Little Black Rain Cloud by Richelle Swinkels

Little Black 
 Rain Cloud
  by Richelle Swinkels

            Life is filled with ups and downs, but there are times when it feels like there is nothing but downs and there are no ups visible in your future. One after another things happen and it just feels like  you have a little black rain cloud following you around and you can’t escape it no matter where you go…..

            These are the moments when we lose sight of any positivity and may feel the urge to give up and surrender to our struggles. I’ve had this black rain cloud following me around for a few months, between deaths, personal issues, health issues, stress, anxiety I just feel like I can’t find my sunshine. There’s been so much darkness but no matter what you have to keep fighting or it will all be for nothing. I had to find my own personal “umbrella” to shield me from the rain while I push through. I heard a saying once and it lingers with me in times like this.

       “You have to get through the rain in order to see the rainbow”

            This image was really important for me to do because this feeling has overwhelmed me. I was so busy focusing on representing the black cloud, the rain, the sadness that I didn’t even notice I subconsciously added the light in the image. Looking back at this image now I see that my subject is looking into the light, and it’s only a matter of time before the storm passes. Seeing this has helped me to keep pushing until I can see the rainbow. To look inside myself for the strength to keep going and never give up.

50 Hour Slam by Richelle Swinkels

     


        50 Hour Slam

      This past weekend one of my photographs was featured in an exhibit with other student photographers at the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane, called 50 Hour Slam. This was the first time my photography has been professionally displayed anywhere, and it was such a neat feeling to be able to see that. It featured a QR code that linked to an interview with me, which allowed viewers to know a little bit more about me as an artist. This experience has really encouraged me to submit my work, and try to get it presented and shown. I've had many opportunities and yet have never jumped on them. I'm only recently starting to be confident in my work, and it's left me with a lot of regrets from not taking advantage of previous chances. 

     With my new found confidence I'm going to make sure I keep up with my blog more often, and submit my work to everything I can possibly submit it too. I no longer worry about whether or not my work "fits" in with other people's work. Throughout showing my portfolio to professional photographers around Spokane, I've gotten a lot of praise and support for my work. The thought, emotion and creativity behind it. It's all so motivating to keep working and not give up and not to let it go to waste. 

     I plan on doing an entire blog to showcase my work from this shoot but I couldn't have done it without a few wickedly awesome guys from the group Firing Squad! Their visuals and lyrics are very inspiring to me, and adding my brain to their "brainsick" minds can only create some seriously disturbing imagery!