Shots Submission - Water

I don't know why I do it... I guess it is like having an arch-nemisis. I have one of those, too. That person, in this case a gallery owner, who specifically represents photographers in the area where I used to live, who told me once that he "could see where you are going but your work is too beautiful". In this case, you would have to know the guy, who is gay (I only bring this up to point out that the guy is more into gritty male nudes than beautiful women), and into some pretty freaky stuff visually. Yet, I still wanted him to represent me. And I think that is good, to have someone who makes you work your ass off, to keep changing, learning, re examining and trying...


And that is what Shots is to me, in terms of a publication. I have submitted to Shots countless times, and have not been accepted. Now, there are many many amazing photographers out there, so I am not surprised, but it is a publication whose work I LOVE and it is published in Minneapolis, where I was born and raised, and where most of my family still lives. Their latest call for submission is on the theme of Water.


Right away, I knew what I would submit. I made these images in 2001, when my then boyfriend, now husband and I spent 6 weeks in Costa Rica. These images are from a series called Agua Termales, San Gerardo, Costa Rica.


Andre also photographed me, and I have a 12 of these images, about 2x3", mounted together in a large frame in our bedroom. I printed them myself, back when I had a darkroom. Oooohhhh, I do miss my darkroom... These images bring back good memories of frolicking in the bush with the man of my dreams.


Hard to believe we were not married then, but since then we have married, I immigrated to Canada, we built a house, had a baby, moved to Banff for Andre's dream job, bought a house, and are now expecting another baby... And through it all our love has grown, I have grown, and I continue to document my life with my beloved cameras. Not sure if Shots will care, but I am happy that I have them, to egg me on, to allow me to re examine my best work over the years, and to challenge me to grow and change and to be a better photographer....