Amanda Shopa, PhD

Category: Photography

  • A Restless Winter

    A Restless Winter

    It feels like April has flown by. I can’t believe we’re midway through spring already. I see winter as a quieter, more restful time. I’ve had friends in warmer locales joke that we must hibernate because it’s so cold. Of course that’s not true—there’s still a ton to do. My spouse and I often go…

  • Weeks 61–64 of 209 Weeks

    Weeks 61–64 of 209 Weeks

    Week 61 of 209 Weeks: “Small is good, small is all.” —adrienne maree brown Photo Notes: This was taken at Western Illinois Threshers in August 2018. I think it was at the flea market. Week 62 of 209 Weeks: “We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” —Gwendolyn…

  • Weeks 57–60 of 209 Weeks

    Weeks 57–60 of 209 Weeks

    Week 57 of 209 Weeks: Your only job is to show up. Life will meet you there. Photo Notes: Seoul, South Korea, May 2024 Week 58 of 209 Weeks: “In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be…

  • Week 60 of 209 Weeks

    Week 60 of 209 Weeks

    Week 60 of 209 Weeks: “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. … Empty your mind, be formless. … Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” —Bruce Lee Photo Notes: ……

  • What I’ve Learned from One Year of Consistent Darkroom Work

    What I’ve Learned from One Year of Consistent Darkroom Work

    I consciously stepped away from art making for three months to recuperate. Three months turned into something much longer, and even when I felt ready, I had a difficult time returning to my studio practice. When I went to make my first postcard for the 209 Weeks project, I hadn’t been in the darkroom for…

  • Week 57 of 209 Weeks

    Week 57 of 209 Weeks

    Week 57 of 209 Weeks: Your only job is to show up. Life will meet you there. Photo Notes: Seoul, South Korea, May 2024

  • Weeks 53–56 of 209 Weeks

    Weeks 53–56 of 209 Weeks

    Week 53 of 209 Weeks: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” –Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Photo Notes: I believe this photo was taken in Iowa in 2022. Week 54 of 209 Weeks: “Eating is so intimate. It’s very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table…

  • Week 56 of 209 Weeks

    Week 56 of 209 Weeks

    Week 56 of 209 Weeks: “It ain’t over til Minnesota has ICE’s battle flag.” —David Brauer, 2/12/26 Photo Notes: This photo was taken in spring of 2020. I chose this photo because a “drawdown” was announced this week, but it feels like smoke and mirrors.

  • Week 55 of 209 Weeks

    Week 55 of 209 Weeks

    Week 55 of 209 Weeks: “Love will creep where it cannot go.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson Photo Notes: Seoul, South Korea, May 2024

  • Showing Fire in Black and White

    Showing Fire in Black and White

    One of the reasons I love black-and-white photography is because of the decision making that comes into play; one of the frustrating things about black-and-white photography is the decision making that comes into play. Last year I visited Pacem in Terris during their bonfire weekend. Usually visits to Pacem are a very solitary event, but…