Silence

First of all, how are you all doing? We’ve been doing this challenge for over 5 weeks now! Hard to believe! I know there aren’t a lot of people posting photos, but I think we have a fair number of people who are following along. I was considering going down to one challenge a week, but it looks like some quarantines might be lifting in the next couple of weeks, so maybe we should keep going as we are for now, with two a week…at least for the next couple of weeks and then we can see? What do you all think?

How did you find this week’s challenge? I think what I am enjoying most about this challenge isn’t the photography (although I do enjoy that!), but the thought process that goes into creating each image. And not even that, but the process of thinking deeply about each issue, and delving into my emotions, my thoughts, and seeing what is going on deep inside of me. It is a worthy exercise, regardless of whether you take the photos or not. But the photos can be the catalyst to getting us to do that emotional digging in a more enjoyable way.

When I was ruminating on the word silence this week, I had lots of different thoughts, and ways I could have taken the photographs, but I decided to take a few different photos exploring a few different ideas. 

I quite enjoy silence. I know not everyone does. But it doesn’t bother me. In fact, I find I need it. To think. I can’t have music on and think deep, important thoughts! I love to read, and when I do that, silence is helpful too, so that I can fully concentrate.  I don’t always want silence though. I love music, and have it on - especially when I’m in the kitchen. Music makes doing dishes more enjoyable!). But even when cooking or baking…all of it is more fun with music! And of course, I love a good conversation…with my kids, my husband. So I think there is time for silence, and there is time for “noise”. 

How do you feel about silence? I know for some people it is an uncomfortable or even a scary thing.  

Photo #1

Since a curfew was instituted about a month ago, I have found the silence where we live, in the evenings, to be rather eerie. We live on a fairly busy street (normally!), near an intersection, and so traffic noise was common throughout the night, til the wee hours of the morning before all of this started. But now, once 9:00 hits, the only sound I hear is the creepy hum of an electric generator downstairs, below our apartment window, kicking on and off. It makes me feel like I am living in a horror movie! Silence can be comforting, or it can be rather foreboding, can’t it? 


Photo #2

The light gently enters the windows, late at night, bathing the room in its’ cool glow. This kind of silence is warm and welcoming. You want to sit and soak it in. 

Photo #3

Many of my best creative ideas come in the silence of night. I wake up unable to sleep, or sometimes just as I am laying down to go to sleep, I will have new ideas plop into my mind, and then I get excited and really can’t sleep, cause my mind is going a thousand miles per minute, making all sorts of plans, that sometimes, in the morning, still resonate, and other times, seem infused by a dumb, dreamy insanity! 

I love this picture of my daughter painting…which is her creative outlet. I love sitting in silence, watching her create. It is amazing to me what she is able to do. 

So those are my photos of silence. How about you? What does the word silence conjure up for you?

Our Next Challenge: A Song

This week, I want you to choose a song, or an entire album. It’s up to you. You may want to choose a more contemplative album. Or a joyful album. Maybe a song or an album that has lyrics that are especially meaningful to you. Or maybe there are no words at all, but it has a melody that makes you feel a strong emotion. 

What I want you to do is put on your earphones and listen to that song or album. While you are doing that, I want you to try and photograph the song. I don’t necessarily mean photographing literally what the lyrics are saying, although you certainly can! (For example, if the song is about a person sitting on a chair, you could photograph a person sitting on a chair), but also, how does this song make you feel? Can you photograph that? 

Enjoy this challenge! When you post your image(s) (#deepsoulphotochallenge on Facebook or Instagram), make sure you include what song or album you used as inspiration!

I look forward to seeing what you create!

Cheri