Soul-Centered Photography

My work is about creating soulful images: intimate portraits that invite the viewer into a deeper experience of seeing and experiencing. I have a particular passion for animals, specializing in creating portraits that reveal the Being behind the eyes.

All of my work—as an educator, writer, and artist—has been fueled by the same desire: to educate and inspire, touch hearts, open minds, and to serve as a vehicle for creating a more peaceful and loving world.

Photo Galleries

 

Portraits as Portals: An Invitation - intimate portraits of wild animals that offer a chance to see and experience the animal world in a new way. These images are from my short film presentation, which is a multi-sensory experience designed as an opportunity for reflection; to step out of linear time, go inward, and connect with that ancient way of knowing and being that is still very much a part of who we all are. (Many of these animals were photographed at education/rescue centers.)
(view in html)

Pet Photography - portraits of some of Ojai's four-legged residents (view in html)

Raptor Photography – portraits of eagles, hawks, and owls and more—most are rescues cared for by places such as the Ojai Raptor Center (view in html)

Southern California Sunsets - photographs of some spectacular Ventura County and Santa Barbara area sunsets

Nature Photography - flowers, plants, beach scenes, and a nice-looking bug or two...

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I am passionate about the art of photography. To me, good photography feeds the soul, capturing the essence of a person, relationship, animal, or scene, and reminding us of the beauty that surrounds us in every moment.

My photography comes from the heart. I love moments that have aliveness and magic in them. Whether it’s beautiful scenery; a wild animal; a special ceremony or event; someone’s treasured animal companion; or people just going about their daily lives—I love capturing those moments when the essence shines through.

Back in the 1980s and into the 90s I was the main photographer for the Winnemem Wintu tribe. I had the privilege of photographing tribal elders, ceremonies, dances, and weddings, and am gratified to know that my photographs have supported tribal efforts to protect their sacred grounds and traditions.

More recently my photography has followed my other passions: nature and music. In 2011 I created a multimedia presentation called Portraits as Portals—a collection of intimate portraits of wild animals that offer a chance to see and experience the animal world in a new way. The presentation is a multi-sensory experience designed as an opportunity for reflection; to step out of linear time, go inward, and connect with that ancient way of knowing and being that is still very much a part of who we all are. The presentation has been enthusiastically received:

Sally Carless … knocked approximately 100 socks off at our last meeting. Her short film, Portraits as Portals: An Invitation, so moved the audience that we ran it twice …Many thanks to Sally for a breathtaking presentation. Not only were the images compelling, but the arrangement, accompanying music, and Sally’s attention to ambiance produced a powerful overall experience few attendees will ever forget. Ojai Photo Club President Dean Zatkowsky

...still remembering the beautiful images from your presentation, those eyes, they drawn you in and stay in memory to help center and remember.....the animals and birds, what amazing gifts we have to reconnect with what matters....thanks for "capturing" images that serve as portals to that place of quiet and beauty. Marie McRee

My photography has been published or exhibited by places and organizations such as the U.S. Forest Service, the National Radio Project, the Sacred Land Film Project, the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, the Barkley Pet Hotel & Day Spa, Global Village School, Paths of Learning magazine, and several Southern California publications and non-profit organizations such as the Ojai Music Festival, the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy, and the Ojai Valley Green Coalition.

The role of the artist is not to find solutions, but to compel us to love life in all its countless, inexhaustible manifestations.
Leo Tolstoy

Follow some of my latest work on Facebook

Contact: Write to: photos "at" sallycarless "dot" com or call (805) 208-2951

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