Amanda Shopa

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  • Taekwondo, Vulnerability, and the Apple Ajumma

    Taekwondo, Vulnerability, and the Apple Ajumma

    Living in Korea fundamentally changed me. When I moved to Korea, I was twenty-five. I’d lived a thousand miles away from my family for years. I’d lived alone and with others, and I was settled in my career. I’d traveled domestically and abroad, mostly solo. I knew love and heartbreak. By all measures, I was…

  • Weeks 73–76 of 209 Weeks

    Weeks 73–76 of 209 Weeks

    Week 73 of 209 Weeks: “Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” —Meister Eckhart Photo Notes: This photo was taken at the University of Minnesota’s iron pour in spring 2019. Week 74 of 209 Weeks: “The only recognizable feature of hope is action.” —Grace Paley Photo Notes: The photo was taken at the Minnesota State…

  • If I Stay Here, I’ll Never Leave

    If I Stay Here, I’ll Never Leave

    Twenty years ago today, I moved abroad to teach for a year. I left the United States the morning of July 2nd, 2006 with a few large pieces of luggage. I arrived in Seoul the evening of July 3rd, and I started teaching at a brand new kindergarten on July 4th. (On July 5th—early enough…

  • Second Attempt at Using a Pinhole Camera

    Second Attempt at Using a Pinhole Camera

    I made the pinhole camera from a kit last summer, and when I shot my first roll of film with it, I found some tricky points. The camera needed to be made a little more lighttight, I wanted to find a way to keep the dowels that advance and rewind in place so I wasn’t…

  • My First Roll of Film with a Pinhole Camera

    My First Roll of Film with a Pinhole Camera

    Last year, I participated in an at-home residency facilitated by Christy Strickler through the Surface Design Association. We worked together in the spring to create residency plans (detailed in the post “From Book Thief to Pinhole Camera Maker”) and I expected my at home residency, an exploration of pinhole cameras, to be completed by the…

  • Fogged Paper, Testing Procedures, and Ilford’s (Excellent) Customer Service

    Fogged Paper, Testing Procedures, and Ilford’s (Excellent) Customer Service

    This post was drafted in September 2025. For whatever reason, I never posted it. Still, I’m so impressed with Ilford’s customer service that I wanted to share. Plus, I’m posting this in hopes of helping someone else who might be dealing with fogged paper but is unsure of where that could be coming from. I’ve…

  • Weeks 69–72 of 209 Weeks

    Weeks 69–72 of 209 Weeks

    Week 69 of 209 Weeks:Whatever it takesMAKE Whatever it takes—Anna Brones (Yes, the original quote is “Whatever it takes,” but I wrote it incorrectly on this postcard.) Photo Notes: This is the ceiling of a temple (maybe?) in Seoul, South Korea. This was taken in 2018. Correction—I believe this was taken at a palace, Changdeokgung.…

  • Weeks 65–68 of 209 Weeks

    Weeks 65–68 of 209 Weeks

    Week 65 of 209 Weeks: “What if I fall? Oh, but my darkling, what if you fly?” –Erin Hanson Photo Notes: This photo was taken near Stillwater, MN on September 6, 2018 when I took a hot air balloon ride with my stepdad. Week 66 of 209 Weeks: “The challenge now is to grasp and shape history:…

  • 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…