Death and London – Honoring Paul Nicholls

I recently found out that my friend Paul Nicholls, founder of Team Continuum, which supports the immediate needs of cancer patients primarily through New York City marathon sponsorship, had passed away last month. He was 61, although Paul would tell you he was 15, given that he was born on February 29th, and had only had that many birthdays. In reflecting on his life, I could feel the presence of his energy, still, and I knew that I had lost nothing. I will always have the beautiful way that he inspired me – the change he instilled in me was permanent. It became abundantly clear to me that death is simply a transition of energy states, and that the energy he brought during his life is absolutely still alive and present.

Below is the entry I wrote in his online memorial guestbook:

Paul first hired me as a photographer to shoot a Team Continuum event in New York before Christmas in 2005. From the very first production meeting, he struck me with his powerful forward momentum and energy. I had just founded my photography business, and Paul’s support of my work meant much more to me than a paycheck. It meant that the “real me,” that I was trying to put forth in my work, was coming across – someone was noticing – someone very special and full of powerful energy himself.

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Ohio Field Trip – July 2009

Admittedly, I’ve taken quite a few “field trips” to my hometown (Cleveland, Ohio) and surrounding area. As I grow and change as a person, I find I get more and more out of these returns home. My relationships with each of my parents and my brother, who all live there, each become more nuanced with time. I have grown to appreciate them immensely, and the relationships are flourishing!
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Pasadena Field Trip

My friends Jerilyn and Peter got married this year, on the 4th of July, and I was fortunate enough to be their pre- and post- wedding event photographer (I got to attend the wedding as a guest!). It had been four years since I was last in California, to shoot the wedding of my brilliant graphic designers, Tracey and Nat Bolton (who did www.sarahsloboda.com). Previously, I had spent a great deal of time there, in my short-lived career in television, whilst helping to produce the 2005 People’s Choice Awards. It was interesting to reflect on that time of my life, as I saw some familiar sights, and some new ones. All in all, I was so happy to be back in California!

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Green Website Adventure Tour

My brilliant friend Julie saw my last blog post, featuring a guest blogger, and she asked if I would consider allowing her to do the same. I am happy to oblige!

Julie Gabrielli is an innovative architect, and huge proponent of the green movement in her city of residence, Baltimore, Maryland. She was a writing student of mine during my spring course, “Writing from Your True Voice,” and reciprocally, I was her student in her class entitled, “Your Eco BluePrint.” Continue reading “Green Website Adventure Tour”

Psuedo-Guest-Blog – A Sweet Story

Barry Lauterwasser is an incredible inspiration to me – he created and maintains a blog called Positive Economic News – which is his way of countering the preponderance of negativity in mainstream media, by featuring ONLY, you guessed it, positive economic news.

I first connected with Barry at the end of February, right as the stock market’s dramatic dip was reaching it’s low-point. I live in New York City, and the energetic decrease in the community was palpable. This was in the beginning of a broad campaign I was expanding as a writing and creative coach, primarily focused on my intention to spread optimism.

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Summer in the City

I just stepped in off the fire escape, where I was watching the twilight fade to black in its barely-perceptible, summery way. From the third floor, I could see all around the courtyard of this block of brownstones, of which my home is a part.

The building next door has been vacant for awhile, as the tenants moved out, and the building was sold to new owners. The small yard behind it is a jungle of green – trees and weeds, and big-leafed plants that have sprung up effortlessly. At the back of the yard is a fence, and set of low-hanging wires. Climbing the fence and sprawling over the wires, is a honeysuckle plant, and tonight from my metal cage of a perch, I got the slightest hint of the flowery fragrance dancing on the breeze, which was utterly subtle.

The soft feel of the air on my skin, and the fading pink light (at precisely what moment, I wonder, does it turn to purple-y blue?) reminded me of my childhood in Cleveland, Ohio, knowing that that change of light is the indication that I’m pushing my limits on how late I should be out roller-skating, bike-riding, turning cartwheels on people’s lawns, as I try to squeeze every last morsel of fun out of the evening as it becomes night.

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Refractions

One late afternoon, the large crystal vase sitting on my table caught the window light, just so, and created an amazing display of refracted light on the wall behind it.

These are a series of photos I shot:

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Your Life is Important.

On Friday, I was walking over the Williamsburg Bridge, listening to some beautiful piano music on my iPod, and thinking about the way myself, and other small business owners that I know, have wanted to keep our clients’ spirits up in the midst of the economic recession by focusing on the positive. We share thoughts of optimism and thriving, and try to uphold a sense of expansion for the clients we would like to serve at this time – to stand in a place of abundance, and allow that to attract to us the clients who are ready to have us serve them. Continue reading “Your Life is Important.”

Photography Website Update

I am absolutely ecstatic about my latest photography website update! Due to a submission deadline, I spent the entire day today organizing fresh, new photos, along with a few longer-standing favorites, and preparing the files for this update. While I have gotten a lot of attention for my children’s photography, I am particularly proud of the photos I shot of grown-ups for this web update. Those can be viewed under the “portraits” section of my site. Of course, I still think the kids are cute, too. I would love to get some feedback on the new site, so please feel free to leave your comments!

www.sarahsloboda.com

Here’s a sneak preview of a series I did with actor Libby Winters (hair and make-up by the delightful Eric Carter):

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Urban Garden, Part 2 – The Sill and the Escape

Last summer, I purchased a thriving, flowering plant every time I rented a car to leave the city on a photo shoot or on a trip. I created a little garden on my fire escape, framed perfectly by the window when viewed from the inside. This year, I planted various seeds both for the fire escape and the kitchen windowsill.

What I am learning, is that I don’t really know much of anything about gardening. I love plants – I am completely soothed by their energy – their un-perceivable yet incessant growth. It is a magical mystery to me how it is that they exist. I say I “plant seeds,” as if I have done something other than put pellets into dirt and add water. And then life springs forth without me having to do anything else!

Some of the seedlings get a fungus (or so my online research tells me), and wilt over and die. Some of them thrive. The bulbous seed of my grandfather’s garlic grows into long stems, and spreads like a wispy patch of grass. A plant I trimmed back from last fall begins new, green growth.

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