pamela joye

[pamelajoye]

surprise birthday | brookline, ma

One of the best parts in working with others is remaining connected and after documenting their wedding years ago, I was happy to accept the opportunity to document yet another milestone - that of Michael's 40th birthday. Planned by Claudia as a surprise that included parents and family from across the country and surrounded by local friends, it landed with complete disbelief and a warm embrace. 

Held in an exquisite home of a talented artist who's beautiful work graced the walls alongside inspirational elements that were simply fascinating. As a bonus, we were all able to see the Claudia's design for an extension of the kitchen onto a back yard deck. But the true highlight of it all were the expressions and embraces, the connection of family and friends, and the memory of this beautiful afternoon. 

[pamelajoye]

the little tree

It was the first week of December and i still hadn't figured out what to do for a holiday card. Tho I've somewhat accepted a need to be in the month to feel that special something in the air, i have yet to fully trust in the process. And yet on the day i planned to take a drive along the coast with a friend (with a hope of finding an image in the back of my mind), the great muse in the sky saw fit to fill this particular day with a mystical fog and mist; two elements that inspire my art seeking soul, and I knew there was a very special picture out there for me that day. I'd actually planned to take one from the Beverly seashore with a view back to Salem and it was here that i saw this little tree perched on the fence overlooking a calm harbor with the stacks from the power plant (which three years later are dismantled) barely visible in the background. Yes, this was the picture which pleased my heart. It was the one for the card, but more than that, it's one that lingered well after the month had passed and sparked an interest in finding little trees each year.

As we were in Florida early to mid December the following year, I saw these three little trees nestled among the palms. Though a little too busy for a card, and not as "little" a tree as I'd hoped for, it was the image for the year for by the time we returned and acclimated, the spirit of the season had somewhat transitioned into the new year vibe. 

Last year's image surfaced in the most unremarkable location by day; by night, its presence was sweetly magical.

This year, I saw one that like last years, had the right vibe at night. While it worked for the card, I'm still in an inspired search. And in that, I thought of seeing what i could do with staging my own little tree.

So I selected a sweet little fir in a red stand, headed to Winter Island, and gave it a try. It provided an afternoon of enjoyment, sparked interest from a child on the beach and others walking on the trail and may offer a few more afternoons of interest. But I can't deny a sense of feeling like i'm cheating ... or perhaps that this is a side series. For part of the allure of the Little Tree is the discovery .... it is the experience of a process, the time and persistence, and in that (for me) is the gift. 

Little (Staged) Tree at Winter Island, Salem MA | 2015

[pamelajoye]

a shooting star

The times I've seen a star streaking across the night sky ... were in one breath, a single flash of a moment that held within it a hopeful magnificence; it's shimmering brilliance and the physical sensations that echoed within. Until I noticed the tug between a certain kind of self-centered ego framed superiority (the insecurity of needing to feel special and this as an outward manifestation of that) in opposition to the grace of my soul and the gratitude for experiencing this gift. 

The times when I've experienced this wonderment were ones of simply being tuned into a moment; present, quiet, aware. Unlike those times when I've held a certain kind of expectation - those nights of "ideal conditions" bringing my smug self outside with a certain kind of expectation. I've never seem a shooting star in those idyllic settings. 

My own personal path with photography is quite similar to the experience of a shooting star for a picture is at its essence a flash of frozen light; it's shape shines with a similar illumination that settles into my insides as that streak across the sky. And just like I cannot will the heavens to do their magical light display at my disposal, I cannot conjure up "THE" image with insistence. Instead, the path is really one of doing:  "inspiration exists, but it has to find us working" (Pablo Picasso) + "chance favors the prepared mind" (Lois Pasteur). These two thoughts work in tandem.

To see a star, I actually have to show up in the night sky....I have to look with sincerity and patience and graciousness - to take in and appreciate the gifts on display. Looking with a soft focus, detached and yet intent. Knowing that this night in this direction holds the best promise. Returning over and again for within the rhythm of practice, I cultivate an appreciation for the stars themselves rather than those that loosen and break free. 

And so, after some years of showing up and photographing ... with very little idea of where to look or what to look for, peering out among the millions of stars waiting for that one to streak across the sky, I've come to a certain kind of understanding with the zen of the sky - it's not the shooting stars, it's the outline of the whole. Seeing now the shapes that convey a certain kind of elegant longing mixed with nostalgia and a subtle humor ... the simple line I am drawn to time and time again, only now seeing they were there all along. The same image taken over and again in different cities and times of year - Lineup & Stars (the One and the Many).

I'm eager to revisit (and perhaps clarify my hellish mess of a chaotic archive) with a fresh eye. Looking for the stars both shooting and shining within, adding to this series that's been present since the beginning. 

[pamelajoye]

the workshop

i'm remembering last year on this day ... setting out for day two of a weekend workshop with mary ellen mark at the center for photography in woodstock and the longish ride through upstate new york. 

i've reflected long and deep on the kaleidoscope of emotions: the internal drama at the welcome gathering (and the duality of a deep seed social anxiety tinged with an acute  self-centered awkwardness where the ability to reasonably communicate was overshadowed by a combination of feeling awe struck and right sized); the deflation during the first day's portfolio review of all workshop participants (reluctantly letting my mind drag my heart down towards dark and dreaded comparative places which have no relevance and serve no great purpose... fleeing at the break for dinner to a personal space where i could listen quietly and allow the tears that had been building to flow free and unfettered. to simply wilt and let the layers peel off inside); the peace and hope that followed at the lecture that evening ... realizing that this icon of a living legend had done it all; that the path really is about the work and working - the more you do, the more you become.

i've often needed to feel the anguishing wrath of less desired emotions to get to the other side...to slide into a space of a peaceful trusting, a gentle state of grace. and this was my headspace on day two of the workshop which was the day we actually photographed. the location - the columbia county fair. the three blog posts i shared last year were vague and lacked the anchor of context. the gut wrenching blood and sweat tears i shed before. all the dark brooding insecure bees in the brain thoughts seemed to flee the hive in my mind the instant we arrived .... my artists eye distracted by two little girls in cowboy hats and boots entering the fair with their grandparents. 

after we'd entered and set up homebase, mary ellen went around the circle and asked each of us (or rather confirmed with each of us) what we'd be focusing on for the day (for my part that would be portraits) and we were turned loose to photograph.

i started off in an area with a lineup of girls who were performing gymnastics and dance steps then as i was rounding the corner which led to the midway, i came face to face with the two little girls who just happened to be getting off a ride next to a tent that featured the word 'america' .... and that photograph has become one of my favorites i've ever taken. aesthetically it had many elements i look for in a portrait - an elegant longing mixed with nostalgia and a subtle humor. 

my experience at the fair was one of a deeply felt love of the people, the place, and the real gift of exchange; lost in the making of pictures that i felt in my heart and soul, learning from a woman who's conviction of being was a gift to us all.

i had hoped to continue on in a workshop with mary ellen in an extended setting ... mindful that finances weren't complying with my desire....and at the very least, be able to participate in another weekend with her in woodstock at this fair. so her sudden passing in late may (ironically at the beginning of summer) left me mute. 

as the center for photography is honoring mary ellen with a remembrance on this weekend  that she led workshops for so many years,  i was asked to contribute a few words on what she gave me...what i took away from my brief little time with her. it was in the remembering that i revisited all those thoughts and emotions and feelings and impressions. she was a gift and the experience i had with her i'll treasure for the rest of my life. i leave you with her and my remembrance below.

Mary Ellen’s impact on me in part was to expand my view with a strength of purpose and intent. She helped me see more of what I do naturally and how to push beyond my comfort zone. I was struck by the depth and breadth of her work and her discipline in the edit. In all, I took away the sincerity of her truths – a real love of the artform and a reverence for her subjects. 

[pamelajoye]

three months of bliss

the last days of white light ... a golden luminescence that begins in a long stretch to neverland and its buried gifts. i long to press rewind/play ... to dig again for the treasures i've found along the way. for despite the hooks and reels and sweat and tear of exhaustion, it is the wonderment of sand, salt and spray that catches my breath. it is the burrowing my feet into sand and shell bits, turning my face into the endless spray, dipping my toes into waters near and far. 

i've often felt a heavy heart as this season of wonderland fades, clinging onto each last moment despite the ever subtle wave of chill on the breeze. and though i will most likely pass a few tears at the magnificence of all this time held for me,  i will drink in the memories with a long deep breath and release them back. for though this time of year is perhaps the most difficult to let go of, it is because its nectar was so sweet. 

[pamelajoye]

we wear the mask

We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes, This debt we pay to human guile; With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,     And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask.

We Wear the Mask excerpt by Paul Laurence Dunbar

and so this past year's project with 7th/8th graders from Cohen Hillel Academy & Salem Academy Charter School in partnership with the Peabody Essex Museum concluded in wrapping up a year long examination considering the meaning of identity and culture through a review of various types of masks from the past and present: what are different types of masks? is a mask liberating or constraining? is wearing a mask a choice of a necessity?

guided by these questions and the museum's connecting community philosophy to "present and interpret works of art and culture in ways that connect art to the world, the program kicked off with and examination of maya angelou's poem "the mask" with ensuing sessions allowing students to reflect on the historical, culture and personal impact of masks through the use of museum exhibits, film, poetry, guided activities, presentations and discussion.

the project culminated in student's creating personal masks that demonstrated an understanding of the way we define ourselves, and the way we are defined by others.

[pamelajoye]

in between

“Even when muddy your wings sparkle bright wonders that heal broken worlds.”  ― Aberjhani, The River of Winged Dreams

When a good too many days have blurred together, the resulting collage feels like an invisible shade that shields and selectively renders a refined view - it's like a long drink of lemonade on a hot July afternoon when one lingers under a canopy of leafy branches taking solace in the subtle coolness of shade. It is but a moment to take stock of what's on the other side of the present. Reveling in a time out of the virtual. Finding magnificence in a speck of dust on the journey of the neverland in one's imagination.

[pamelajoye]

a boy at two

With boys, you always know where you stand. Right in the path of a hurricane. Erma Bombeck

I'm not sure hurricane so much as a whirl .... swirling in laughter and comedic chaos, the kind where the drumbeats change at the drop of a hat. This boy flies from one room to the other with an infectious curiosity. In red socks and Mickey Mouse PJs ... little hands, big eyes and a charmers heart.

These are selections from a few hours on a typical morning - with a Mom who follows and gently guides with a magical spontaneity ... an uncanny ability to bob and weave with whatever direction the wind is blowing in the form of little boy. On any given morning - activities and toys and trains and breakfast and just a tiny bit outside. These few here are those that best tell the story of the grandeur of right now. @two.

This is the first in a series of a new project I've been thinking of for some time ... one that allows me to honor and thank in the only way I can.

[pamelajoye]

ignite ~ september

it was the beginning of the end of the beginning. a photograph taken the first day of the month at the end of a workshop and the beginning of what i think might be a long walk ahead. i'm thankful to have had a handful of pictures from this day that cut to the quick pretty deeply for me. this was one of those.

two hands in different poses speak to different sentiments, temperaments and personalities. hoping the boy would pull that bandana to the place he did. waiting for it to happen. seeing it all before it unfolded; realizing the space feels a bit crowded but knowing there was no other way to take it. i will leave you here at the end of a beginning and invite you forward ... to one who always surprises me with depth and grace - January Skye photography, Melbourne.

[pamelajoye]

columbia county fair - the portraits

Henri Cartier-Bresson once said, ""The most difficult thing for me is a portrait. You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and his shirt."  And so it is a tricky matter - for a successful portrait for me is all about trust, openness and a reverent connection.

it's an indescribable give and take of exchange and when i say i'm moved, i'm not exaggerating - i'm shaken to the core in a good way, in a grateful way; a heart swollen with tears that find their way to the surface. as i'm sensitive, i feel what's given and each experience changes me. so at the fair, what i looked for more than anything else were portraits of people that interested me. here's a sampling of those i found compelling.

[pamelajoye]

twelve portraits - september

as i look through the portraits i've shared each month to date, i am starting to see where i dig deep, and where i don't. where i take my time to really look and connect, and where i waver or shut myself off because i feel afraid of being vulnerable for the simple truth i'm aware of is this:  portraits require the photographer to be more vulnerable than the person being photographed.

while there's still a long road ahead, i'm thankful that many of the internal blocks and barriers that have hindered my efforts in the past are melting in seizing a moment. with that, i give you this month's portrait which is definitely not a theme of 'sunflare' (this month's theme).

so i'll look forward to seeing others photographs this month as it's an element i personally favor in commissioned work starting with Linsey Stuckey.

[pamelajoye]

boston harbor islands

i met up my mom in boston last week which might not sound like a big deal, except that it was because we don't get the chance to enjoy the daily routine of ordinary things like having lunch, getting a cup of coffee or simply taking a walk together. as she was visiting family who live a few hours out of boston, it was but a train ride for us to meet. we had nothing really planned other than meet for lunch, take a walk on the waterfront and enjoy a leisurely afternoon together. after lunch, we sat on a bench watching the boats, water taxi's and ferry's come in and out and i noted that one of these days, i need to take a day and visit the boston harbor islands. my mom looked at me and said why not today .... and with that, we were on our way to george's island.

tho we had no idea of the history - the fort or "lady in black" ghost story (which i may have to explore at some point) -  we enjoyed a ride filled with warmth, a mix of silence and conversation, clear skies, beautiful puffs of clouds and the island. though different from the excursions to vashon or bainbridge island in washington state, the experience of feeling lost in a different time and space were the same. so close, yet so far away. these are my impressions.

[pamelajoye]

the fair

i had the opportunity to photograph at a county fair in upstate new york a few weeks ago and the experience is one that remains in my heart. the warmth, the openness, the trust, the gentle reciprocation. photography is not a one way street - particularly with portraits.

a portrait takes a certain kind of exchange - sometimes it's a lingering exchange, at other times like the one above, it occurs in a flash. i liked the connection here and the clean simple background of the tent fabric along with the little ruffle bits off to the right. here are three others i felt were successful.

[pamelajoye]

in one breath ...

In writing my newsletter this month i see how in a blink of an eye we've shifted seasons and a realization that it's been some time since i've shared anything here (my blog) or there (newsletter) or anywhere (pick your social media poison); in lieu of repeating my words in the newsletter, it's been a time to step back and take a breath. to withdraw and immerse. to reassess and shift; but, as time marches onward, here we are, one month later.

While stepping away for an extended time can be nourishing, for me, it can also prove a little tricky on reentry with so many rich experiences, where does one begin. How do I restart the momentum. With what?

I've chosen to begin where i left off ... the end of the beginning in every way which is how this photograph makes me feel - a beautiful longing, a deep sigh, a reverent love, a need to make photographs so filled with emotion, they linger on.

[pamelajoye]

in one breath ...

In writing my newsletter this month i see how in a blink of an eye we've shifted seasons and a realization that it's been some time since i've shared anything here (my blog) or there (newsletter) or anywhere (pick your social media poison); in lieu of repeating my words in the newsletter, it's been a time to step back and take a breath. to withdraw and immerse. to reassess and shift; but, as time marches onward, here we are, one month later.

While stepping away for an extended time can be nourishing, for me, it can also prove a little tricky on reentry with so many rich experiences, where does one begin. How do I restart the momentum. With what?

I've chosen to begin where i left off ... the end of the beginning in every way which is how this photograph makes me feel - a beautiful longing, a deep sigh, a reverent love, a need to make photographs so filled with emotion, they linger on.

[pamelajoye]

in one breath ...

In writing my newsletter this month i see how in a blink of an eye we've shifted seasons and a realization that it's been some time since i've shared anything here (my blog) or there (newsletter) or anywhere (pick your social media poison); in lieu of repeating my words in the newsletter, it's been a time to step back and take a breath. to withdraw and immerse. to reassess and shift; but, as time marches onward, here we are, one month later.

While stepping away for an extended time can be nourishing, for me, it can also prove a little tricky on reentry with so many rich experiences, where does one begin. How do I restart the momentum. With what?

I've chosen to begin where i left off ... the end of the beginning in every way which is how this photograph makes me feel - a beautiful longing, a deep sigh, a reverent love, a need to make photographs so filled with emotion, they linger on.

[pamelajoye]

a day of life - m&d

in response to questions i often am asked about "day of life" sessions, i thought i'd share my notes and selected photographs from a recent session.

a day of life documentary is a story of photographs that speak to a particular time and place of one's life. while tailored to the distinct elements of each client, day of life sessions are generally set up in a way to include the activities and going's on of the day-to-day at home and in a nearby location - a park, a path, a playground - with the session lasting from a few hours at one time, to a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the early evening. and while my role is to discreetly  photograph moments and emotions as they naturally occur, i interact here and there, particularly to weave in portraits in ways that feel effortless and natural.

day of life - m&d

i prefer to meet before the session - particularly for families with little ones and pets - so they know who i am and i have the chance to observe their mannerisms and expressions. so for this session, i came by in the late morning before nap time to meet little girl and talk with mom. i was warmly welcomed by jake - a part st bernard part great dane gentle lamb that was most definitely the largest dog i've ever laid eyes on!

as we were talking, i learned that this is the last month these two will be together all day long as mom took two years off to be at home and will be returning to college in the fall and to work after graduation while little girl will be in daycare. as we were talking, she mentioned:

"it's kind of bittersweet...while i'm excited and ready for what's next, it's hard to process that two years have gone by and we only have a month left together."

it was this quote which framed it all and inspired the story i wanted to photograph - the longing to be at home among toys and tot mixed with the pull to return to the world of learning and working ... the illusion of an endless childhood and the need to linger on in each moment left.

this translated to photographing in two locations. at home - outside on the deck which overlooked a lovely pond - with little girl playing with toys, then running down to the dock to be on the boat - then a short ride to the woods nearby for a walk on the path through the trees in golden ethereal light, throwing stones in the water and climbing on rocks, and ending with lovely little portraits.

while i photographed a little during our pre-session chat to get a feeling of things, it was high noon and mid-summer which was too harsh of a light. by early evening though, it was sparkling and golden.

while i'm showing the images sequentially, most day of life sessions are finished in a book.

day of life sessions offer an experience of art and creativity and a time to just be with those you love and enjoy. it is a little printed memory of time that will be enjoyed for years to come.

interested? i hope so as these are my favorite sessions to create and  i think you'll find them surprisingly obtainable. contact me for details.