19. on letting it flow

on the need to sometimes switch it up and the joy of taking photos

Dear sweet reader of TC - hello!

When I started this love letter, I wanted it to be a place where I could experiment and express things in a safe intimate place away from the utter madness and noise of other social media. I didn’t necessarily mean for it to become somewhere I solely posted painstaking word-heavy essays every few months but over time that’s what it's become. It’s made me become more avoidant of using it as writing about what I’m really truly sitting with often feels so heavy and big as everything around us continues to collapse. Writing as a form of bringing ideas together and processing still feels really important to me (and there’s lots more of it to come) but in the meantime I just wanted to take the pressure that I put on myself off myself by trying something new, to repurpose this space a little bit, to just get some much-needed new energy flowing.

Recently, I’ve finally been trying to organise so many of the photos I’ve taken over the years into a little archive and it’s been really nice to look at them again. I’ve been taking pictures for as long as I can remember and over the years I have certified my role as the unofficial archivist of my dearest friends and family. I love taking photos of the things, places and people I love but I’ve never thought of myself as a photographer but more of a guardian or purveyor of love, beauty and joy. Taking analogue photos has become a way for me to honour the sacredness of a moment instead of taking too many photos that I wouldn’t really look at again on my phone. Every single one feels more special. It’s a real shame that it’s become so costly and more and more inaccessible because by looking at these images, I’ve realised that I thoroughly enjoy being present through the lens of a camera and that these images reflect my delight in being there in that moment. They remind me that I am truly so blessed to live such a life full of love, beauty and connection. I know none of these things are promised so I never ever want to ever take any of this for granted.

So I want to start posting some of the ones I really love here. 

For today, here are some portraits of insanely abundant flowers and (with) my family in the Netherlands last month. They make me so happy. I’m hoping they are able to bring you some joy too :)

Love Naomi