It is all about the light

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Photographing through the grapevine – another Tendril- part 7

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Alessandra Chaves

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Checking in

In a previous post, I mentioned wanting to share more about my experience with widowhood. The reason is simple: I want people to know. For those who have recently lost their spouses, or will someday, perhaps my experience, though personal, can offer something meaningful.

This September will mark three years since my husband passed. As I pause to reflect, I find myself overwhelmed by the weight of my exhaustion. These years have flown by, and yet dragged on. I’ve done so much, and yet it feels like nothing truly meaningful has been achieved.

Photography has been difficult since I became widowed, for several reasons. One major challenge is time: everything that needs doing now falls on me. There’s little room left to enjoy life, and as I get older, I find myself increasingly resentful of the 40-hour workweek. I know, I know: some of you are single and have been for a long time. To you, what I’m relating is neither new nor true. However, I was married for most of my adult life and only in the past there years have I lived alone. I find it hard to function.

Why say this? Well, those of us on an artistic journey need inspiration and time to work on our craft. And time needs to be rested time for inspiration to arise. It is hard to get inspired when one is tired and thinking about all the chores that need done before another grinding work week starts.

Maybe I’m also getting old.

The photoshoot

Now that you know why I’m still working on photographs from June 26, 2025, lets’ talk about the FEATURED IMAGE (f/7.1, 1/160s, ISO 640). I took of with a macro lens (105 macro from Nikon) at the UC Davis Arboretum. It was illuminated with natural light and portrays the tendril forming a spring, like those curly cords in the old telephones. Telephones that only people who are as old as I am and older will recognize.

A short spring project

I have written several posts on the benefits of working in projects and series.

The Looping Vine Tendril is my first botanical project of 2025, and so far it’s the only one.

Previous posts on this project:

  1. Photographing the exquisite Looping Vine Tendrill;
  2. Photographing the exquisite Looping Vine Tendrill, part 2;
  3. Photographing the exquisite Looping Vine Tendril, part 3;
  4. Photographing the exquisite Looping Vine Tendril, part 4;
  5. Photographing through the grapevine- another Tendril- part 5;
  6. Photographing through the grapevine – another Tendril- part 6.

Black and white photographs associated with this project:

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Wall Art Botanical Images

Wall Art Photography projects

Wall Art landscapes and miscellaneous

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9 responses to “Photographing through the grapevine – another Tendril- part 7”

  1. tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles Avatar
    tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

    When your main person in the world is gone it can be hard to find meaning in the day to day or one’s art. I could completely relate to what you wrote and the first couple of years were quite the struggle, a struggle few can related to. But as they say “you are stronger than you realize/kno” and look how you continue to make beautiful art! I hope you don’t put too high expectations on yourself. You are learning to go on without your other part, your lost limb/body part that you lived with every day most of your life. Virtual hugs!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Alessandra Chaves Avatar
      Alessandra Chaves

      Thank you, I know you understand 😉

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
  2. Steve Schwartzman Avatar
    Steve Schwartzman

    That’s an effective picture, with the sheen of the tendril curves at the right being one reason.

    What you say about having to take care of all the practical chores in daily life yourself makes sense. I hope retirement isn’t far away now.

    Your mention of old-fashioned telephone cords comes as a coincidence: today at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library I noticed that there are still two telephone booths in the basement (though I didn’t look to see if they include functioning telephones).

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    1. Alessandra Chaves Avatar
      Alessandra Chaves

      Telephone booths were the main mode of communication when I was a child. Many couldn’t afford a landline. People would line up in front of those. Once I recall I was in a bar with friends when a stranger approached me and said “your mom is on the public telephone wanting to talk to you”. She had called the public phone and convinced a stranger who picked it up to come give me a message. I went pick the phone and she went off on me “come back home right now”. Good old times.

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      1. Steve Schwartzman Avatar
        Steve Schwartzman

        I’m sure you have fond memories of that. Suadade has been described as presença dos ausentes.

        Liked by 2 people

  3. shoreacres Avatar
    shoreacres

    This is true: “Those of us on an artistic journey need inspiration and time to work on our craft. And time needs to be rested time for inspiration to arise.”

    I have some of the same experiences, although I’m less constrained by daily tasks and limited time for them than I am by working on the docks, in the heat. Try as I might, when I get home at night I hardly can keep up to date with online tasks, and the kind of creativity that bubbles and produces writing in more congenial — and comfortable — conditions isn’t always there. I have ideas galore, but bringing them to fruition is tough. The posts still lying in draft form are plentiful, but energy and focus are lacking.

    Of this I am sure: this difficult season of your life will change, albeit perhaps more slowly than you’d like.

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    1. Alessandra Chaves Avatar
      Alessandra Chaves

      Physical exhaustion, particularly due to heat, is hard on the body. My type of exhaustion is in the mind: I work in the office all day in the air conditioning. Actually this is one time of the year when I am grateful that I have a full time job in the office, although I love the outdoors!

      Liked by 1 person

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      1. shoreacres Avatar
        shoreacres

        And this is the time of the year when I think to myself, “Maybe I should get a civilized job, like Wal-Mart greeter.”

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Alessandra Chaves Avatar
        Alessandra Chaves

        lol

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