In an era dominated by 12 second Reels saturating our daily media consumption, I felt a deep need to take a pause from that.
I wanted to return back to a feeling of more tangible creativity.
So I turned to one of my most prized family heirlooms. My Dad’s old Kiev 35mm film camera from the 1970s.
When my parents were packing and moving last Fall, they re-discovered this beloved camera.
The one my Dad used to take photographs during his travels. The one they took on their honeymoon in Corfu in 1979.
I used to be so mesmerized by this camera as a kid. It was no longer functional, but the hefty weight of this metal gadget in my hands felt important. It felt like a grown up equipment I was allowed to play with.
Ten-year-old me loved playing with this camera. Pulling the viewfinder close to my eyes, catching that scent of old leather from its case, I would twist the lens with my small fingers, imagining I was a National Geographic explorer capturing adventurous landscapes and mysterious people in faraway lands.
This is where my love for photography came from.
Getting my hands on this camera again sparked a childlike excitement in me. The type of excitement you get when you were gifted with a favourite toy.
So I played.
I dived into my creative flow and let it guide my inspiration. I gathered three of my most poetic family photographs.
Photographs of my young Grandmother doing needlework in a sunny garden, my young Mother on her wedding day surrounded by fresh gardenias, and me on my wedding day in front of a wall of cedar trees, wearing her dress.
This vintage camera inspired me to gather a collage made up of three generations and to create a visual expression of my lineage.
Three generations of women in gardens.
So, dear reader, consider this a reminder to go back into play mode.
Pick up something with your hands, and create a feeling.
Get back in touch with what makes your soul dance with happiness.
xo ✨
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