Making Eye Statements: Looking Back...Looking Ahead

“Those who lose dreaming are lost.”

- Australian Aboriginal Wisdom

And suddenly it’s 2018...

On January 1st, I always find it useful to mentally review the previous twelve months. Understandably, 2017 was a year that many people want to leave behind in disgust. The politics, disasters, and general creepiness of the year were hard to escape. And, because life is complex and contradictory, it was also a year of joy, renewal, and growth. The opposite of a great truth is not a lie – it’s another great truth. So, take your pick and run with it.

This morning, I reviewed the evolution of my blog in 2017. What a defining presence it has become in my life – a self-chosen weekly ritual that keeps both my brain and my camera focused. Long may it be.

The titles of select 2017 postings are informative:

“Creating My Own Private World” (January 4)

“Solitary Compositions and Frozen Improvisations” (January 25)

“Quiet Gratitudes” (February 6)

“Where the Magic Resides” (March 7)

“Photography as Listening” (March 18)

“Sharing My Astonishments” (May 22)

“The Humans of New York” (June 21)

“Getting Caught” (June 26)

“Illuminations” (July 10 and 16)

“Random Acts of Colour” (July 31)

“The Beauty of Constraints” (August 14)

“Turning Up” (August 28)

“The Inner Life of Inanimate Things” (September 10)

“Heart Stirrings” (October 2)

“Dreaming with One Eye Open” (October 23)

“Where the Great Waves Break” (November 5)

“The Uses of Enchantment” (December 10)

“Playing Alone” (December 17)

“Playing Alone” comes closest to my photographic philosophy: I am definitely playing, and I prefer to do it alone. Rarely lonely, however. Knowing I have a loving home to return to at the end of the day makes the playing and the photography so delightful.

I look forward to more explorations, both visual and written, in 2018. My intention is to continue weekly postings, with the exception of the time Bill and I spend in Australia in February and March. During our travels, I’ll likely post more frequently as a way of chronicling our adventures.

In the meantime, I’ve posted eight of my favourite 2017 images below. They reflect the styles of photography I’ve been playing with: street; black & white; macro; architectural; still life; nature; and abstract.

I hope you enjoy them.

Wishing you a blessed, healthy, and mischievous new year!