Eighth Rising

Version 2.0

Karen — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:29:59 +0000

I can’t sleep. It’s the last hour of the last day of an unbelievably eventful month, to say the least. A little over a year ago, when I found my marriage abruptly ending, putting one foot in front of the other was labor intensive. It was a new version of my life that I didn’t ask for, and wasn’t prepared for. I could be cliche and say, “What a difference a year makes”, but that would be an unfair assesment. In reality, it’s more like “What a difference a Savior makes”. Unable to breathe at the thought of starting over yet again, God supernaturally put my life back together the moment I handed it back over to Him.

This month, my boys and I moved into our own place and I started a new business doing something that I’m passionate about. I have the most unbelievable network of support through loving friends and family and two beautiful children. There are simply no words adequate enough to express how humbled I am every day that I wake up to this new life that God has blessed me with.

The best one I can conjur is ‘grateful’.

Day 12

Karen — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:33:04 +0000

I’m shooting entirely in manual now and actually finding it easier than shooting in AV or Auto. My camera is morphing into an extension of me, and I often find myself looking at the world thru my lens, whether it’s actually there or not. Now if I could only get a little more comfortable looking at myself…these self portraits are not getting any easier.

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Day 11

Karen — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 00:50:39 +0000

I want to spend the time I have doing things that make my heart rage.

- The Great Buck Howard

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Starting Over (Day 10)

Karen — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 03:35:56 +0000

A wide array of emotions are elicited during divorce. One goes through the stages of grief, much as during a death, and eventually sadness and anger give way to acceptance. As today marks the day that my divorce is final, I am finally able to sum up my feelings with today’s 365 Project photo.

As I enter into my new life, with many new developments on the horizon for me and my children, I can categorically describe today’s emotion as “joyful”. I am full of peace, which I thank God for every day as I give glory to Him for getting me through this last year. I have been blessed with the most supportive family and friends on the face of the Earth – I never could have made it without them.

Here’s to new beginnings.

365 – Day 9

Karen — Fri, 28 May 2010 01:39:04 +0000

As expected, I haven’t exactly been faithful to taking pictures every day. Life gets in the way, but I’m determined to take 365 self portraits – however long it takes me. It’s much more comfortable for me to be behind the camera, and since I’ve started this, I’ve noticed a trend in the mood of my photos. Specifically – no smiles. I guess it just feels kind of silly to smile, as it feels forced or posed. However….the point of this project is to push the envelope a little – and to be honest, I could stand to smile a little more. Starting tomorrow…

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365 – Day 8

Karen — Fri, 21 May 2010 01:36:56 +0000

We are all cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out. -Ray Bradbury

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365 – Day 7

Karen — Thu, 20 May 2010 01:23:36 +0000

Well…I made it a week. Only 51 left to go!

This photo marks the beginning of my foray into shooting completely in manual. It’s challenging, to say the least, but I think I’m starting to get the hang of things.

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365 – Day 6

Karen — Wed, 19 May 2010 11:32:17 +0000

Maybe it’s the southern girl in me, but I love a big belt buckle.

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365 – Day 5

Karen — Sun, 16 May 2010 00:35:15 +0000

Here’s one from a photo excursion I took with my son, Jackson today. He got new glasses and I wanted to get some shots of him looking all GQ in his new frames. I put my camera in auto and handed it to him, and he snapped away. I did the post-processing myself, but he’s begging me to show him how to do that too. I think he caught the photography bug already.

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365 – Day 4

Karen — Thu, 13 May 2010 01:59:42 +0000

Something lovely happens to my mood when I paint my toenails. It’s like the poor man’s botox or a cheap alternative to a spa day. Summer time means sandal wearing, so I went out and bought a pretty shade of peach. It instantly put a smile on my face.

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