Posted on June 26, 2016
These are the newest works in the “ghosts and shadows” series.
ghosts and shadows xviii-carried by time
ghosts and shadows xix-sleepwalking through time
ghosts and shadows xx-time and the bucket
Posted on June 21, 2016
Every year my family gets together for a vacation in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I’ve been going there–missing a year here and there–since I was thirteen years old. Now all of us kids are grown and we bring our own kids. It’s always a laid back time. We soak up the sun and sound of the surf, swim in the saltwater waves, and catch up on our sleep with afternoon naps safe from the sun in our cavelike blackout-curtained rooms (well, I nap at least 😉 ). These are some photos and edits I made last week.
Posted on June 12, 2016
A special thinks to Janis Kirstein at Kirstein Fine Art for the feature in her “Collector’s Choice” series. The post contains the images shown here and more. Check out the series and Janis’s work if you can. I’ve really enjoyed the work I’ve seen in the series as well as her own!
Posted on June 5, 2016
This past week’s additions to the “Ghost and Shadows” series.
ghosts and shadows xvii: the being of time
ghost and shadows xvi: nite lite
Posted on May 28, 2016
Recent additions to the “Ghosts and Shadows” mobile series…
ghosts and shadows xiv: summers gone
ghosts and shadows xv: hide and seek
Posted on May 18, 2016
Here are recent additions to the Ghosts and Shadows series.
ghosts and shadows xii: collecting
ghosts and shadows xiii: visit
The whole series is on Instagram, although it’s interspersed with other mobile photography/artistry work.
Posted on May 9, 2016
A few photos taken Sunday at Jones Bridge Park in Norcross, GA. Still digging the Holga lens with sepia filter.
Category: Art and Photography Tagged: chattahoochee river, georgia, holga, holga lens, jones bridge park, lumix, melissa, melissa d johnston, melissa d. johnston, melissa johnston, micro four thirds camera, monochrome photography, mother's day, norcross, panasonic lumix dmc-gf3, photography, sepia, sepia photography
Posted on May 5, 2016
I’ve always done a lot of photography at my Uncle’s farm–it’s simply too beautiful not to take advantage of the opportunity to capture this part of North Carolina’s spectacular rural beauty. But recently I’ve been taking a lot more photographs with the past in mind. I grew up coming to the farm on a regular basis and spent a lot of time there during my summers. My grandmother, who still lives here, was my champion when I was a little kid. She made me feel loved completely–unconditionally–and made me feel special (as I’m sure she made my sister and brother feel as well). Her love (and my grandfather’s) was the balm that helped me cope with the effects of child abuse, yet the trauma of that abuse haunted the sunny fields and cold creek water I ran through during the summer. No matter how joyful my time at the farm, a darker undercurrent always made itself felt.
The farm is full of amazing memories–memories of love and healing but also an underlying fear that the love couldn’t quite touch–yet. I created a mobile series called “ghosts and shadows” to represent and work through my conflicting feelings in relation to the farm. I’m nostalgic and I’m wary. And I’m full of love for that little girl who was so lost and yet so at home on the farm.
Here are four images from the series.
ghost and shadows i
ghosts and shadows ii: farm, sea, and sun
ghost and shadows iii: the three
ghost and shadows xi: the past as friend
Posted on May 1, 2016
A couple of weeks ago the Holga 25mm f/8 lens I ordered from Hong Kong arrived. I finally took it out of the box and decided to play around this afternoon. I shot with a sepia filter. I love the air of mystery, even enchantment, it can lend to a scene.