Michelle C. Parent

This past year has been a full of changes for me. My somewhat cozy life was ripped apart when my then husband asked for a divorce. Well, things like that rock one's world on many levels. In my world, I started to find dissatisfaction in other parts of my life. I was already seeing a counselor for childhood issues and she became invaluable during this troubled time. I noticed that I talked to her about spiritual things as well as my photography. I found that I was cleaning house on the physical level with moving him out and rearranging things to cleaning my inner house out. This led to me finding my photography dissatisfying. I would go out to shoot pictures and the time out in nature was very soothing, but then I would pop the flash card in, process the photos, and feel no emotional connection to the shots. They looked like anybody could have done them, to me. I felt that I was doing that same old thing. I began to think about how I used to feel about nature as a child. I remembered how I loved fairy tales and how I thought that certain places used to look like they were part of the fairy tales and I used to imagine that there really were fairies and elves living in there and it made it more fun and magical and mysterious for me. I wanted to recapture that feeling and transmit that into my photography. I decided my photography needed to have more emotion, magic and mystery. So, I have been spending my time in the fields and woods, reconnecting to my childhood feelings of magic and mystery and hoping it is transmitting itself to my eyes and hands as they do the physical act of creating the photograph. I am still in flux, so to speak. I still feel unsure and wobbly, on my newfound legs in this new photographic endeavor I have embarked upon, but I hope to grow as it grows.

Comments

[Ana]

Hi Michelle, Well, of course you know that I've been looking at your photographs for a while now. I don't know how the timeline fits in with the personal changes in your life, but over the past year I've definitely noticed a striking and wonderful change in the focus and the intensity of your photographs. You may feel unsure and wobbly but from the outside it is obvious you're well underway.

[Michelle Parent]

Thanks Ana. I feel a real struggle within with my photography and myself. I suppose this is natural. Often the photos I love and post are "duds" on the NPN site and I am disappointed. I don't often find ones I love that the masses also love. At least my EP today was one of those that met that criteria. I still stick by the ones I love, though. I am learning to go with what my "gut" tells me is right for me when I see it in the viewfinder. I am also really enjoying my lensbaby. I find that it frees me of the "rectangle frame" so to speak, since really only a part of the image is in focus and I like that a lot.

[Tom Gallione]

Michelle, I'm sorry to hear of the struggles you are having to endure. I hope and pray that you will be strengthened by these hardships and that your photography will serve as means of self reflection and comfort.

Regarding the image, it feels like home for me. I spend alot of time in a park that looks very much like this and you've captured it well. I'm looking forward to this new direction in your photography.

[Michelle Parent]

Thank you Tom. I am glad you like the photo and that you are praying for me.

[Mary Dennis]

Well, you've been through some genuine crap it sounds like Michelle. Keep listening to your gut and speaking to us with your photography. I'm not sure, but I think I've heard your voice getting louder over time.

[Anonymous]

I agree with Ana about the recent posts. It seems as though the growth has emerged since your ordeal. Keep following your inner voice.

[Michelle Parent]

Thanks Mary and Jim and Ana! I am glad that you all have appreciated what I've been putting out there. Tom too and anyone else I may have missed who may be lurking.