Week 19: Mother's Day with Grooming and Haircuts
So today is Mother's Day. So Ginger got a card and flowers from Daddy and Sophie! Yes, we have a fur baby, who we call our daughter and has to be the cutest dog in the world at least in our biased eyes! She just got groomed and has been very photogenic:
She has been biting less though she is just as energetic. That's okay, Daddy like to throw all her toy's till she finds the one she will bring back (this morning it was purse).
Sophie, however, was not the only one who got groomed. When I had started growing my hair out for my photo series I had in mind when I would cut it. My Mom, Ginger's Mom, and Ginger all like my hair short. Ginger likes it in all it's phases, her favorite is in between (though on the shorter side) but she knows her artistic husband and his quirks. So without further ado:
I knew it would make a great Mother's Day gift for my Mom, who loves my hair short. But it also talks about new beginnings. I grew my hair out for my photo series. Like an actor preparing for a part. I had these ideas and I was able to put them into pictures. And so like a Phoenix I rise from the ashes and become new. I love my Mom dearly and yes, unprompted I texted my Mom to wish her Happy Mother's Day! I really do have a very special Mom, she is my encourager and my interceder. Love you Mom.
The girl who cut it, Genesis, did a fantastic job. She cut it exactly the way I wanted it. I knew my photo series would eventually begin to whine down. And I had planned to cut my hair at this time. It coincides with the ebb and flow of my creativity. Around this time of year it gets harder to get creative. Usually because the depression begins to get worse and saps me. But this year has been different. I came into this season with a plan. As the creative has waned, I have used that time for the technical aspect of photography. In other words, learning new techniques, either photography or Photoshop. I love learning. And I love that I am self taught. Well, I say self taught. I learned a lot from my Dad on building stuff, so I like to think I am channeling my inner Dad! Videos and magazines, trial and error, I love the process of building. So in my studio I put up LED strip lights. I got these aluminum bars that have covers over them that I could put on the end of the shelves I have in the room and above the windows. I then put LED lights in them. It has allowed me to cover the room in different colors of light and light a backdrop in different colors. It was quite a project, a little bit of trial and error, but in the end I am very happy with the result.
I have been able to reflect on the series I just did. I am usually not that controversial. Too often people don't want to talk about the elephant in the room. But I wanted to start a conversation. And for me, photography allows me to start them. In recovery, confidentiality is of utmost importance so I cannot give specifics, but I will say that lives were touched. When people asked about my photography I was able to show and not just tell, about my experiences. I did make some uncomfortable, I did have a few people stop following me. As Egypt Central says in the song Different, "That's the price I pay for being different." In the artistic community I was embraced and gained access to groups that I may have never been able too. I have been able to share my story. I mean people look at how I look (when my hair is short) and say what could you have been through? Well sit down and let me show you a picture and tell you a story.....
So on a lighter note. In college I lived on Big Red and Cheez-it's. My brother said it made my breath smell horrible, lol. So these many years later, guess what my favorite snack is:
Yep, I have a big jar for my Cheez'it's and every once in a while I have to get a Big Red to go with them. Ginger said this picture reminded her of a skating rink. Ahh, those were the days! Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's out there!
Baa
 |
| Sophie |
Sophie, however, was not the only one who got groomed. When I had started growing my hair out for my photo series I had in mind when I would cut it. My Mom, Ginger's Mom, and Ginger all like my hair short. Ginger likes it in all it's phases, her favorite is in between (though on the shorter side) but she knows her artistic husband and his quirks. So without further ado:
I knew it would make a great Mother's Day gift for my Mom, who loves my hair short. But it also talks about new beginnings. I grew my hair out for my photo series. Like an actor preparing for a part. I had these ideas and I was able to put them into pictures. And so like a Phoenix I rise from the ashes and become new. I love my Mom dearly and yes, unprompted I texted my Mom to wish her Happy Mother's Day! I really do have a very special Mom, she is my encourager and my interceder. Love you Mom.
The girl who cut it, Genesis, did a fantastic job. She cut it exactly the way I wanted it. I knew my photo series would eventually begin to whine down. And I had planned to cut my hair at this time. It coincides with the ebb and flow of my creativity. Around this time of year it gets harder to get creative. Usually because the depression begins to get worse and saps me. But this year has been different. I came into this season with a plan. As the creative has waned, I have used that time for the technical aspect of photography. In other words, learning new techniques, either photography or Photoshop. I love learning. And I love that I am self taught. Well, I say self taught. I learned a lot from my Dad on building stuff, so I like to think I am channeling my inner Dad! Videos and magazines, trial and error, I love the process of building. So in my studio I put up LED strip lights. I got these aluminum bars that have covers over them that I could put on the end of the shelves I have in the room and above the windows. I then put LED lights in them. It has allowed me to cover the room in different colors of light and light a backdrop in different colors. It was quite a project, a little bit of trial and error, but in the end I am very happy with the result.
 |
| Before |
 |
| After |
I have been able to reflect on the series I just did. I am usually not that controversial. Too often people don't want to talk about the elephant in the room. But I wanted to start a conversation. And for me, photography allows me to start them. In recovery, confidentiality is of utmost importance so I cannot give specifics, but I will say that lives were touched. When people asked about my photography I was able to show and not just tell, about my experiences. I did make some uncomfortable, I did have a few people stop following me. As Egypt Central says in the song Different, "That's the price I pay for being different." In the artistic community I was embraced and gained access to groups that I may have never been able too. I have been able to share my story. I mean people look at how I look (when my hair is short) and say what could you have been through? Well sit down and let me show you a picture and tell you a story.....
So on a lighter note. In college I lived on Big Red and Cheez-it's. My brother said it made my breath smell horrible, lol. So these many years later, guess what my favorite snack is:
Yep, I have a big jar for my Cheez'it's and every once in a while I have to get a Big Red to go with them. Ginger said this picture reminded her of a skating rink. Ahh, those were the days! Happy Mother's Day to all the Mother's out there!
Baa
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