Curated Photos | February 13, 2017 | Amy Jasek

The caged bird sings   
with a fearful trill   
of things unknown   
but longed for still   
and his tune is heard   
on the distant hill   
for the caged bird   
sings of freedom. 

-Maya Angelou

Maybe it's the time of year, or the phase of the moon, but I have definitely felt a bit caged lately. Maybe we all feel that way, from time to time.  Cages - physical, mental, imposed upon us, or ones of our own making - can lay the full weight of their ominous force upon a creative mind, and there's nothing quite like breaking free.  As part of prying apart the bars of my own, I asked for your interpretations of this theme, and you did not disappoint!

Next week, Marc Nagainis will curate the theme of Longing.  "In the dark last months of a North American winter, we long for a respite from the endless gray days and moods they impart. We've got a longing in our hearts for the rebirth We know will come soon. Show me an image that represents something you're longing for, either now or in the past. Share with me what causes a longing in your soul."  Submit your photo here. 

Amy Jasek

Photography is a family tradition. I was raised in the darkroom, and on the fine art work of photographers like Edward Weston, Diane Arbus, and Ansel Adams. My father took me photographing with him regularly and taught me how to look at light. He gave me my first camera (an Olympus RC); I made my first black and white print (standing on a stool!) at the age of 7. There are some gaps in the timeline of my photographic journey, enforced upon it by life in general, but film and cameras are one of the few things that have remained constant every step of the way. For me, photography is all about moments and truth. I like to work in black and white so that I can highlight those two things. The truth, form, and simplicity of the moment is presented; I feel that removing the color from the scene brings these things out. I believe street photography is a little window into the heart and soul of a place, a time, and the people in it. These days I tend more toward street portraits and interaction with my subjects, but my drive for capturing the candid moment remains the same.