“I See Life Thru My Lens”

What are “memories” if not mental snapshots of the most impacting moments of your life?

I realize now that I’ve been taking mental pictures all my life. A world seen, up to recently, through the lens of my eyes.

More than two decades ago, I remember looking at my two year old son running after birds along the shore of Captiva Island in Florida’s west coast. He was so full of joy and so full of energy, that I wanted to capture the moment and freeze it in time.

I said to my then husband, “Let’s take a mental snapshot of this moment so that we can look back and remember it forever ”. I was very present in that moment. I did take the picture and I do remember that precious memory vividly. I hope he does too.

Through photography though, a whole new world opens up for me. A world seen through my camera lens. Looking through my viewfinder, I see things that normally I may have missed. But more importantly, I see it from a new angle…a new perspective.

When I climb up to capture a shot and I look down, I see it as a bird would see it. However when I crouch down, I then see it as an ant would see it. Looking through the frame of the viewer I am in present more…present in the moment.

It forces me to be conscious of the sky, the light, the wind and of all my surroundings. I see the poetry in the shot. Sounds romantic? Well, I’m an incurable one! I feel it’s a creative process for me, I strive to convey a feeling; and hopefully capture an emotion.

I want for those that look at the photograph, to be able to see it as I saw it and to feel what I was feeling. That’s my goal!

“Complete immersion” is what I would call it. I can spend hours and hours just me and my camera.

I enjoy being surrounded by beauty, excitement, vibrant color, new places, breathtaking views, new and interesting perspectives, and uniquely special people; people with character. That is what draws me… what feeds my imagination.

Most of my photographs have a story behind them; and because I am so very present in the moment, those stories are recorded in my memories forever.

The last time I counted, I had taken more than 40,000 photos. Each of those moments are reflected in the photo album that is my life.