Peacemaker Interview
- What does visual peacemaking mean to you?
Our world is super saturated with media. Mostly it seems to fall in to two broad categories. There’s the kind that glorifies the disturbing side of humanity, the kind we are hungry to voyeur in to but glad to step away from shaking our heads, glad that we are not as messed up as “they” are. Another is the kind that holds up an invisible plumb line in to our culture - dictating what is desirable, swaying trends, energizing consumers and niggling it’s way into our subconscious mind to always be measuring ourselves against - usually realizing how short we fall of the “ideal”.
Visual peacemaking, to me, is representing the world as it really is. The beauty in the mess, the pride of living deeply, the flowers that inevitably grow in the cracks. Visual peacemaking fills our spirits and brings connections into places we might not have ever known to look - not just bridging cultures but unifying humanity- which then opens up awareness not only to that space, those people, that issue… but also into ourselves. - What motivates you to be a peacemaker?
I guess I’ve just been super blessed to get to take off my shoes and walk beside individuals, talking about the struggle and the strength, living through both together. Every person carries a story they have journeyed through and are continuing to trek. The circumstances may be unique, the surroundings foreign, the road customized - but the journey we have in common. Hopes, dreams, family, self image, love, fear, desiring safety and purpose - we walk together in remarkably similar footsteps. That realization has illuminated the beauty that pours from every sweat soaked step - and I’m just living in the overflow of all of it.
- Have you ever felt stereotyped?
I think I’d answer this from a different perspective than you are asking it- the answer is yes. I am a full time volunteer in Africa, living off the generocity of friends, working out of my faith in a creator that loves deeply. The best title for that is missionary - but - yikes - even I cringe at that word and the self-righteous, socially akward images that pulls up. But in this context - living here in Southern Africa has given me access and relationships to be able to partner with many small NGOs doing great work in their commuinities - but being here doing what we do immediately puts me in the category of a “volunteer who takes good pictures”. So, that’s where the stereotyping comes in.
- How does your camera get you to reflect on your world and your life?
sometimes I think my camera helps me to see things more sharply- to pay attention to nuances and details - and since I work mostly with people in disadvantaged communities, and in an urban African setting at that, I am more able to become aware of what is happening beyond the surface - what the bete of a moment, an expression, a setting is.
- What do you like to photograph best?
I am always drawn to how a place feels. The emotions that ripple beneath the surface and burst through momentary expressions or movements.
- What technical aspect of photography do you find most challenging?
Oh my goodness! I am terrible at post processing. I read books on photoshop and now I’m just stepping across in to lightroom - but often times the books might as well be talking about rebuilding a car engine, I’m so lost. Then I get discouraged and start to think “If I’m a photographer, why doesn’t this make any sense to me?” I don’t have a community of photographers here in Africa to walk with and learn from - and I don’t always have consistent or speedy internet access and bandwidth is expensive, so I shy away from scouring the internet for tutorials. I think that’s one thing I am really hoping for in this place of IGVP - the fellowship of photographers who are working out of my passion (as opposed to studio or landscape photographers) who I can learn from.
- Is there a particular group you feel is misunderstood or stereotyped that you’d like to document common humanity amongst?
definately issues of poverty. I mean, big sweeping category - but that’s where my heart is.
My Biography
I am ::: mentor - teacher - learner - listener - storyteller - photographer - painter - singer - mom - wildflower - barefoot - gluten free - local and organic - Michigan turned Africa - beauty in poverty - completely disorganized - finally awake - utterly amazed .
Three years ago our family quit our jobs, gave away all our stuff, said goodbye to our deepest friends and moved to South Africa to volunteer in an informal settlement just outside Johannesburg. It is here we live our life, walking a journey with leaders and kids and neighbors and the guy who always sits outside the clinic gate. We didn’t come to save the world or alleviate all poverty - just to live deeply and to learn together to take the next right step in front of each of us. I’m super fortunate to be invited in to lives and moments and projects with my own community and other small local NGOs, to spend time walking alongside and using my camera and voice to tell their stories. It’s a honor and a dream.
My Recent Activity
- I added: Family Zimbabwe
to Galleries on November 03, 2010 - I added: inside the classroom - South Africa
to Galleries on August 23, 2010 - I added: Rwanda
to Galleries on August 20, 2010 - I added: our side of South Africa
to Galleries on August 16, 2010
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