Getting clean

"Getting clean" - A little narrative on how a concept can be completely flipped upside down by a change in my own perspective and a little bit of photo-shoot magic creeping into the editing process.
The original concept was to focus on the emotional confusion left behind by traumatic sexual experiences in a woman's life. The scars from these events run deep and affect not only the woman but also all of her future meaningful relationships. The image was to be dark and scary and confusing with just a touch of hope paralleling how I had been feeling lately.
Empathy comes with better understanding and an open heart. Hope has grown as I have watched the one I love step up to face her demons and fight back her fears to allow more trust and more intimacy into her life. Perhaps that is why the picture of AmieJo Cherokee sitting defiantly in the pool of water spoke so loudly to me as I began working on this image.
Once the defiantly sexual image of Amie was in place the rest of the piece begged to be changed in pursuit of showing a strong woman getting clean again. So, the demons went from being intimidating to looking more timid and shocked but still begging not to be talked about. The small pool of water became more visible and the cleansing rain and calming ripples were added. The dirtiness was left behind and exaggerated only on the demons while the heroin up front is bright and new.
Thank you AmieJo for putting up with the cold and wet and thanks to Kim Barber Towns for the assist!
Note: I don't claim to know a damn thing about what any woman with these things in her past has to go through, this is only my interpretation of an outside view by someone who loves and cares for her.
Read less