Tag: Practice

Consciousness · Counterintuition · Creativity · Practice · Vision

Running Start

Dorothy PerryLeave a comment

In areas of my life, I sometimes think of a classic idea in cartoons:

the hero or main character runs off a cliff and continues to keep running in air – as long as they don’t look down.

The concept of following one’s own path has something of that same slightly unreal feeling at first. But instead of anticipating a fall, I believe my path will carry me over the chasm to the other side and keep on going.

I have a mind that wants to extrapolate and guess all the combination of possibilities beforehand. It serves me well, but sometimes I have to step out on faith, and follow the decision to reveal myself publicly as a photographer who uses intuition and psychic sensitivity freely in my work and in my life.

I work for myself, so when I feel tense or anxious, I “reboot” by reading something short, simple and inspirational.

For ten years a beautiful book of meditations called “The Language of Letting Go” has been my friend when I feel crowded by a workday of too many calls, tasks, or demands on my time.

There have been newer versions with new affirmations as she continues to write and evolve, but this edition from 1990 continues to be my personal favorite.

Today’s entry referred to consideration of the idea that what we are learning at work often reflects and resonates to the things we are working out in private life. My issues of clearer communication with my clients can echo my issues of effective communication with my family.

Issues of establishing policies and boundaries with my clients can reflect where I place my boundaries with my loved ones–or where to place them in new relationships.

Issues of money, sexuality, childhood, self-esteem, fear of failure (or fear of success) can still appear at the most inopportune times. But they have less power to keep me off-balance all day as in years past. And I can tell immediately when something doesn’t feel right with me…and why.

So I welcome my visitors from the past, and redefine them with physical modalities like EFT and my eye exercises. I have respect for the lessons they still have to teach.

More and more these days, I am seeing that where I want to be in my decisions, photography career, and life is over on the other side of that ‘leap of faith’.

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer specializing in custom family portraits, modern headshots, & personal branding for women and executives.

 Contact her for commissioned work here. Thank you.

The Digital “Caress”
Creativity · Photography · Practice · Vision

The Digital “Caress”

Dorothy PerryLeave a comment

I don’t usually correct people’s images when I see them online in media – it is my observation that people upload what they choose to, and adjusting them is sometimes a second thought.

But I really like seeing the joy of people who have good images of their loved ones. Like an art restorer uncovering years of age and grime, I love to see the sparkle that’s been there all the time.

Sophie has devoted her life to creating extraordinary products that aid with spiritual development.

In this post she published an image of her younger self, an open smile under the flat yellow-sepia tone of film photographs of our past.

I really like the intimacy of looking at faces closely, and bringing the details back into awareness. Like a remastered record from your past, you can finally enjoy these images with refreshed beauty and memory.

I don’t consider it only restoring. It is a loving ‘digital caress’ from someone who is aware of the positive energy a good portrait of a loved one can have.

I sent Sophie the new image, with the apology of taking the liberty of changing it. And I am honored to say that she loves it!

My family has several beloved prints of my parents that have cracks in them so severe that the surface has disappeared and it will have to be reconstructed. I look forward to creating a renewed set of these favorite photos for my sisters and family to enjoy again.

Do you have older and damaged images? My digital ‘caress’ can take old family and favorite images and make them bright and beautiful again. Contact me here to look to see what I can do for yours!

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago lifestyle photographer. Contact her here.

Walk in Beauty
Photography · Practice · Vision

Walk in Beauty

Dorothy PerryLeave a comment

I find beauty all around me.

I would love to find it for you, too.  

Portraits and events that capture life’s freshness

in spirited images.

Dorothy Perry sees things beautifully. Contact, here.

The Two Become (another) One
Creativity · Photography · Practice · Vision

The Two Become (another) One

Dorothy PerryLeave a comment

After creating and editing portrait images for a couple,

it is my practice to put them away and look at them later.  

It allows time for different, new images to emerge.

This image is one I am exploring for my dual portrait series.

I love how these images capture a loving husband and wife as individuals

and as a romantic couple.

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer. Contact her here.

Cleaning the Viewfinder
Photography · Practice · Vision

Cleaning the Viewfinder

Dorothy PerryLeave a comment

My website for a time had been with a company

that offers the ability to add and change things at will

without waiting for my webmaster to do it.

Today, in addition to changing ALL the fonts (!),

I had been tweaking the info on my contact form. 

The item in question was in scheduling a screening call, to see if we clicked,

and to make an appointment to meet, so over a calmer, more relaxed time,

I could see them and strategize how to help.  

Just contemplating the sentence that I could not discuss price before I understood the parameters of the project flooded my nervous system

with past memories of all the people that had done JUST THAT.

This suddenly seemed like a perfect metaphor

for the way I felt people were seeing me and my work,

and filled me with such a sudden, heated surge of memory,

I had to step away from the computer until I cooled down.

But instead of giving in to the part of me

that wanted to let them all ‘talk to the finger,’

I let myself finally feel all these emotions all the way through.

The common thread that ran through all of these incidents

was a lack of boundaries and ‘backbone’,

letting my easy-going nature be misinterpreted as weakness.

I am in a profession I love, and I want to continue to be in a profession I love.

So it is my responsibility to keep searching out the gaps in my protocols and policies,

and strengthen them so that hidden feeling does not steal joy

and cause me to become cynical or embittered.

Though these things have indeed happened, 

each step today becomes the next one tomorrow.  

I saw that my part in this is slower & more connected communication. 

To not be rushed or in a hurry to close the deal.

To know that not everyone who wants my work is my ideal client. 

To know my ‘deal-breakers’ and be able to stick to them.  To listen to my gut.

And to keep a regular practice of ‘dusting the cobwebs’ that build up in the corners

so I am able to be ready, whatever happens,

with clean sensors in my cameras – and in me.

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer.

 Contact her here.

In Vino Veritas
Creativity · Photography · Practice · Vision

In Vino Veritas

Dorothy PerryLeave a comment

I enjoyed this event for the organization,

finding conviviality and conversation

in Chicago’s beautiful Cafe Brauer

filtered through many great wines.

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer specializing in custom family portraits, modern headshots, & personal branding for women and executives.

 Contact her studio for commissioned work here.

Watch Without Words
Practice · Vision

Watch Without Words

Dorothy PerryLeave a comment

Benefit: Helps develop a ‘wider gaze.’ Useful as a daily practice. Helps to become more aware of photograph-able things happening in moving or crowded situations.

This is effective when coupled with deep, steady breathing to help stay creatively effective in highly emotional or moving situations.

Step backwards.

Step back, as if moving your body.  Make the movements to step back, sensing everything: temperature, your pulse, your breathing, the fabric of your clothes, your muscles in your knees and feet.

Step back again.  Keep stepping back until you feel a release of breath, a relaxing.  Keep breathing, steadily, deeply.

Watch without naming colors, reading words, or signs.

Open eyes wider, open ears, open nostrils, relax jaw.

hold it briefly, lightly, gently.

Gradually have all senses open at the same time.

hold it briefly, lightly, gently.

Open your pores, feeling in all fingers and toes, all at the same time.

hold it briefly, lightly, gently.

Continue to hold in that middle. surrender. breathe. go deeper with whatever your body feels. hold it briefly, lightly, gently.

Take a deeper breath. Come back to your focus gently.

Please write if this exercise works for you: I would love to hear if this helps you imbue your creativity and photography with deeper emotional content.

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago photographer specializing in modern portraits. Contact her here.

Just The Two Of Us
Consciousness · Counterintuition · Creativity · Energy · Family Portrait · Parenthood · Practice · Relationship · Vision

Just The Two Of Us

Dorothy PerryLeave a comment

Within the mindset that what we do for others, we are working on in ourselves, I see the actions I am taking to help someone grow

are the things that are my struggle to grow with as well.

My son and I have been a tight pair since he was born. He was not an easy boy to raise

after vaccinations caused developmental regression at an important stage of life.

School, Aspergers, socialization, therapy: we had our roles: I was his cheerleader and advocate, tried to anticipate issues, ease him into trying new things –

and dust myself off when well-meaning experiments sometimes went south (I actually wrote some pretty good poetry about this period of time.)

Over time, I came to realize that some of these well-meaning efforts ‘bubble-wrapped’ him

against the work he needed to do to stand on his own feet…

Steps he needed to take himself.

I realize to be an advocate of his independence in this new stage of life, I needed to step back and let him

make his own decisions,

set new expectations,

disagree with me,

fix his own dinner,

handle his finances,

figure out his own schedules,

make his own mistakes.

Old habits die hard, and being a ‘helicopter mom’ was second nature for twenty years.

It’s still hard sometimes not to take the wheel for him when he is working things out.

But this is the work towards a measure of independence that we both have to do in our own lives.

It has taken longer in time than some young adults need, but that is what it took. It takes different types of strategies and preparations, and some hand-holding,

but that is what it takes as well.

And with extra time, reassurance and ‘figure it out yourself’,

I see that he is more assured, trying his wings, making short flights.

And succeeding.

One thing, though never changes.

I have a little ritual in the mornings, where I watch him walking to work in the crowds, as far as I can see him, until he is out of sight.

And then, saying ‘thank you’ in tears of gratitude

for the marvel of a young man walking down the street to work –

a vision that looks so everyday and ordinary,

but is evidence of beautiful, positive growth that has happened in ours.

Update of sorts: the time at home over Covid and the preparation to return to work caused some anxiety we could not manage or assuage, and in time he left the firm.

I am creating our schedules with more attention

on doing the things he does here at home himself

to take responsibility, care for himself, and figure things out.

All as quietly as he usually does things.

No matter what it looks like from the outside,

I have dreams of this next step and germinating it

until it is strong enough to flower.

Dorothy Perry is a Chicago portrait photographer.

 Contact her here.