This week, Portland-based documentary family photographer Amy Thelen is sharing her point of view, along with her photographs:
The fundamental nature of humanity is fascinating.
The way someone looks, moves, and speaks all give small clues to who they are. These preliminary observations are often shallow but are necessary to build a confident foundation.
Whether I am at the grocery store, walking to the library, or in the home of a client, I always take time to see and feel. Beyond the obvious, there is beauty in the subtleness of people; both individually and within their relationships. I strive to find this and photograph it.
There’s intrigue in learning about another person and showing who they are through a thoughtfully made image. A moment that is full of emotion and transports the viewer to a deeper understanding of themselves or a loved one. Because, as humans, our drive should be to strengthen our relationships.
I want to tell a story in all its truth. The hand that twirls through tangled hair. The fingernails caked with dirt. The tear-streaked face. Pealing laughter. Quiet. Connection in each and every way. Love and anger.
The magic of photography exists both in the present and future. The stories change in our minds as the years pass, becoming clouded by new memories, but these moments are forever memorialized if we make an effort to document the everyday.
The everyday. Say it with me. The every single day.
