this connection is easily seen by other viewers, but often the connection is on a more personal or private level.
And that is a great thing to recognize – that ultimately I take photographs that speak to me on many levels and that are meaning-makers for me.
—————
Bo Mackison is a photographer and artist addicted to exploring sacred spaces, traveling to new places, being inspired by the natural world, and creating meaningful art, Her photography goal for 2013 is to create a hand-made, limited-edition art book including some of her photographs. Bo lives in Madison Wisconsin and Tucson Arizona. Her website and blog is at Seeded Earth Studio and you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks so much Bo! It was fabulous to hear about your experience with the Photo-Heart Connection.
Join me for another guest post tomorrow! And don’t forget the other things going on in the Kat Eye Studio:
- Do you know anyone who got a new camera for Christmas? Gift them with the free Digital Photography Basics eBook. They will thank you!
- Exploring with a Camera: Lights of Night continues through the end of the month. Take some time and get out to capture those holiday lights before they disappear, and then share it with us here.
- Registration continues for Fuel Your Creativity, starting January 6, and Find Your Eye: Journey of Fascination, starting January 20. Both are all new for 2013!