Quiet Gratitudes, Part 1

Quiet Gratitudes, Part 1

“I can’t help sensing in these works, which photographically

verify the passing hours or days or years, a quiet gratitude

 about the simple fact of return.”

- Teju Cole, New York Times Sunday Magazine Photographic Columnist,

February 5, 2017

I look forward to Teju Cole’s monthly columns about photography in the New York Times Sunday Magazine. His writing is elegant and insightful; he teaches his readers about the inner lives of photographs and of their photographers. Appointment reading at its best.

Yesterday, his column was entitled, “Returning to the same landscape gives photographers the chance to catch time itself at work.” He focused on photographers who make photos of the same subjects over the course of several weeks or years, recording the large and small changes that come with time.

The appearance of the column was serendipitous – just a few days before I had visited dear friends who share a home in rural Hastings County. Both the inner landscape of their house and the outer landscape of their farm are a pleasure to behold. While having lunch with them, I asked if I could record some photographs. Much to my delight, they agreed. I pushed further and asked if I could also return and record the changes that come with the seasons, weather, and time of day in the months ahead. Much to my delight again, they graciously agreed.

The images that follow are my first visual meditation on their home and farm. With the passage of time, I plan to return and record more photographs with an eye to turning each visit into a blog posting under the title of “Quiet Gratitudes.”

I hope you enjoy these images as much as I did recording them.

Modelling...

Modelling…

  

“For me, the subject of the picture is always

more important than the picture.”

- Diane Arbus, Photographer

“Modelling, it’s being an artist as well. It’s just being a silent artist.

It takes a lot of self-control and discipline.”

- Jessica White, Model

Today’s blog post features my images of Susan, the professional model who posed for the fourth and final class of the photography course I’ve been taking at the Art Gallery of Toronto. I have never photographed a model before, so I was worried about making an idiot of myself. Once I got into the rhythm of the session, however, I soon recognized that working with a model is all about mutuality and reciprocity. I loved how the energy in the room was determined by both the photographers and the model, with our instructor, Janieta, watching and guiding from the sidelines. It was a powerfully intimate experience, and I hope that these unedited images are visually engaging and technically proficient.

I am sad that the course has now finished. I enjoyed it immensely and felt my technical skills leap ahead significantly. It was also a treat to arrive in Toronto early enough each Tuesday to wander around downtown with my camera. I miss Toronto – its energy, dynamism, and visual treasures. However, I don’t miss it enough to want to move back. Interestingly, I’m appreciating the city more from a distance than I did when I actually lived there.

There are people to thank for the photography course: Janieta, our gifted teacher who kept encouraging us to “make friends with your cameras”; Susan, the expressive model who kindly gave me permission to post these images; and my fellow students, whose humour and energy helped make the four sessions speed by so quickly. And a special thanks to the Art Gallery of Ontario for offering the course. I look forward to taking more photography courses there in the future.

I hope you enjoy these images.