“I’ve traveled around the world, and what’s so revealing is that, despite the differences in culture, politics, language, how people dress, there is a universal feeling that we all want the same thing. We deeply want to be respected and appreciated for our differences.”
Seeing my work in print, alongside such great photographers is such a wonderful feeling. Proud to share with you the newly published issue of Israeli Lens, this month revolving around cultures around the world. Click the image below to browse it, and take a look at my Japan photo essay as well.
Enjoy
Sakura. Photographed in Kadoyde, Japan April 2015 by Amy Kanka Valadarsky
“Photographs open doors into the past, but they also allow a look into the future.”
Four days in Frankfurt to celebrate with my cousin her 2nd son's Bar-Mitzva as well as spend time with the family.
In between family dinners, getting dressed for parties ( 5 pair of shoes for 4 days, is this normal???) and walks with my cousin, I was able to spend precious time with my 93 years old mother in law.
On the last day with her, after morning coffee I told her about the crazy travels trips I used to have. 1 day meeting in Australia, 2 day meetings in Rio de Janiero. Since she also traveled quite a bit, I stopped and asked her what is her favorite place?
'Favorite place?' she asked surprised at the question. 'Bratislava. Let me show you'.
And out of the book case, she takes out a book and for the next 20 minutes or so, shows me old photos of the street she lived in as a girl with her parents and her 7 brother and sisters. The happiest time of her life. Unlit at the age of 20 she was taken with all other jews in town to Auschwitz.
'This was the Jewish street, here was our house. Here we shopped for groceries.....' on and on, with a smile, remembering happy old times.
At some point she shows me the bridge and road built where the old street used to be. And the sentence that is probably stay with me forever
"Neither houses nor people remained ....."
'Neither houses nor people remained' Frankfurt, June 2015
At home, Frankfurt, June 2015
“She paints her face to hide her face. Her eyes are deep water. It is not for Geisha to want. It is not for geisha to feel. Geisha is an artist of the floating world. She dances, she sings. She entertains you, whatever you want. The rest is shadows, the rest is secret.”
Slowly, the 2 week journey to Japans sinks in. So many new worlds and nw experiences, it will take month to really make it all a part of me.
Going over the photographs I took, opens up a thirst for seeing more, knowing more. listening to a class on Buddhism, already finished an autobiography of a geisha. Now I look at the image, and notice the white collar, which when taking the photo, I did not realize signals the fact this is a Geiko ( referred to as geisha) rather that a Maiko ( a dancer, after the initial study but not a geisha yet).
After having my first taste of Japan, there is a wish to go back. To experience more, to understand better what is this voice telling me.
The Maiko - a dancer, not yet a Geisha. Photograph by Amy Kanka Valadarsky
The alleys in Gion quarters, Kyoto, Japan 2015
“You’ve gotta taste the light, like my friend and fellow shooter Chip Maury says. And when you see light like this, trust me, it’s like a strawberry sundae with sprinkles.”
I was fascinated by light from the moment I started to photograph. Learning to see and understand the light is a never ending process.
After a year of intense photography, I realize that when the light is perfect, it almost does not matter what you photograph - the image will be stunning.
The trip to Japan revealed new facets of light . Light filtered by the rice paper. Lights of a lone house in a village at night. A single window lighting up a shady room.
And when you really 'taste the light' - there is no way back. You are hooked.
Dinner preparations - Kadoide, Japan 2015
“A mountain village
under the piles up snow
the sound of water.”
Just returned from a 2 weeks trip to Japan. A once in a lifetime opportunity to immerse myself in traditions as old as civilization, meet people who live in true harmony with nature.
While it will take months for all the experiences to sink in, there are moments which were so rare, so precious - I need to capture them in here. Not that I think they will disappear, it is more of a hope that by sharing them, I will understand them better.
Late afternoon, almost evening in Kadoide. A small village in North Japan, no one but its inhabitants know it. We live in a restored traditional house, at the edge of the village. Surrounded by mountains, trees and a river. Dinner is almost ready when I look out of the window and see we are wrapped in clouds. Without much thinking, I grab the camera, put on the coat and the shoes (you never wear shoes inside a Japanese house) and go outside.
For about 30 minutes, until darkness covered the mountains, I walk around taking photos. Everywhere I look, the world looks surreal. It's like walking on clouds, heaven, earth and me becoming one. The closest I ever felt to God.
A bend in the road - Kadoide by Amy Kanka Valadarsky
The bridge - Kadoide by Amy Kanka Valadarsky
“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever… It remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.”
What is left, what shall we leave behind. A subject that comes more and more to the forefront of my thoughts. No idea what I want to do with it. For now, just aware it's there and it is important.
On impulse, when I heard of someone who scans photographs at a good quality, I had a bunch of old family photos scanned. My grandmother, the one I shared a room with until I was 10 years old, suddenly comes to life. Here she is with her younger sister, Fanny, which I have a very faint memory of. She did not live in the same city. I remember her coming to visit once. I remember a table full of small presents for me. She never married, I was probably her granddaughter as well.
Another photo of my grandmother, Liza, here as a young woman. I wish I knew her then. Talk to her and know her as a person. Not just as the comforting, stable presence in my life I knew as a child.
There is this famous question, ' if you could meet anyone, who would you want to meet'. Well, for the first time, I know the answer. I wish I could meet my grandmother when she goes out of the photographer studio that day. Sit with her in a cafe, ask her who is she, where is she going, how is her life. Introduce myself, as her only future granddaughter who would love her so much.
The power of photography. To let me know those parts of me I never knew existed. To ask questions. To know answers
“...and hope, if it had a scent, would smell like spring, like rain, like something new and alive.”
April 4th. My 51 birthday.
Closing another year, my best one yet. The year I found a new path to me. Through the lens.
The best place to photograph today, in our garden. With the scent of childhood lilacs in my mind, I photograph the Wisteria and Brunflesia - both filling the air with their sweet fragrance. And I can remember the lilacs (that will never grow in my too sunny, too hot garden) with longing, but also with a smile. As this is a good day. A day filled with hope and anticipation for the next year, and all the good things it will bring.
If hope has a scent, it would definitely smell like spring.
Memories of childhood lilacs by Amy Kanka Valadarsky
“I would like to paint the way a bird sings”
A few years ago, my husband and I visited Monet's house in Giverny, France. We toured the sun filled house, soaked in its colors and endless treasuries.
The house is surrounded by the gardens, Monet painted so beautifully. The lily pond with its bridge and surrounding trees, the water lilies. It was a magical day in a magical place.
I wish I could draw like he did, but we are not all that lucky. For me, it is the camera rather than the the brush. Light rather than paint.
But the love of gardens, is the same and so is the constant wish to capture the things the eye can not see: the song of birds, the scent of lemon trees in bloom.
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
It is hard to resist taking the camera on my morning walks nowadays. I think my dog does not appreciate it one bit. All this stopping and taking pictures instead of having a brisk walk ...
On the other hand, she surely enjoys the different routes we take. New fields, new scents for her, new colors for me.
Today we went across the fields to the school where my mom taught and my younger son studied. My granddaughter will go to kindergarten there next year. So many ties - to the past, the future but most of all, so much delight from the present moment.
Lisa, who I owe the pleasure of morning walks - By Amy Kanka Valadasrky
“We do not rejoice in victories. We rejoice when a new kind of cotton is grown and when strawberries bloom in Israel”
It's March 19th, 2 days after election. Frustrating election day, there is a high price to pay for democracy sometimes. But life continues, the sun keeps shining, the dog needs its walk and ....the strawberry fields are ready for picking.
More than their color, its the field geometry that caught my eyes. This picture could have been photographed 20 years ago, maybe even 150 years ago. Still here today, March 2015.
Strawberry fields forever as the famous song goes.
Fields filled with spring flowers hide a dirt road - photographed by Amy Kanka Valadarsky
“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
I noticed the tree reflections in the puddles along the road months ago, after the 1st rains. But I always noticed them while driving, and there was no place to park the car.
Since this is where I walk my dog every morning, I noticed them again - this time I had no camera ...
Last night it rained again. Maybe for the last rain this winter. Armed with and umbrella (it was still drizzling) AND my cell phone, my dog and I went for a 'walk in the rain'.
The unexpected surprise, was to realize you can not see the reflections from the sidewalk. Only from the middle of the road...figures, this is why I noticed them while driving ...
With the wet dog sitting on the sidewalk, looking at me with questioning eyes, I waited for a few seconds pause in traffic, quickly moved to the middle of the road, and photographed.
I guess drivers and dog did not think very highly of me today :)
Rain puddles, Even Yehuda, Israel, March 2015
Street lamps on a rainy day, Even Yehuda, Israel March 2015
Winter sun, Among the trees #1, Ilanot forest, winter 2014-2015
I photographed these images, experimented with different types of tuning, edited and named them. I know them. I think they know me by now.
Yet seeing them published for the first time reminds me of the butterflies somewhere in my stomach. The ones that sleep most of the time, yet now - they are definitely up, fluttering around.
A bit like sending your child to the park by himself for the first time. Will he be OK? Will he find his friends there?
Here it is. Israeli lens #6. The first unveiling of the "Winter sun" portfolio.
Enjoy
“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head.”
The decisive moment, Henri Cartier-Bressons' legacy to photographers. The moment when everything comes together. When a private moment turns into something bigger.
Unlike Cartier-Bressons, it does not happen very often that I capture decisive moments in my images. Not surprising given that he is also the one who said "Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst". That's it if you are as talented as him.To me it might take longer ...:)
Yesterday, I was taking photos of my stepdaughter and her 2 sons. As it is Purim now, Carnival time, I wanted to capture them in their costumes. Just before changing outfits, they all climbed into the hammock.
I took quite a few pictures of the boys in costume, but the images I love the best are the ones I did not really intend to take. Portraits of motherhood. Protective. Loving. Timeless.
“What makes photography a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time.”
One of the things I like most about photography is that it sits right at the junction between science and art. A bridge between logic and emotion.
The image above is not a result of Photoshop. This is pure in-camera photography. Proof that the camera doesn't 'know' what it records, it just records light. It is up to us to control what is lighted and capture it in the frame. Nothing new here, right?
This week I started to experiment with controlled light (using the most basic flashlight, the 3$ type...) and long exposure. The results, can probably be much improved, but the potential is amazing. To literally show the invisible. Explore realms our eye can not see, but the lens can help us create.
And the best of all - a way to really have fun.
since leaving the hi-tech world, I am struggling to redefine the notion of success. I think the answer starts emerging. In flashes of light :)
If I had a sister - photography by Amy Kanka Valadarsky
Dancing
Just you and me
“There is still one of which you never speak.’
Marco Polo bowed his head.
’Venice,’ the Khan said.
Marco smiled. ‘What else do you believe I have been talking to you about?’
The emperor did not turn a hair. ‘And yet I have never heard you mention that name.’
And Polo said: ‘Every time I describe a city I am saying something about Venice.
”
February 2014, exactly a year ago a dream came true. Little did I know than that at the same time a new one was born. Photography.
This trip was a gift my husband and I gave ourselves for my 50th year birthday. To see the Carnival in Venice. Since at the time I was fighting the camera in order to photograph my jewelry - he thought a tour led by a photographer would be great.
Venice at any time, but in particular at Carnival is indescribable. Neither words not pictures can do it justice. Impossible to romanticize at it is the definition of romance. "Like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go" as Truman Capota said.
'Why don't you check out the 'woman photographing' organization?' asked our wonderful photographer guide.
I did. I enrolled to the advanced photography class. And a year later - here I am.
Venice magic by Amy Kanka Valadarsky
Sunset at Venice
““Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art.”
When it rains, it pours ....for the last 2 days it has been raining non stop.
The back yard, which used to be a lawn is now a puddle. Most of the time sitting quietly at home, but now it's Friday morning, when I always go buy sweet treats at a local bakery.
Sneaked out of the house when rain seemed to take a rest. 2 minutes later, still sitting in the car in the parking lot near the bakery all hell broke loose.
The only thing to do was to take my phone out and take pictures. Through the moving raindrops on my cars windshield.
Who needs Photoshop when its raining ??? ......
“Photograph: a picture painted by the sun without instruction in art.”
For the last few month I've been spending time with the camera in a forest park. Being literally 5 driving minutes away from home, whenever the sun is blinding me when I drive my son to the train station in the morning - I know I should hurry back, grab the camera and go to the park.
Regardless of how many times I've been there, every time I go, I see something new.
This time, I wanted to go take some pictures of the rain pond before it dries up. Walking towards the rain pond, I suddenly saw the path created by sun rays streaming through the trees.
It was there for a few minutes, then the sun moved and the path vanished. Reminded me of the stories where the sun hitting the opening in a cave wall shows the way to the buried treasures.
Pure magic, painted by the sun. A first glimpse at a new portfolio coming up soon ...
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
What am I to do during a 12 hours trans Atlantic flight? Usually I am armed with at least 3 books, keep hoping I would sleep for a few hours.
During my flight to Los Angeles last December, looking at the gorgeous views outside the tiny airplane window, it occurred to me I should try to take some pictures. As the camera bag with all lenses was safely tucked in the overhead bin, took it out and squeezed back into my seat.
After a few attempts resulting in photographs of the blurry window, I thought I may have better success with the telephoto lens. Out from my seat again (disturbing the passenger next to me), took the bag down again, changed lens, squeezed into the seat and tried again. Nothing. Absolute zero. No one good picture.
One month later, on the flight back, I have the window seat again. And the clouds just sing and dance with light and colors. What the heck, took out my Samsung Note cellphone and gave it a try.
Hmmm....
One bag with my Nikon camera and 5 lenses in the overhead bin, and I am using the smartphone. AND finally getting some images I like.
Always try one more time.
Glowing clouds above the Atlantic ocean
“Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen - that stillness becomes a radiance.”
There is a very special connection between photography and time. In my case, what this means I start forgetting about time when I am with the camera.
The other day, I arrived at the beach at 7 am (still working on that early wake-up to catch the first light) and the next time I looked at my watch it was 11:15.
Then there is the ability of capturing time. Who knew that half a second can be so long? Who knew that stillness is an aggregate of so much motion?
Sitting still and photographing time. Understanding visually what stillness is all about and how it complements motion.
Morning sun basks everything in an out of this world radiance.
Just sitting still.
Santa Monica - Under the pier
“Photography to me is catching a moment which is passing, and which is true”
There is so much I learn through photography. And most of the time, it is not about new things. It is about things I thought I understood. Until I knew better.
Yesterday it was about the concept of one of kind.
Armed with my camera, decided to go to a stretch of beach that had more birds than people. Last time I was there I counted at least 5 pelicans, but I did not have the right lens with me, so I could not photograph them.
On the way to the beach, I couldn't resist photographing beautiful red leafs on the pavement. One of them was sitting in a rain puddle that turned the concrete sidewalk into a temporary mirror.
The beach was there, beautiful as ever - but no pelicans. Actually there were very little birds. Mostly seagulls huddling together, couldn't realize why.
Then I saw they start moving in my direction. Not alone. They seemed to gravitate around something. That 'something' turned out to be a woman in a white hat throwing pieces of food (bread?) into the air for the seagulls to catch.
On my way home, I realized that whenever I try to recreate an image I took, I never succeed. Even if I go to the same place, with the same or more suited lens - it never works. and it's not about the equipment or the place or even the same shooting angle. Images capture moments. And moments are one of a kind.
I will never be able to make the same photograph of a red leaf in a puddle. The puddles already dried up. Even when will rain again - the leaf will not be there. The light will be different. I might be looking at something else and miss the puddle.
The lady with bread will not feed the seagulls when I happen to be on the beach.
Nothing lasts forever, and moments can not be reproduced. My lesson for today.
Feeding the seagulls on Santa Monica beach