Making Eye Statements: With Open Eyes

“So much of what we do is by virtue of luck, to be sure,

but we get luckier the longer we remain patient, with open eyes...

...Patience is allowing your body of work to surprise you,

to take unexpected turns, to become something you didn’t expect,

and to allow your curiosity to lead you further down the rabbit hole.”

David duChemin, The Soul of the Camera - The Photographer's Place in Picture-Making

(Rocky Nook Inc., 2017)

This blog posting is a celebration with two strands, combining into one.

The first strand: I’m writing this piece on Canadian Thanksgiving Monday. Thanksgiving has always been one of my favourite Canadian holidays – a time for gratitude, family, friends, and the first real taste of autumn. It is very different from American Thanksgiving in late November – gentler, more measured, fewer Tweets.

It is also the fourth anniversary of my marriage to Bill Stearman, my dear husband.

Bill and I both lost beloved partners in the last decade. To have found love again in the autumn of our lives is indeed a miracle, one worth celebrating. It is not a coincidence that we chose to marry on Thanksgiving weekend, 2013.

So, the first strand today is a celebration of my life with Bill.

The second strand: I’m currently taking a year-long online photography course (with 1300+ other people!) with the remarkable Canadian photographer, David duChemin. David’s profound book, The Soul of the Camera, is a source of inspiration and challenge that nourishes my photography. His online course is called “The Compelling Frame: A Mentor Class in Creative Photographic Composition.”

So on this Thanksgiving weekend, my second strand of celebration is for David duChemin’s photographic vision.

And here’s how these two celebratory strands combine: both strands feed my soul, give me courage to take risks, and open up my life to unexpected joys – “with open eyes” as David duChemin says. Thank you, Bill. Thank you, David.

The photos that follow: they were all made in Prince Edward County in the last two weeks. Bill and I share a deep love for Prince Edward County. We spend many happy hours driving around, visiting friends, and reconnecting with our roots. I hope these photos reflect my feelings for The County – and for Bill.

Enjoy.