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Everyday

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Everyday
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YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO BE HUMAN. 

We make art and share meaningful stories to remind you of just that.
 

PROJECTS

A traveling, pop up phone booth installation to talk to people who are no longer around.

A traveling, pop up phone booth installation to talk to people who are no longer around.

What does it mean to live? What does it mean to die? A podcast exploring what it means to be human.

What does it mean to live? What does it mean to die? A podcast exploring what it means to be human.

Connecting mother's who've lost a child and people who've lost a mom to call each other on Mother's Day.

Connecting mother's who've lost a child and people who've lost a mom to call each other on Mother's Day.

 
 
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DEATH IS NOT
A DIRTY WORD

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Hi, I'm Morgan, Founder of Death Dialogue.

In 2012 I got a call from my dad saying my mom, whom I had seen just two days prior, was dead. With nothing to lose, I packed up my things and traveled the world. I was looking for an escape, but what I found was connection. In every country I visited, I found stories of people who had lost loved ones and were questioning their mortality. I returned from that trip dedicated to telling those stories, and to talking about death and dying in a world that doesn’t.
 
Why film? It's a question I've been getting a lot. It's pretty simple for me ⁠— when I shoot film I feel fully expressed and my truest me. When I shoot film, I'm shining a light on my soul. When I share these photos, I'm letting you witness it. ⁠⠀ I think this is true for all creative work. For you it may be writing, or painting, or acting. For me, in this stretch of a moment, it's making images with film. I feel a connection to the images I make with film in ways I rarely feel with digital. People ask if it's expensive. Yeah, it can be. But so is spending thousands on a professional digital camera and lenses. It doesn't mean one is better than the other, it's just finding which one you love. For me, it's film.
I want to remember:⠀ ⠀ How every time we go for a walk you tell me my Birkenstock’s look just like your elderly orthopedic sandals.⠀ ⠀ How I convinced you that one sandwich shop serves pure joy, so that when I ask you “What are we gonna go get!?” You respond “joy!!”⠀ ⠀ How that one time I asked if you remember what grandpa’s voice sounded like and you gave a definitive no.⠀ And then you looked into the distance and lifted your hands as if to cusp his face and said “but sometimes, I can almost see him”.⠀ ⠀ How you tell the story of how you used to serve milk and graham crackers at school to kids who had no money. And when the school learned you had no money, you got them too. How that impacted you so much — the luxury of milk and crackers — that that story remains even when your mind strays.⠀ ⠀ How most of your life you weren’t allowed to dance, and then I got you to move your body to Taylor Swift while driving in Bessie. Watching your body move to a beat, it was awkward and beautiful - decades of stiffness coming undone. How it must have been vulnerable for you to share that with me. How grateful I felt to witness it.⠀ ⠀ How you get really pissed if I’m late, but if I say “grandma, I’m sorry. I’m just having a hard day” you soften and say “that’s ok, take a seat and rest, everything can wait.” There’s a hardness to you. I see it come out sometimes and I’ve heard stories of it. It makes your softening so beautiful. ⠀ ⠀ How your hands are so crooked from arthritis and you say “But I’m thankful for my hands. Some people don’t have hands”⠀ ⠀ How your face lights up when we surprise you with something sweet. And you tell us you could never eat or drink it all and then 5 minutes later it’s gone.⠀ ⠀ How you say hi to everyone - EVERYONE - even if they look grumpy and unapproachable. How you tell me they’re just bitter pickles and you’re gonna make them smile. And you do.⠀ ⠀ How your memory is starting to go and your body is hurting and I can tell getting old is scary and a great unknown, and yet you still choose joy and gratitude every single day. These are the things I want to remember. ⠀ How special you are to me.
🔻The Blue Lagoon in Iceland is people watching paradise. Like, what is the person in red thinking about? 🔺⠀ ⠀ — Film, shot on Mamiya 645 with @kodak Porta 400
There are so many things I wanted to share today. So many times I questioned the line of sharing what’s true for me vs. oversharing someone else’s life and business. I’m still learning this line.⠀ ⠀ I’m practicing accepting people for who they are — not who they were or who I want them to be. Especially my dad. The story of losing my mom is as much a story of losing my dad. I haven’t shared much of that story here because, well, he’s still alive. And even though I had to block him on Instagram for mild harassment, my account is still public, and I know he could see the things I share. And I don’t want to hurt him.⠀ ⠀ Maybe if I write anything longer than an instagram caption, I’ll share that story — i think it deserves a longer breathe that what’s available here. So for now I’m repeating “accept people as they are, not who they were or who you want them to be”. ⠀ ⠀ Ya feel me?⠀ ⠀ — film, 35mm @kodak porta 400, on the train somewhere between California and Oregon
My body wants to be in Oregon, it feels peace there. My heart wants to be in California, it feels known there. ⠀ ⠀ Neither here nor there, my mind stays in the middle — where the lines blur.
When you think you have a connection but really he just wants your snacks. || shot on Mamiya 645 with 120 film that I can’t remember the name of because I am the most helpful.
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"Remember all those times you ⠀⠀⠀ crossed wild raging rivers?⠀⠀⠀ And how each time they told you⠀⠀⠀ that you'd drown⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ Take your shaking knees⠀⠀⠀ now as a good sign,⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ My dear, your prayed for this⠀⠀⠀ when your legs were still bound."⠀⠀⠀ - @thefeelingsparade ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ I've been listening to this song on repeat. If you’re in a life transition — or just like good music — go listen. It’s been bringing my comfort as I navigate my “what’s next”. ⠀ ⠀ || shot on my Mamiya 645 medium format camera with @kodak 400mm Ektar 100
 

 
 

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Banner photo by Daniel N.Johnson.
 
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