Slant of LightLight, shadows, and heavenly hurt in word and image.Skip to contentHomeAboutAmerican Photography TimelineEmily and ImageryLinksSlant of Light: The Poem← Older postsThe Influence Of A Benign EyePosted on September 29, 2013 by Kristina KrauseIn 2006, when I was first beginning as a photographer, catching the world with my Kodak EasyShare point-and-shoot, I discovered the world of Internet photo sharing in the form of Flickr. I started posting photos where I was consciously constructing a composition. I cringe looking back at some of those photos, but now I have a better camera and more experience. My experience was gained from the feedback, advice, and influence of many of the photographers who continue to share their work on Flickr. Some of them are professionals, but many of them are evolving amateurs like myself who have attained a level of achievement that has been a source of inspiration.One such person, who was the first to take me under her photographic wing, was Lynn Park. I found out recently that Lynn died on April 22 of this year.Lynn ParkLynn suffered from a disease that made her bones extremely brittle, so she was confined to a wheelchair or power chair. That didn’t stop her artistic energy and vision. From that wheelchair, Lynn documented her world in such a way that it made me look at the entire world differently. She created portraits and other compositions that communicated a poetic grace. It was she who introduced me to the world of photo editing through Picasa (I’ve moved on to Adobe Photoshop), and she convinced me to use the square crop. Her comments were kind, instructive, and generous.At some point, we began speaking on the phone (Lynn lived in northern California and I live in southern California), but our communication dwindled once I entered my graduate program. We still kept tabs on each other’s work on Flickr, particularly after she formed a group there called “A Benign Eye” which was also the name of her photography blog. The philosophy of the group, Lynn’s philosophy, sets the tone for the work that photographers post there: A BENIGN EYE celebrates the beautiful, remembering that even the unlovely has gifts to offer the benign eye. She helped me develop that “benign eye” and it informs my work to this day.Evidence of Lynn’s benign eye is found in her work, from the poignant portraits she took of the people around her:Randy and CosmoTo the poetic shots of the world from her perspective:The Children Have Gone HomeRun-OffIt’s a heavy feeling knowing there will be no more beautiful photographs from Lynn, but she leaves a legacy in all the people whose lives she has influenced, from fledgling photographers to all her many friends. Her influence lives in my photographs and I will forever be grateful.Posted in Photography|Tagged A Benign Eye, Flickr, Lynn Park, memoriam, obituary, photographer, photography, tribute|Leave a commentSlants of LightPos