Seeking Solace in September

September 2022 will be marked as a month of introspection and finding balance during a turbulent time. I experienced a rupture of a relationship that had pushed me off balance. I found myself using the camera to find calmness and inspiration. These are the photos that I found on my camera during the month of September. During a month I would characterize as noisy, I find these moments great to hold onto. This month was also characterized by a lot of sitting on the computer editing photos. The time a photo takes is more than the speed of the shutter, it is also about storing and editing the photo.

My sister, Shatha, had her belated college graduation. This photo of her is one of the first genuinely joyful photos I’ve taken of her.

I found the woman in red at the restaurant right next to the Armenian meat shop I was at. She was speaking in French, but her tattoo is what brought my attention to her. I found it to be a sign the moment I saw it. I spent that night later drawing and emulating it on paper.

I picked some persimmons from my grandmother’s tree. They were crunchy and scrumptious. I climbed the tree with respect and plucked from the plentiful number of fruit the tree bore.

My youngest sister, Shahla, showed her photos at a small art collective in the artsy neighborhood of Weibdeh. She got me a sujuk sandwich as I waited for her to finish up.

The last photo is right after a photoshoot of me taken by my talented and passionate friend, Lina.