Journaling about Photography
inspired by Edward Weston's Daybooks
In 2019 I found myself in a creative rut. I don’t remember what caused it or how I ended up in it and it surely wasn't the first time I felt that way. It was around that time I learned about the book “The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity” by Julia Cameron. Millions of copies have been sold over the past three decades and countless artist were able to unleash their creative power thanks to that book. Having this in mind, I - full of hope and expectations - got myself a copy. I will just say as much: the book wasn’t for me. I never finished it. But there is one thing this book did for me: it encouraged me to start journaling.
My journaling practice looks probably very similar to other people’s: I write to reflect on the feelings, struggles and thoughts I have. I take notes about things that moved me or memories I want to hold onto. I make weekly to-do lists, use my journal for tracking goals or to draw in. The way I use my journals has become more and more creative and versatile over the past few years.
Journaling to me is a very powerful tool for self-reflection, encouragement and personal growth. It helps me to clear my head, let off steam and stay on track with goals and tasks.
It wasn’t until I learned about Edward Weston’s Daybooks, that I realized journaling could also be used to document my photographic journey.
The Daybooks of Edward Weston
If you have read my post about Weston’s Daybooks, you know Edward Weston often wrote about his creative process, his techniques and his philosophical musings about photography. In his journals, he shared his frustrations and struggles with the medium as much as his joy and satisfaction he got by creating new work.
After a long day in the darkroom or in the studio, he took note of what problems had occurred or shared his excitement about the new work he had just created.
This inspired me so much, that I wanted to integrate a similar habit into my own creative process when working on a project.
A few years ago, I started to work in a series. I would find a theme that interested me and that I wanted to explore through my art. I would start by brainstorming different aspects of the topic and do some research around it to spark my creativity. Then I would start to create several works of art exploring different aspects of the theme. Once finished, I would write a little essay about that series, release it to the world and move on to the next theme.
I rarely took any notes during the process of creation. I didn’t write about the experience of creating the work, the struggles I had completing a piece or the satisfaction it brought me.
At the beginning of this year, I started a new project. My plan was to photograph the local park in my neighborhood, where I go on walks with my dog several times a week. My aim was to photograph the park throughout the different seasons and document my experiences doing so.
As I mentioned, I have been visiting this park several times a week for a couple of years now. I know every nook and cranny of this park. And because everything became so familiar over the years, I wanted to challenge myself and see how it would change my visits, the way I look at my surroundings and maybe even my connection with the place.
After every walk, I sit down and write a few sentences about what I noticed during my time in the park. Just like Edward Weston did in his Daybooks when he photographed someone in his studio or worked with his beloved peppers, shells or rocks.
I am already a few months into that project and we are now at the end of summer here in Germany. It seems to me, that Nature has reached its full growing potential. Especially the brambles, vines and nettles have been growing like crazy, and have completely taken over the underbrush.
There were days, when I came home without having taken a single photograph.
The weather is dreary again. There is not much light. My eyes are not able to rest on anything today. The brambles, nettles and all those (invasive?) vines have taken over the underbrush and it is pure chaos to my eyes. Everything is so overgrown. The beech and oak trees have started to lose their leaves and fruits, which are all scattered over the forest floors now. I didn’t see anything worth photographing. Another day without having taken a single photograph. - Excerpt from my journal
I wrote something similar the next day. On the third day of coming home with an empty memory card, I felt like I was going to hit a roadblock very soon. So I reflected on what was going on by writing about it:
Yes, the grey and dull weather didn’t help taking photos, but I usually prefer it to blue skies and hard shadows.
Yes, it is pretty chaotic out there right now. But why not try to capture that chaos or embrace it and find a composition in it instead of ignoring its potential? I am usually pretty good at finding quiet compositions in Nature.
Yes, I don’t like the deep greens together with the approaching fall colours. But it shouldn’t be a problem, because the project is in black and white.
Especially the last one made me realize how foolish I sounded. While writing down this internal argument, it became clear to me that these ‘excuses’ why I couldn’t take any photos, were just one reason for my inability to photograph. I remembered, that I had been distracted by my dog. He had been a bit nervous on the last few walks and this impacted my own state of mind. The result of it was, that I had been lacking the ease and mindfulness I needed to photograph.
Writing about all this helped me to detect and overcome my struggles. I was eager to go out there again with an open mind. I was much more aware of my inner state and it was easier for me to connect with myself and my surroundings.
The photos in today’s newsletter are some of the photos I created in those following days. I had regained my positivity and walked with a fresh pair of eyes through the park. I did, what felt impossible the days before: I embraced the chaos, looked in places I had labeled as too chaotic and had ignored therefore. I also was gifted with a bit of sunshine which helped immensely too.
This project is far from finished, but writing about the experiences and thoughts closely following its development, not only helps to master obstacles like the one above, but it also gives me a better understanding of the intentions behind the project.
In terms of presenting this project once it is finished, I am thinking of it in the form of a book or zine. And maybe I will even add some of my journal entries. But for now I am just thankful for the inspiration from Edward Weston to write about my photographic journey at all.
That’s it from me today.
Thank you for being here and for reading this week’s newsletter.
X,
Susanne
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I love journaling about photography, I picked up a portable thermal printer that makes small prints on adhesive paper which is perfect for making prints you can peel and stick into a journal. I sometimes notice I have made a photo in the spirit of another photographers photo so I'll print mine and their and talk to myself about them. Maybe a movie, a book, a poem, a daily event caused me to think of something that relates overall to my creative process. I'll write about my dreams, take snapshots on my phone and include them in daily entries and so on. So much bleeds into a photograph and so much doesn't as well and I think journaling is a great way to see and understand where some pictures comes from and where some are just instinctual responses to our environments. I am curious if there are any entries in your journal about why you chose the square format for those project?
"While writing down this internal argument, it became clear to me that these ‘excuses’ why I couldn’t take any photos, were just one reason for my inability to photograph."
Love this. So interesting how getting things out frees us, in some way, to see them differently. I find this is so often true—and once I say a thing out loud or write it down, it loses a lot of power.
Lovely read.