Hello friends! And Happy Fall!

We’re only a week(ish) past equinox but nearly every day since the crisp morning air has announced Autumn’s arrival. It’s seemed so sudden, though welcome for sure. I’ve spent the last few days working on this newsletter, simultaneously watching leaves pirouette in windy gusts and packing for a trip to the beach (while keeping one suspicious eye on Hurricane Ian, of course.) It feels a bit odd to be packing a bathing suit while wearing a sweater, but I kind of love it.

This past month has been pretty tiring. We were only out of school for six short weeks, and yet somehow I managed to forget how difficult the days can be. Of course it could be in part that the older the boys get the more complex the lessons get. Some weeks I practically have to reteach myself in order to teach my oldest. Even as an English major I had to remind myself the differences between past perfect and past progressive verbs. It’s funny the things you can know but take for granted. I like to think it sets a good example to the boys though, not always having all the answers right away. They often want to take things much deeper than the curriculum dictates, exploring ideas farther, and I find myself frequently saying, “well, let’s learn together.” It’s a lot of fun, but exhausting nonetheless.

But I did get to spend a lot of time shooting and developing film this month too. So much so in fact, that I barely picked up my digital camera at all (something you’ll never hear me complain about). While out walking with one of my little analog cameras one day someone asked me why I would still go to the trouble of shooting film instead of using a digital camera. It’s always hard for me to put an answer to that question into words. But I realized by month’s end that I had a visual answer. You can read more about it below.

As always I hope this letter finds you all well, and enjoying some cooler temperatures and fall fun. Thanks so much for reading! And you know how much I love to hear from you, so write me back!

kg

REFLECTIONS ON FILM

When I first showed a friend a small series of self portraits I had done on film, the word she used to describe the feeling she got from them was ambivalence. It caught me off guard, not because she was wrong, but rather because she was right. There’s a messiness to film that my nature struggles against, but that I have also come to love; the not knowing, the graininess, the fragility of it. After a few rolls I actually started to sort of crave these things, welcoming light leaks and even inviting in some imperfections: shooting too wide or too slow; making soft, long-exposure self portraits; being sloppy with the development. It’s an exercise in letting go of the idea of a clean and perfect image, and instead finding rhythm dancing with the unknown and unpredictable. There’s definitely a bit of an ambivalence in the process, a state of being half in and half out that sometimes mirrors my own life: my body in one place, my heart and mind another. You can check out the full set of images here.

RECENT POSTS

LOOKING FORWARD…

I’ll be enjoying every second of having my toes in the sand this week, just in case anyone was wondering. But I also look forward to a whole lot of this when I get home.

AT THE MOMENT

LISTENING TO

My listening has been pretty all over the place this last month. But with my favorite time of year at the doorstep and a week at the beach coming up I’ll be keeping this feel good playlist on repeat. It’s a lot of Bill Withers and Leon Bridges, and is perfect to listen to when I’m in a good mood, or when I need a little help getting there.

READING IN

With school underway and the bulk of my “me” time being spent in the darkroom I’ve hardly had time to breathe, let alone read. The few books I picked up this month didn’t really hold my attention, save one very special book I read to my boys, and a wonderful little read that one of you suggested to me: Wild Comfort: The Solace of Nature. I’m always so grateful for good recommendations.

THINKING ABOUT

I don’t know about you guys, but I find the recent onslaught of book challenges and bans incredibly troubling. This past month PEN America published a study showing that the number of banned or challenged books has doubled this year from last. And what’s particularly disturbing is the way librarians have begun to come under personal attack. Shortly after leaving Virginia last year the school district adjacent to the one we’d been in made the news when a board member suggested actually burning books; he was appointed chair just two months later. I find it sad, and a little scary, the way people can be so afraid of ideas and experiences that differ from their own.

That said, let’s end it on a high note. There was also a lot to love this month…

CRUSHING ON

If y’all haven’t read yet about how Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard gave the company away, you absolutely should. It’s an inspiring story, and an example I wish more businesses would follow.

Speaking of examples I wish more people would follow… I absolutely love Misan Harriman’s photography, but it’s the use of his voice in speaking up for others that makes him such an incredible human.

And lastly, I first found illustrator/designer/writer/thing-maker Jane Mount earlier this year when one of my favorite instagram accounts featured this piece of her art, made using banned book titles. Being a total book nerd of course I love her work, as well as her passion for small bookstores and free speech. (Be sure and check out her super cool stuff over at Ideal Bookshelf too; I’m eyeing one of her custom prints myself.)