Editor’s note: We are selective about who we allow to advertise on 1P5. We sell our ads directly, vetting each potential partner and business owner to make sure that they fit with our values and are offering quality products and services to our audience. As a thank you to these Catholic business owners and service providers, we have given our paid advertisers an opportunity to answer some questions about the work that they do and better acquaint themselves with our audience. Today, we talk to Hannah Keyes of Hannah Keyes Photography & Books.
Tell us about Hannah Keyes Photography.
Hannah Keyes Photography & Books (www.hannahkeyes.com ) is the website where I display galleries of my photography, as well as offer prints and other books for sale. I have been shooting photography since my high school years, with roots in black and white film photography, and have since expanded into color digital work. As the beauty of God’s creation is my source of inspiration, much of my work is of nature, though examples of church photography and more can be found on my site too. Recently, I have begun publishing books and stories that I have written, and those can be found on my site as well.
Do you primarily offer prints of existing work, or can people hire you to do shoots?
I primarily offer prints of my photography, but I am happy to do shoots for people as well. If anyone is interested in my services as a photographer, I can be contacted through my website for more information.
Do you do weddings, portraiture, engagement shoots, or mostly landscapes and architecture?
I am primarily a nature photographer, though I do photograph architecture (mainly churches and Catholic holy sites) as well. In the past, I have worked as an events photographer, and have done some portraiture for families, friends, and sports teams; in my college years, some of my work was featured in the local newspaper. While I am not a professional wedding/engagement photographer, I am happy to shoot such things for people! If interested, feel free to contact me through my website for more information.
You also write and illustrate books?
Yes! My sister, Sarah, and I often work together to write and illustrate books. Sarah is a cartoonist and a fine illustrator; she has her own website showcasing examples of her work at: www.sarahbor.com We have started working on publishing our books only recently, but we hope to publish many more of our works and have them available soon!
How many books do you have available right now, and where can people find them?
Since we have only started publishing recently, I only have one book available, but many more will be coming soon! Currently, Sarah and I have published a book for children: The Zoo for You!: A Rhyming Animal Alphabet Book. This was a fun project to learn the publishing process, and we hope that readers will find it enjoyable! It is available online at various sites including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Lulu.
In the coming weeks, I hope to publish a novel-length story I have written. It is a family-friendly tale for kids and people of all ages to enjoy. Without giving too much away, I will say that it was inspired by an Icelandic folk tale, which I then wove with Catholic themes inspired by quotes of St. John Bosco. At the heart of the tale is the theme of the triumph of simplicity and humility. And it involves a cat. If interested, people can check my website,www.hannahkeyes.com , for updates on when it will be available.
How does your faith inform your work?
Our Lord is the center and focus of all my work. I consecrate all of my work, whether it is my photography, writing, or anything else, to God in the hopes that it will be for His glory and that it might win as many souls as possible for His Heavenly Kingdom.
J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis once had a conversation where one said, “If they won’t write the kind of books we like to read, we shall have to write them ourselves.” In a world where children’s books authors support evil organizations such as planned parenthood, and much of modern literature is soul-corrupting trash, my sister and I had a similar conversation as that of Tolkien and Lewis. While we do not presume that the caliber of our writing is to be compared with theirs, who are among the greatest authors of the twentieth century, we simply wish to write books that will not only tell a good tale, but lift one’s mind, heart, and soul to the Higher Things, as Tolkien and Lewis’ writings do. (While we only have a simple children’s alphabet book on the market at the moment, we hope that this rings true of our longer books which will soon be available).
Concerning photography, it is unfortunately a widely misused medium as well. It is an art form, and art, as everything else, ought to be oriented towards God, without Whom it would not exist. This is forgotten and rejected by modern culture, but it is true nonetheless. Good art should reflect the True, the Good, and the Beautiful, and should thus point towards God, and not drag one down to be trapped in the evils and brokenness of our fallen world. As such, I strive to make my photography simple and beautiful; my hope is that it will refresh the soul and renew within it joy and a deeper love for our Lord and Creator.
Is there anything else you’d like people to know?
I once read in a post online—I think it was on OnePeterFive actually, a quote that said, “Imagination is a thing that happens when the electricity goes out.” This statement is very true, and has been inspirational in my writing process. Who knows how many potential Tolkiens and C.S. Lewises there are out there, but are stunted and squelched by addiction to technology and the culture of death. Disconnecting, and especially taking the time for silence, is critical for Christendom to flourish. My hope in writing and photography is that others, especially kids, will be inspired to good imagination, and to a greater appreciation of the beauty of God, as reflected in His creation, and ought to be reflected in our sub-creation.
Thank you for the opportunity to talk about my writing and photography, and thank you to the readers for your interest in it! God bless.
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“Imagination is a thing that happens when the electricity goes out” is a comment which reminds of my late father saying the electrification of Ireland in the 1930s killed off belief in the fairies. In Ireland, we had a vivid imagination with fairies and banshees being behind unexplained events, especially at night.
To this day, a farmer will not cut down a tree which legend has as a “fairy tree”, in case the fairies seek their revenge. The old joke is to ask an old person does he believe in fairies and he’ll respond: “Of course not, but they are out there.”
If anyone is interested, the quote that says “imagination is a thing that happens when the electricity goes out” comes from this article:
https://onepeterfive.wpengine.com/in-praise-of-boredom/
When I wrote it, I was thinking of the mental adaptation we all have to make during a thunderstorm power outage. Everyone has to turn away from their respective screens and (gasp!) INTERACT.