At the beginning of the year, my friend, Megan, and I started a weekly photography project together. I was so excited to have a reason to shoot each week.  Then I got pneumonia. I was very sick for 32 days.  I could not get out of bed.  It was a big day when I was well enough to move to the couch in the living room.  I finally started feeling better at the end of February, only to get bronchitis the following week.  When wellness finally comes, it will feel like a treat to walk out of the house and take a leisurely walk around the neighborhood.

But still, during my illness, I pressed on with my photography project.  However, because I was so sick, I had to find things around my house to photograph.  That led to weeks of me trying to be creative while only taking 10-15 steps.  While it was very frustrating, it was an interesting exercise for me.

I found light in the tree in my front yard.

I found contrast in the flowers brought to me by a friend.

I found some color in my fridge.

Earlier this month, we talked about one of our manifestos:

Viewfinders Manifesto #9
We believe that photographic mojo may flow and ebb within each of us
but that there is always at least a spark that can be reignited.

When you lose your mojo, in photography or life, how do you go about getting it back?  I think Dorthy was on to something when she said, “If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.”  I want to encourage you to look around your home to try to find your spark again. It just might be hiding right under your nose… or in the fridge.

~Staci Lee