When Photographs Speak
Twice I’ve cried over my photography.
The first time, I was beginning what would be a two year mentorship with a dear fellow photographer. A small group of us were staying in a cabin in the Smoky Mountains. I was in my late 20’s. New as the leaves in April to photography, that trip would be my spring board to a life of creating images of nature.
I clearly remember that evening in the cabin. Sitting his computer on the large dining room table, he pulled up one of my images and I watched him transform it from dull, to beautiful. I was undone. I called that photograph, Nature’s Invitation.
The second time I cried was this morning, May 24th, 2020. Yesterday, I had sat in my office and for the first time in over 3 months I began to tinker in Photoshop.
Over the last year I’ve amassed a backlog images that I’ve captured while teaching photography workshops. I’ve felt dried up and had no interest in editing photographs.
It’s been 10 weeks (70 days) of quarantine due to COVID-19. 9 photography workshop have been postponed. I refused to look at the calendar because there I’d see all of the dates marked out in washi tape where I’d be out of town with my husband guiding our friends into nature.
Growing up in the wilds of Alberta, Canada nature is infused into everything I am. Nature is in my DNA. It’s a place I profoundly feel and experience my faith, where I meet God. It’s life giving to me. It’s a moment for mental renewal.
When that’s taken away for a long period of time, decay sets in.
That’s where I’ve been for the last 50 days. If I’m honest with you, I’ve been fighting depression. Things that excite me, no longer do. A social butterfly has returned to a cocoon.
I’ve been grasping and searching for who I am. I’ve questioned everything. Did I want to continue guiding and teaching nature photography? Do I want to try something different? Does photography still make my heart leap? Have I prostituted my passion for a career? Honest questions. Hard. Honest. Questions.
Rolling out of bed on a humid Sunday morning, I sat outside and drank my coffee with Keith. The conversation quieted and I looked at him and said “would you like to see some images I worked on yesterday?”
We walked to my Shedquarters and he sat down at my desk. He scrolled through, commenting on a couple until he landed at one that I was hoping he would like.
He sat down, began to click some buttons. I never attempt to stop him when he does this. I usually quiet and still really still so as not to interrupt. He knows how to look at an image and instantly know what it needs. He has eyes that see.
Turning to me after several minutes, he said “I want this printed for our house. I even wish it was mine”.
You, my friend reading this blog may look at this image and shrug, and move on. Posted on social media without words to complete the image or give you context, you may scroll right past it. And that’s totally ok. Because something spoke to me in this image and it moved my heart. This is the second time I’ve ever cried over an image.
Because in all of this COVID-19 Pandemic mess, I thought that perhaps I’d lost a piece of myself.
The first image (created over 10 years ago) was Nature’s Invitation, captured in the Smoky Mountains. The second image created today was also captured in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The first image truly bears its name, an invitation into nature photography. The image I worked on yesterday feels like an invitation to return to the original spark that ignited my life.
I travel throughout the world for my photography, and the irony that the two images that have had this impact on me aren’t so far from home and from the same location. This is meaningful during a time when most of us are still on lockdown.
I’m strong believer in full circles.
Maybe just maybe this is a rebirth. Could it be?
Please let it be.
Tucked away in this new photograph that I’m going to call Springing Up Amoung Giants, you’ll see a very small, solitary dogwood. One of the smallest trees in this image, she’s surrounded by bigger, taller, and more trees than you could count. Insignificant but for the blossoms she produces.
This picture defines where I’ve been with my photography. Surrounded by those who I consider so much better than myself, it’s tempting to retreat in defeat, wave the white flag of creativity and simply settle.
Springing Up Amoung Giants whispered and said this to me:
“Keep going. You belong here, you’ll return here. You don’t need to be the biggest.You don’t need to be the same to stand out. Continue to blossom.”
So friend, thanks for joining me this morning and listening to these words from my heart. Thanks for showing up and being there. Thank you in advance for your comments, they mean so much to me.
I hope in some small way this image and the story behind it will speak to you too and stir up something in your heart.
Janice Meyer
May 25, 2020Oh my word. All of this is beautiful. You are one of my giants. I am so grateful to bask in your shade. You write like a poet. I love you. Go girl go.
TiffanyReedBriley
May 25, 2020Janice Meyer. You are so important to my life. I’m honored to have your friendship. Your photography and faith calls me to deeper places
Stan Jones
May 25, 2020Tiffany, PLEASE do not loose that Spark! God put it in you for a reason! When an image can bring a tear to your eye you know that you have something very special. After reading what you had wrote, then seeing your image, I was captivated!!! The fog looks like nature’s breath to me! I LOVE THIS IMAGE!!!
Stan
TiffanyReedBriley
May 25, 2020From you, this means the world to me. You are forever my mentor and etched securely into my heart. For everything….thank you.
Billie
May 25, 2020Your photography always speaks to me. Love the way your eye transforms an image.
TiffanyReedBriley
May 25, 2020Oh my friend. Thank you. This means so much to me. Will I see you soon?
Rick Sandford
May 25, 2020Hello, Tiff,
The images in this piece are absolutely wonderful, and I agree with your hubby, I wish that foggy dogwood image was mine!! The dogwood and the meaning behind it are both powerful reminders of how we grow and mature in the landscape of life. But beyond that, and this is not meant to take anything at all away from the feelings you felt strongly enough about to write them out, I think that things in all of our lives are pretty much the same way. I, for one, am finding it more and more difficult to maintain focus, figuratively speaking (my autofocus camera works fairly well – thankfully!! :)), in a deepening depression, cannot even look at the thousands of unprocessed images on my hard drive let alone try and process them. I am trying to keep at least a piece of my mind in the photography game; I try to get lots of macro practice and work on the flowers and flowering trees and shrubs near where I live. But somehow it just isn’t enough for me. I, too, think about the calendar pages with weeks of workshops written in, now canceled or “postponed to next year.” Just hope my next year’s calendar isn’t already filled those weeks. And I also think about all of those friendships to make anew or much better yet renew. I yearn for the wilderness where I am not forced to wear a mask and stay in my house and socially distance and not go to the place of worship of my choice, and otherwise be cut off from all those relatives and friends I love and care very much about. We, as nature photographers, have that special charge, I believe, and a never ending thirst and hunger for being in the wilderness, wherever that wilderness may be. However our eyes see and cameras capture and we choose to share it, that is what our souls really want. Without that charge and the thirst and hunger to go fulfill it, what are we?? I yearn for the missed opportunities at personal spiritual renewal in those places of the wilderness I hold so dear to my heart. And I think as I do, so do you and all the others who read your heartfelt words from deep in your soul. Now is not the time to abandon ship in search of new careers! You were meant to guide journeys in those personal wildernesses that your workshop friends find with you. That is part of your life’s calling, Tiffany. We would all be at such a huge loss if you decided to jump ship, so to speak. We should all stick by each other, support each other in the journey and find that wilderness together.
Just saying….and maybe thinking out loud!!!
TiffanyReedBriley
May 26, 2020Oh Rick. I’ve got all the tears. You’re a kindred spirit. Love you so much 💕💕💕💕
Traci
May 26, 2020Beautiful!! There is always beauty in everything & most of the time, we don’t notice it the first, second or even the 3rd time. Love how God speaks to us!! Thank you for your encouragement!!
TiffanyReedBriley
May 26, 2020Thank you Traci for this thoughtful note. Such a great reminder. 💕
Katie
May 26, 2020Tiff, your transparency is so appreciated. Listening to what the Lord is doing in your heart encourages me to evaluate my heart. I’m so thankful for your desire to use your talent to minister. Thank you. So much to think on here. 🤎
TiffanyReedBriley
May 26, 2020😭💕. Girl. I’m just sharing broken pieces and hoping others won’t feel quite so alone. It helps to know we are all battling this thing in different ways, but always together.
Gerri Laws
May 26, 2020It’s ok that we question. God knows that we will and he’s good with it. We’re good, we’re growing and learning. Hehas great plans for you and from all I’ve seen and read, you bring warmth, joy and encouragement to all who read and see your photography and writings.
Mark VanDyke
May 26, 2020Stay the course, Tiffany. The natural world is waiting and there remain many out there that can and will benefit from what you and Keith offer. In fact, this blog post highlights that very value offering–what is unique to only you two, your relationship with each other and with the natural world–that will pull others into your orbits. Do take time to feed the personal passions, especially now. The results of these otherwise “unproductive” personal projects often end up doing the heavy work of drawing people to you and your business. Well wishes to you both. Look forward to bumping into you in the near future on a trail or beach somewhere. Wish I could travel with you guys up to BC and out west!
TiffanyReedBriley
May 26, 2020Mark…….I know this was spoken from places only some people know and the road artists like yourself travel. Thank you for this encouragement. You just affirmed this notion in my heart and in doing so (whether intended or not) gave permission for me to take time for my own creativity, giving it room to breathe and grow. Keith and I both very much value your friendship.
Keith
May 26, 2020Amen !
John Martell
May 26, 2020Tiffany dear. Thirty some years ago, at the age of forty I had an epiphany. I realized I am who I am. I’m not better than I am and I’m not worse than I am. Some folks are taller, some shorter. Some smarter, some not as smart. Some better with a camera, some not so much. So what. We are all merely a subset of all our life experiences. That’s it. Therefore, we are all just different. I’m quite comfortable with that. How others see us is interesting I guess but not all that relevant to our self worth. So we go forward being kind and non judgmental. We can learn from everyone. Our 35 year old son Jonnie, with Down Syndrome, has taught me as much as anyone. You, sweet Tiff, are who you are….and I suspect most folks love, respect and admire who you are.
PS I’ll bet that ol’ rascal Kieth loves who you are…..
TiffanyReedBriley
May 26, 2020Oh John Martell……you exemplify and live our everything you just said and it’s one of my favorite things about you. Thank you for this reminder! 💕💕💕
Barbara Puceta
May 26, 2020Tiffany, I thank you for your honesty. I was actually thinking of giving up entering the Sun City “contests” because everyone else is so much better than I am! When I have ‘won’ (2X), I call it a “God Picture”. God put me in the right place and I just clicked down my pointer finger on the shutter.
I have had trouble “remembering” all the steps to do masks (so basic) , paint with Light (so basic). Maybe it is an age related thing (SAD), BUT whatever, it can halt me.
So I want to get back to you… Your photos are amazing. They teach me to look in different views. They help me! I hope your young blossoming tree continues to grow and let the leaves change from green to golden autumn hues as you continue on your adventure…wherever it may lead you. PEACE BE WITH YOU…
TiffanyReedBriley
May 26, 2020Barb…..😭💕😭💕
Thank you my sweet friend.
David Lukenbill
May 26, 2020Love the inspiration you provide through your use of words – very powerful.
When I first saw the image, I thought the white bark was raindrops. I saw a calm, rainy day where I could hear the birds and feel the humidity. I quickly realized the white streaks were tree trunks. Then, I saw the dogwood being a dogwood. Even dogwoods go through periods of “just” being a tree, and then going dormant. But when they bloom…..
It seems you always find answers to your questions and your path forward when you’re around nature. Take a virtual trip to the mountains, using your photos and mental images.
TiffanyReedBriley
May 26, 2020David…..oh wow. “Even dogwoods go through a normal period of “just” being a tree”. Wow
Marg King
May 26, 2020Tiffany, your photography is breathtaking and displays the majesty of the Father. I am so glad you shared your journey and to look back and see the hand of God guiding you and bringing you through. The song Majesty Worship His Majesty is ringing in my ears and all thanks to your pictures. Blessings as you continue on the journey God has designed for you.
TiffanyReedBriley
May 26, 2020Oh thank you Marg. This is so special.
Judy Karendal
May 26, 2020Tiffany, your words touch the heart and the soul. Your true kindness and friendship to so many is a priceless gift. Your talent in photography is a blessing. Your feelings are so warm and real and we can all relate especially during this time of being alone. Your calendar will be full again and your love of nature will shine in your images. Your mentorship to me and so many is sprouting more little dogwoods among the giants then you can imagine! ❤You❤
Karen Woeste
July 19, 2020There are times, in our lives, when things happen which don’t seem significant at the time. I met you and Keith in Iceland in January of 2020, when you spoke to me on Diamond Beach and on the bus. Even tho I didn’t know you (although you thought you knew me), that moment was significant for a new Christian friendship and someone who understands how nature can touch you to the depths of your soul. My heart loves experiencing the beauty of God in photos. Thank you for all you do in making God’s creation so vivid in our hearts and minds. I would love to be able to explore a photography class of yours.
TiffanyReedBriley
July 19, 2020Hey Karen!! Thank you for this lovely note. Golly when we met in Iceland, we never saw COVID coming like a storm did we? So much has changed.
I hope you are doing well and able to start planning your next escape back into nature.
We would be so very very honored to have you on one of our trips. 💕
Tammy
July 21, 2020Wow! This brought tears to my eyes. From COVID to questioning everything…yes!
This photo, though. It’s stunning!
TiffanyReedBriley
July 21, 2020Thank you Tammy. COVID has hit us all in such diverse ways, but none of us have been immune to its impact. I’m praying we all emerge with so much clarity and momentum.