I love to follow other photographers' work in search of inspiration. One of the most inspirational photographers around, Amy Wenzel, is sponsoring a wonderful giveaway at iheartfaces. Amy will be offering one seat in her upcoming photography workshop this May, and while I'm generally not big on entering contests, I couldn't resist giving this one a try. The prompt is, "Tell us how you love, serve or inspire other people in your life, and what attending the workshop might mean for your photography journey." So, here goes... Life is quite a ride, best enjoyed with the love, service, and inspiration others bring to the journey. My path has taken interesting turns and offered uphill battles, but opposition motivates me. I've learned to appreciate the small moments in life––even capture them in photographs! My mom encouraged me to serve someone every day, and she followed her own advice. We volunteered in the deaf community, where I learned sign language and interpreted church meetings. Later, I graduated in child development, teaching special education until becoming a full-time mom. Still wanting to help other children, I built a small business from my home, teaching families sign language to facilitate communication with their autistic children. As a photographer, engaging special needs children in family photo sessions is comfortable for me. My children have taught me to love unconditionally. I know the heartbreak of leaving a hospital, empty-armed, your child in the NICU. I know the joy of watching a child succeed after many failures. Most of all, I know the love that fills the heart of a mother. This love turned my hobby of photography into a passion––a need to capture childhood before it could fly away––immortalizing days of bathtimes and bedtime stories before they were forever replaced by showers and busy schedules. Camera in hand, I can freeze time, capturing little moments in life that might otherwise have flown by without recognition. Good photos bring peace and happiness. They reach people, heal families, and inspire hope. Sharing an especially great shot is fun, and my blog was created to give far-away friends and family glimpses of our lives. As it blossomed, so did a business. Photographer's blogs inspired me to push myself that direction. Family blogs, sharing heartwarming events and stories, inspired me to give back with monthly photo giveaways. I also began offering discounts to military families so they could carry visual memories with them. I would like to do more, as my business grows. One day, maybe my work can spark some of the creative light others have kindled in me. With my journey as a photographer just beginning, I have plenty to learn. I'd love learning some of it from Amy! Here are a few of my shots, borrowed by my mother-in-law for a photo essay on her blog. It chronicles a journey and represents much of what my photography journey is all about. | draft |
Come away with me to the shimmering sea,
where heart and mind and soul are free
to float on the breezes and soar through the clouds,
away from the clamor of maddening crowds.
Come, peek through the spaces and shadows of days
and let your feet wander in different ways...
in different ways, yet not indifferent at all...
just calm and serene about big things and small.
Keep someone beside you when nature looms large,
reminding you that you are safe in his charge...
someone who will rest you and keep you earthbound,
with companions to hold you and bring you to ground,
still granting the freedom that each spirit seeks
to carve a bright path over valleys and peaks.
At the top of the crest, on the top of the world,
where the wonders of nature are waiting, unfurled––
Be still and breathe deeply; let every care cease.
Here, dreams swirl like stardust and find sweet release.
Come hither with me, to the shimmering sea.
Your heart and your mind and your soul will run free.
You'll ride on the breezes and sail into clouds
and find your own center, alone or in crowds.
© 2010 Heather Anderson Photography
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