Photo taken by contributor Carrie Hilgert, a 36-year-old photographer and self-portrait artist from Northeast Kansas. After venturing into digital photography, she became interested in documenting her life with self portraits. This became particularly helpful when her life started to fall apart due to depression. All her other creative outlets left her, but she could always process her very dark feelings with self portraits. While she is doing much better now, she maintains compassion for those going through these hard things and hopes that her photography can give an honest insight into something that makes most people feel very isolated and alone.

About this photo: “The wind was hellaciously fierce in Kansas. I didn’t realize that when we set out for some park time, so by the time I got there it was too late for turning around. You just don’t do that with a 6 year old who is hardcore about playground time.

I haven’t really been feeling the photography vibe lately. It happens this time of the year when I feel like all humans should evolve into mammals that hibernate. But I took my camera anyway. And the way that crazy wind blew all the dead leaves from fall across the expanse of the park was somewhat magical. Like little travelling people, making their way in a rhythmic wave across the dead grass.

So I sat down in a good place and waited. I knew I had to capture that grandeur somehow.

But I like this better. The one of a small person just enjoying life. Cold wind and all.  

I’ve spent a huge part of my life being who I though others would be more happy with. That never works.

The best things happen when I take what I have, wait for the right time and turn it into something beautiful.” 

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