Mother's Day | CJ Eklund with Katie Mollon, Darren Rose, and Amy Jasek

The day I truly felt like I became a Mother wasn’t when my furbaby chose me as his human. It wasn’t when I fell pregnant. It wasn’t when I found out my baby was a boy and it wasn’t when I felt him kick for the first time. It wasn’t even when he was born. It wasn’t when I held him for the first time or even nursed him. The day I truly felt like I became a Mother, was when I finally felt bonded to him. 

The bond we create with the other humans we choose to love is the strongest love there is. It doesn’t always happen as organically as we’re told it’s supposed to, and it doesn’t always mean blood. But when it does happen, it’s some kind of wonderful. I bonded to my own Mother in different ways as I grew into the Mother I am today. I learned, I failed, I learned again. She didn’t know her own Mother. Being adopted, she was chosen by a woman who wanted so badly to be a Mother that she went out and chose a child to love. The moment she made that decision, she became a Mother.

I was lucky growing up, in that I had a tribe of women help to Mother me when my parents divorced. My Aunts, my older Cousins, and especially my Grandmother. They were all Mothers to me in one way or another, and they helped make me the woman I am today. I still look to them for guidance as I raise my Son in this crazy world we’ve now found ourselves in, and right now, there are parents all around the world trying to desperately keep their children sane, happy, and healthy.

So, to this, I say, Mothers, Grandmothers, Sisters, Aunts, Cousins, Happy Mother’s Day. Thanks for doing what you do, even if it’s yelling our full names out in public when we’re almost 40 years old. We love you. This is for you. 

Water Babe | CJ Eklund

When I fell pregnant with my son, I would often go for a surf. In between the swells, I would talk with him about how much I loved the water and the ocean. I spent a lot of time in and around water and I hoped that he would love it as much as me. He didn’t disappoint. From the moment he was born he has loved water. In any form. Puddles. Rain. Bath-time. The beach. The shower. The sink. The first thing he does when he’s outside is head straight for the tap. Stopping him is next to impossible. He’s my water babe.

Katie Mollon

My relationship with my going-on-four-year-old daughter is like a mirror. My best and worst traits are reflected back at me through her raw emotions. One of the influences I've had on her is an interest in photography. She insisted that I let her use some of my beloved film. We compromised in this project: a film swap in which she began with a disposable camera, and I shot over top with my favorite SLR. I love how this image captures her confidence: not yet swayed by opinions of others.

Darren Rose

Our son was born on Easter Sunday, which in the UK, was about 5 weeks in to the COVID-19 lockdown. Amongst the many challenges having a baby during the times has presented, not being able to introduce him to friends and family has been the most difficult. Facetime and Zoom calls have helped bridge the gap but my Mum, who lives alone and doesn’t really get on with technology, has not yet had the chance to see her Grandson. Nor has our newly born son had the chance to be cuddled and held close by his Granny.

To help fill the void, I’ve been taking lots of pictures and sending prints to my Mum. She’s been putting them up at home, and put one next to a picture of my Dad, so that he can meet his Grandson too.

Although he can’t make sense of what I’m holding up in front of him, having pictures of my Mum to show him and talk to him about her feels like the best I can do at the moment. As I’ve looking to document the impact of the lockdown on daily life, it’s the images of my Mum and family and friends taken before lockdown that are providing us with comfort and many fond memories. Pictures are important. Never stop taking them.

Louise, 2017 | Amy Jasek

My one, my only, my girl - but not mine to possess or keep. When she’s not flying high on the swings, she stands firmly on her own two feet, and for this I am thankful every day!

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Connect

CJ Eklund is a fine art photographer in Europe, Australia and Africa, currently working on a number of limited edition collections and working on a photo project that focuses on empathy between humans and animals in East Africa. You can see more of her work here or follow @cjeklund on Instagram. 

Film photographer Katie Mollon is based in Michigan. See more of her work & connect with her on Instagram.

Film photographer Darren Rose is based in the UK. Connect with him and see more of his work on his Instagram and on his website.

Amy Jasek is based in Texas. See more of her work on her Instagram and on her website.

Austin, TX Photowalk | Katie Mollon, Chris Ullrich, Amy Jasek

Several weeks ago, three of us were able to get together for a film photowalk in Austin, TX. These sorts of things are often discussed but rarely take place; however, on this occasion we had the special treat of a fellow FSC member in town for a visit, and everything came together just right! Here are some of our favorite photographs from that day.

Katie Mollon

I'm so happy that Amy wanted to organize an FSC walk in Austin when I told her that I would be in town. For the few days leading up to our event, I had been bumming around downtown while my husband attended SXSW. While the people-watching was fun in the city, the monotony of modern business buildings had me itching for new scenery. I felt inspired by the energy of South Congress: the neighborhood that Amy selected for our walk. The first thing I saw upon exiting my Lyft was an outdoor artist market, and knew I was amongst my kind.

We met up at Jo's Coffee stand, which itself was visually unique. That Saturday was particularly perfect weather: people were out in droves. I'm normally very shy about photographing people, but it becomes much easier in large public crowds. Chris, Amy, and I slowly made our way down the street past the colorful boutique shops and restaurants with outdoor patios. I was drawn to all of the Texas iconography: cactuses, cowboy boots, and long-horn skulls. However, I announced, my photograph of a scooter in front of Willie Nelson truly summarized my SXSW experience of Austin.

I packed my three easiest “point and shoot” cameras for the trip: a classic Holga, a Plastic Filmtastic Debonair, and a Yashica T4 Super. I like variety, so I loaded the Holga with Ilford FP4, the Debonair with Lomography 800 (the faster the better with plastic cameras), and the T4 with Psychedelic Blues #4. I was using the T4 for a lot of my downtown snaps, so I mainly focused on the first two cameras for this walk. I love alternating between double-exposures and singles. Some subjects beg to be layered, while others you don't want to lose in the details.

Chris Ullrich

South Congress Photowalk with the Nikon L35AF

I’ve been making photographs for a long time and part of the fun, especially when shooting film, has always been trying out different cameras. I have my favorites, of course (the Leica M6 and Nikon FM2n chief among them), but this time around I was toting a pair of Nikon L35AF point-and-shoots I had picked up on eBay for about 20 bucks each. One was loaded with Tri-X and the other Fuji Superia. Each was rated at box speed (ISO 400 in both cases).

I don’t typically use a point-and-shoot because I like having total control over exposure and focus, and I had never used the Nikon L35AF before at all, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d read a few reviews and knew the camera had worked well for other photographers, so I was pretty sure I’d be able to make some acceptable photographs with them.

Turns out, I was correct. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the Nikon L35AF was to shoot with. It pretty much nailed exposure and focus on every frame, even in some difficult high-contrast situations, and the images scanned well, requiring very little to no adjustment in Lightroom.

All in all, I had a very good experience with these cameras and plan on using one again very soon. In fact, I may just keep one in my bag all the time, just in case.

Amy Jasek

I was lucky enough to get to photowalk with Katie two days in a row, so I’ve included a photograph from the day before in East Austin as well (it’s the first one). I had my Hasselblad 500 c/m and Nikon F with me, both loaded with Tri-X.

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Connect

See more of Katie, Chris, and Amy’s work on their Instagrams!

Who we are, now | FSC members & Amy Jasek

Recently, inspired by a variety of things that led me down the path of thoughts about the passage of time, I asked our members if they wanted to participate in a self-portrait project that would portray who they are, right now. Life is an ever changing journey, as we all know, and I believe both the the sorrowful / difficult times and the joyful / easy ones are worth honoring. Even the boring times, when everything seems static, stagnant, are worth noting, because who knows what is actually in the works behind the scenes. We only see through a glass darkly right now, after all.

Anyhow, my proposal was met with a resounding yes, so I present to you below the resulting photographs and accompanying words from the members who were able to participate. May this be a challenge to you to create your own!

Anda Marcu

Colin Poellot

Shot March 9, 2019 at night in Riverside Park, New York, NY with a Rolleiflex Automat on Fuji Provia 100 film. Bulb time 60s exposure.

The last few years of my life have seen tremendous change, both good and bad. I’ve lost a few good friends to addiction and disease, moved 3 times, strengthened some relationships and severed others, adopted a rescue dog, and traveled to some new places. I’m constantly reminded of how transitory life is, so my favorite style of self portrait somewhat reflects that. Stepping in and out of the frame of a long exposure to create an impression, but not a strong one, shows how we fade in and out of our environments.This shot is in front of a stone enclosure that houses lighting to illuminate Riverside Church at night. I walk by it every day with my dog and it took me a month to figure out what it was for!

Chris Tennyson

Colton Allen

Showering with ALS

Since getting into photography, and since I was diagnosed with ALS around that same time, I have made a point of not making my photography be about my ALS. Despite that, ALS has been a major factor in how I approach photography, and has placed huge limitations on what I can do, as well as forced me to adapt on a weekly basis. I don't want my photography to be about my health condition, but I think that it is important for people seeing my photos to have some idea of what it takes to make them, and that doesn't often come through in our modern online world. To that end, I have tried on a few occasions to show the extents of what ALS causes. This self portrait is an attempt to show just how weak my body has become, but even this fails to truly convey the devastation caused by this terrible disease.

Daphne Schnitzer

Efrain Bojórquez

Often times my photographic efforts suffer from being taken a step back because of the day job, or family obligations, or even my other hobbies. There are seasons in which this seems to overwhelm us, when it feels like a ball and chain from which one can only be freed by completing all that takes one spots in our schedules. I feel fortunate enough to be able to hold all of my interests very near to me, both figuratively and physically. My wife complains that my office is quite the mess, but in reality is all just designed with a purpose: to not go crazy and to remind myself that there are always other things to look at when you've had it up to your forehead in whatever the hassle of the moment might be.

Gavin Chapman

Gina Gorsek

Greg Williamson

Jen Brimmage

Jen Zehner March 2019

This self portrait project has come at a pivotal time in my life. Iʼve had so many things begin this year… a new career, a new business, new photographic adventures. Iʼve been feeling open and expansive, yet this excitement is colored by an ever present doubt: am I good enough? It hangs in the background picking away at self confidence and progress. This is my attempt to stifle that nagging voice. I used an Instax camera to capture a disjointed portrait… representing all these different facets to my current life which Iʼm still trying to weave together. I then created transparency negatives to create a cyanotype triptych of outstretched arms and a bare body, as I am probably at my most vulnerable right now, even though I try to remain optimistic and embrace life as it comes.

Jesús Joglar

Jocelyn Mathewes

Katt Janson Merilo

“Becoming Mom”

My past 10 months have been about the transformation from an independent childless 20-something to a 30-year-old new mom. I now know that I can function on 2 hours of sleep a night for months at a time, and that the amount of work one can get done in a 24 hour period is more than double what I’d previously believed possible. In addition to the new 25-pound weight I’ve been tossing around and bouncing on my knee, I’ve started an adventure in learning roller derby, and picked up skating at about 2 months postpartum. It’s been a nonstop adventure, and juggling it all and my full time job – with increased responsibilities this year – has been a lesson in making use of every minute.

Lilly Schwartz

Mark Hillyer

Michael Rennie

Rajmohan

I’m a little shy and dislike being the center of attention, hence the hat*. This self-portrait was made using Tri-X in a Canon EOS 500 (my first film camera, purchased 20 years ago); the background is a canvas print of one of my photographs.

*As an aside, this is the only hat I’ve tried which doesn’t make me look entirely ridiculous, and so it will probably reside on my head through most of the coming summer.

www.rajmohanart.com

Ralph Whitehead

Sam Margulis

Shaun La

Tracey Bos

Hernando Conwi

Lucy Wainwright

Amy Jasek

Sitting on the edge of more change than I really know how to handle. Trying not to overthink things. Taking life one day at a time. Taking nothing for granted; giving all that I can.

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Submit

Inspired? Want to join in the self portrait party? Send me your self portraits - new ones, not more than two please, of who you are now, and some words if you are so inclined - submit them here by August 15 for a special article to run at the end of summer.

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Connect

Most (probably all) of the members who participated in this project are on Instagram - you should look them up, connect with them there, check out their websites! If you want to know more about me, I’m on there too.