The Numbing

The event photographer

I rarely find myself in front of the camera. My place is to always stand behind it.

For this photograph, I maintained my normal position while waiting for guests to arrive to the holiday party I was assigned to document. Seeing this particular setting provided a welcoming invitation with its placement, framing, and available light. It was far too perfect not to use.

Despite the joys of the holiday season, a brightly decorated Christmas tree, a punch bowl of warm apple cider, brightly colored sugar cookies in the shapes of trees and candy canes, and all of the usual party festivities, my mood at the moment when I tripped the shutter for this image was hauntingly numb.

This reflective self-portrait was captured just minutes after hearing the tragic news of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I was heartbroken. I still am.

waiting on guests

Reflections ©2013 Gary Garbett

I seldom find myself in front of the camera. My place is to stand behind it.

For this photo, I maintained my normal position while waiting for guests to arrive to the holiday party I was assigned to document. This particular setting provided a welcoming invitation with its placement, framing, and available light. It was far too perfect not to use.

Despite the joys of the holiday season, a brightly decorated Christmas tree, and party festivities, my mood at the moment was numb. This reflective self-portrait was captured just moments after hearing the tragic news of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I was heartbroken. Still am.

secondhand light

After a well needed and successful breather from classes over the past month, today is the beginning of my Spring semester and my yearlong sprint towards a December graduation. Aside from the annual reruns of holiday soundtracks, television programs, mountains of sugar coma sparkly treats, and family fruitcake, I was happy to occasionally locate some quality time for my own thoughts during the academic break.

Usually with a coffee mug at my side, I spent plenty of hours during the holidays with my varied and extremely eclectic film and instant camera collection. Dating as far back as the 1930s, each of them are secondhand, left behinds, or strays and all beautiful works of art in themselves. All have their own distinct character and personality and I can only imagine the stories, celebrations, and places they've each seen. Our eclecticism seems to parallel one another perfectly, promising an exciting journey as I search for light through their viewfinders this semester.

Together, we'll have a story to tell. No fruitcake required.

believing in believing

Paper Ornaments

A number of Christmases ago, finances were extremely difficult.

That particular year, the children and I made handmade ornaments with paper, crayons, white glue, glitter, sequins, and ribbon to decorate our truly meager tree. Hours later, we stepped back from the dusting of glitter on the floor to take a look at our Christmas tree. It was beautiful and I know that because of it, Santa was able to find us that year.

For twenty years, I've displayed that very same tree every year… along with all of it's memories and an occasional fluttering of stray glitter.

Yes, I believe.

Santa Came

Misfits

cadillacs and santa

Santa's Cadi

It may not be what he uses to make his runs on the 24th of December, but occasionally you know he's opting for some Skynyrd, cruise control, and horsepower over reindeer power.

Cruise on big man.