What We Learn From Each Other

This portrait is the product of the overlap of several connections in my life. I can't help but smile at the way we effect each other so much more than we realize. I was sitting in a friends sanctuary. It's a screened in porch that extends off the master suite. Granted, most of my friends will never have something like this for themselves, but I admired what this small room meant to her and her husband. It is completely off limits to any of their 5 children. In the room are a few places to sit, some beautiful pieces and a couple of candles and one photo. Them. It's a photo of the two of them smiling. It was a very intimate shot and I can only guess it was while they were still dating because that's when you take photos of yourself and when other people take photos of JUST you. I decided then and there that I needed a bedroom photo for my husband and myself. One of those "slice of life" moments. Something that is just us.

Knowing that this idea wasn't going to be well received by my husband (I'm always getting him to follow my crazy ideas), I made it as simple as possible. I cleaned the bedroom, set up the camera, tried a few test shots, put on the black camisole and waited until he changed for the night into his white tshirt and basketball shorts. Then I asked him if he'd help me out with something. The whole "shoot" took less than 5 minutes and in the end, he was just as happy with this photo as I am. It's us, very much the way we look on any given evening. It's also something that had it not been taken when it was, would have been gone forever. It's now hanging in our bedroom and will eventually be the focal point when we redecorate our own sanctuary.

I'm posting this now because I saw a friend's self portrait and read her piece that accompanied it. It's so nice to know we're not alone in these emotions, in this journey. Our words and our actions have a ripple effect and its nice sometimes to take notice of exactly where the ripples reach.