Celebrating a photography milestone! CPAC 2024 Special Mention Selection
My creative journey started in photography, and I am celebrating a dream come true! One of my photos was selected as a Special Mention in the Colorado Photographic Arts Center Annual Members’ Show! 🤯
I’ve been a photographer for 13 years now, and it’s always been a dream of mine to show work in an exhibit like this. This year, I joined CPAC as a member and with the encouragement of my dear friend Kyla - decided to go for it!
The interesting thing about all of this is how I approached the opportunity emotionally. In previous years, I submitted with such a feeling of grasping. This year, I submitted for the fun of it - choosing images from my portfolio that were *my* favorites, regardless of what someone else would think is ‘good’.
This might not be the right or most professional approach, but it really did influence the work I submitted - and my attitude after submission. 😂
All but one image weren’t selected, which is totally fine. What charms the HECK out of me is seeing the one image that DID resonate with the juror. I’ve titled this image Sick Day, and made it in April 2018.
My absolute favorite type of photography is documentary - where I’m capturing the absurd nonsense that is family life. The sort of moments that make you think “you can’t make this stuff up - no one would believe me if i told them - !” And this spring day with my 2.5 year old was exactly such a moment.
Picture this: You’re a parent of 2 young kids, ages 5 and under. You also work full time, as does your partner. You complete the daily gauntlet of getting yourself and your children fed, dressed, out of the house, and dropped off at daycare and work. 😮💨 Now you can finally start the workday, right?
WRONG. Daycare of course calls and reports that the littlest one is too sick to remain at daycare, so you have to scrap all the things at work and bring him home. After what must be the world’s most restorative nap he is now bouncing off the walls and you stuff him outside and follow along with your camera. What follows next is hilarious and completely from the mind of the toddler.
✅ Iron Man mask, obvs
✅ get out the tractor
✅ fill up the tractor with this year’s haul of empty Easter eggs
✅ accessorize with mud from the front yard and wet shoes
All I can remember thinking as I made this photo was “if my boss sees this, she’ll never believe that he is sick” 😂 Luckily, that wasn’t a real thing I was worried about - but mainly a ‘good grief you silly kid shouldn’t you be RESTING’ moment.
ANYWAYS - I am delighted to have this photo take a place in the 2024 exhibit, and am even more excited to celebrate at the opening reception! Come join me!
