Normally during these occasional Inspiration Monday posts I give a short write-up about some photographer or artist that has moved me to continue this passion of photography. So it was with bemusement that I found myself recently on the other side of the coin artistically. It turned out I managed to somehow inspire someone else. Who knew!?
Carey O’Connell is the sister of a friend and colleague. Both Carey and Jennifer offered me the kindness of attending the gallery opening when a couple of my prints were hung a couple of months ago. We had a nice chat, talked some shop, exchanged business cards, that sort of thing.
As it is the 21st century, Carey and I did our networking thing through FaceBook and Twitter and Blogland. It turns out she is a writer and poet. Unknown to me she also poked around this website and browsed through my images until eventually I posted this image.
Not long after I received an email from her, “I’ve been inspired by your photograph and want to write a poem for it. Do you mind?” Mind? Me? “Have at it” was my response, I believe. At least that is the story I have of it.
She forwarded the poem to me for approval, a step not really necessary but quite kind, and soon the image and poem were on her blog. We tweeted about it and had some fun and then, not much later, another image and another poem. This time around this image taken during the Dia de los Muertos parade here in Albuquerque.
It is an odd and interesting thing to inspire someone else. For me it is easy to be inspired by others. They are so amazing and gifted and talented. From my point of view I try to make photographs I can relate to and I attempt to tell a story through either one image or a series. Sometimes I just post an image simply because I think it looks cool. But then, out of the viewer, comes an whole new story altogether. This is a fascinating process and I am endlessly interested in how people interpret images through the filter of their own personal meaning.
Some artists are dumbfounded at others’ interpretations of their work, but I find it exhilarating. Words and images; images and words. There is something wonderful about the place where these two artistic mediums connect and I look forward to more collaborations.
Now, wouldn’t it be wonderful and interesting to come up with an image to match someone else’s words?
You can read Carey O’Connell’s words on her blog, “The World Poetized“, as well as her book “The World Poetized, Vol. 1” in either analog or Kindle form. She’s also on twitter (@crosescribe) tossing Haikus into the interwebs.
My friend what a read! I enjoyed your post greatly and will say to your audience that it is easy to put poetry to your beautiful images. I look forward to many more collaborations and give you my gratitude for the kind words and mention. I hope your journey is well ~ C Rose