Meri's Musings

Before the Egypt portion of my journey, before a madcap 32 hours in Manhattan, there was a photo workshop. Jan Phillips gave each of us, the seven of us, a word as an assignment. Take a photo, she said, that conveys the meaning of the word. Or not, as you choose. My word was oneness. Make me one with everything.

Do you? Do you have what it takes to face the world and share your gifts with it? Makeup or no make up. Whether or not you have a friend who's always loyal and curious about what you're doing. Are you brave enough to bestow your gifts upon the world, saying, "Here I am World -- I'm good enough just as I am" and "I have something to offer" ? Or do you have still have work to do? Each of us is born to create. Every living being has some gift to express that will benefit the whole, and it is for each of us to discern what gifts we bring to the table. This indeed is the hardest work -- not the actual doing or being, but knowing what it is that we are called to be and do. - Jan Phillips Marry Your Muse Do you know what you're called to do?

Over time, if we shoot authentically, follow the leanings of our heart, our body of work will become a silent testimony to who we are and what we care about. Our photographs will speak with a voice all their own, uttering our essence to all who can hear. - Jan Phillips (God is at Eye Level) "About to Blossom" photograph copyright 2009 Meri Arnett-Kremian It's easy to follow my heart when I shoot photographs but does following my heart lend a coherency to my "body of work?" Is there some kind of essential Meri-ness in my photos that speaks to you of me? Do they tell you that deep in my being I hope when you see my images the experience brings you healing for wounds you might have ignored, at least a moment of pleasure, and an appreciation of the beauty all around you? Do they tell you I wish for you to be moved, that if I am lucky you will know a piece of the joy ignited in me in the moment of capturing a beautiful image? Do they offer you an entrance into a plac...

My photographs are a direct line to my inner world. They are the shortest distance between my soul and yours. - Jan Phillips ( God is at Eye Level ) "The Colors of My Soul" copyright 2009 Meri Arnett-Kremian Can you follow the path? p.s. You can see Fledgling Poet's soul today too. It's in her words.

There's something holy about this work, something healing about this search for the light. Like the pilgrim's journey, it's heaven all the way. - Jan Phillips "Light and Shadow." Copyright 2009. Meri Arnett-Kremian There are those who think that each photographer fascinated with the perfect dancing light is actually capturing her own reflected light. I think we cannot help but capture a piece of ourselves when we make time stand still for a fraction of a second through photography. If we take a piece of someone's soul when we capture an image, we give in return a piece of our soul, a trace of ourselves to keep the subject's soul company, unseen but present in the visual record. "Making Bouquets" coprright 2009 Meri Arnett-Kremian The piece we leave behind may be enigmatic, hard to decipher. It may whisper, not shout, wanting to keep the focus on the outer realm. But in our pilgrim's journey, we show our souls every step of th...