Curated Photos | December 14, 2015 | Amy Jasek

Joy!  It tends not to make the news.  You don't hear a lot of it on the radio (unless somebody just won a thousand bucks).  It's the dark time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, and lately there's been a lot of darkness in words and deeds around the world.  And yet, in these dark days, punctuated by hate and fear, it's also a time of light for many - in one way or another - and joy is everywhere in spite of it all.  A few weeks ago I saw a movie that talked about how the best way to inspire change was to "feed the right wolf;" so, join with me today, feel the joy, let it feed your heart, and pass it on!

Next week our theme will be The Road Less Traveled, curated by Marc Nagainis . Please send in your interpretations; we look forward to your submissions!

Amy Jasek

Photography is a family tradition. I was raised in the darkroom, and on the fine art work of photographers like Edward Weston, Diane Arbus, and Ansel Adams. My father took me photographing with him regularly and taught me how to look at light. He gave me my first camera (an Olympus RC); I made my first black and white print (standing on a stool!) at the age of 7. There are some gaps in the timeline of my photographic journey, enforced upon it by life in general, but film and cameras are one of the few things that have remained constant every step of the way. For me, photography is all about moments and truth. I like to work in black and white so that I can highlight those two things. The truth, form, and simplicity of the moment is presented; I feel that removing the color from the scene brings these things out. I believe street photography is a little window into the heart and soul of a place, a time, and the people in it. These days I tend more toward street portraits and interaction with my subjects, but my drive for capturing the candid moment remains the same.