I'm a Recessionista!

I was at a marketing seminar the other day when I first heard the term "Recessionista." The speaker said, "are you someone that thinks that a recession is a good thing? Do you think it is great to be thrifty? Would you prefer to barter or borrow items instead of accumulating and disposing? Do you take pride in finding a good deal?" Everyone else in the room was staring blankly at her while I was nodding emphatically (this is very common at seminars I attend). Lori looked right at me and said, "then you are a Recessionista!"

Ah, to be labeled. To fit into a category. To have a name for the embarrassing excitement I experience over our economic collapse. Perhaps that's a bit too dramatic, but I will admit that I think it is high time we get this ball rolling. We have been due for a hit like this for some time and I'd just prefer to get on with it. What a huge mess this is going to be.

Here's what excites me: things getting real. People feeling real emotion. Dealing with real numbers. Looking at real people. Asking for (and giving) real help. Taking stock of our lives and deciding what is truly important to us. What makes the cut and what doesn't? What are the luxury items and what has true value?

Scary? Yes! Especially when in the midst of all the assessment the question I have to ask is, "Does what I DO have true value...or am I just a luxury item?" For an artist, it's a very fine line to walk.

Everyone assigns value in different places...thats what makes the world an interesting and dynamic place. So while many people will choose to cut photography from the budget, I still choose to believe that the images I create are more than just a pretty picture- they are a sort of glue that holds the good things of our world together. Somehow, photography (a certain kind of photography) can take an emotion, a relationship, an experience, a fleeting moment and make it REAL. Something tangible, evident and permanent.

I pray every time I shoot that God will show me a glimpse of who He created my subject to be, show me the person He loves and revels in. Is there such a thing that is truer than the obvious? I believe so. And I believe that I was created to be a photographer, a truth-teller...the kind of person who points to something beyond the conspicuous and uncovers a deeper layer.

We all know a grandmother loves her grandson. But I'll tell you, when I shot those images of Callum holding his grandmother's face to give her an Eskimo kiss, something took shape. That pure, unconditional, unquestioning love between a grandmother and grandson was no longer just a vague assumption, but a plausible reason for having a child, for sacrificing certain comforts to make space for that kind of love and relationship in the world.


I'll stick to my craft, but will take the time to continually assess...I'll probably make some pretty big sacrifices along the way.


Are photos required for every one of a photographer's blog entries? If so, I'll add a recent photo that Caroline Colvin just shot of me! She did such a wonderful job, and I'm so excited to have a picture I really like of myself!! She's just started shadowing me this winter/spring and I think it will be a great experience for both of us!