I was out last Saturday and photographed in a parking lot. I was down on my knees with my toys in the pool of water in front of me when a car drove in and parked. I saw it happening in the corner of the eye and realized that it was probably best to leave.

Yes, I confess… I’m not like Shelly that I say it out loud

I work by myself

I prefer to photograph for myself, not hiding, but with my own company. I had already picked up my things, when I realize that it was too late. The man in the car has decided that it was time to ask me what I do. But when he reached me, I realized that he already knew or had guessed. Because he wanted to see the images.

With a deep exhale I showed him the back of my camera and one of the images I had just done. But doing this it made me think: why am I like this? Why do I think it’s so hard to talk about my pictures?

Why is it so hard to talk about my work?

I think I know. It’s the same feeling that makes me be moderate with my presence in social media. My photographic work is a lot about me. Talking about my work is, in a way, talking about me, myself, my experiences and my own life. I prefer not to talk about that. And if I do, I want to talk about my photos in rooms that I feel safe in. A stranger who wants to know what I’m doing when I’m kneeling near a water puddle; or an avatar on social media that pushes the like-button; these situations don’t make me feel safe or understood. I prefer to work for myself and save my work for places that aren’t about being the most popular, or the best.

In short: I take myself too seriously. I wish I didn’t and that I saw all the possibilities to share, to talk, or to make sense of my work, but I don’t. Now you know.

Kristina