Through My Lens: Somewhere Between Istanbul and Bishkek

Somewhere between Istanbul and Bishkek, the sky decided to show off.

Photographed by Andrea C. Stallworth.

There are moments when you look out the window and think: How in the world did I get here?

Seriously. I was on my way to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with a layover in Istanbul, Turkey, looking out of an airplane window at clouds glowing pink and gold beneath me. And all I could think was: Girl. You are really out here. A Brown girl from Boston, Mattapan to be exact. Thousands of feet in the air, traveling across the world with a camera nearby because apparently I cannot go anywhere without taking pictures. 

Sometimes I think we become so focused on getting to the destination that we forget there is a whole story happening on the way there. This was one of those moments.

Chasing light somewhere above the clouds on the journey to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Photographed by Andrea C. Stallworth.

I love traveling because it reminds me just how big this world really is. Something is humbling about leaving what you know behind, crossing oceans, walking through unfamiliar airports, hearing different languages, seeing different faces, eating different foods, and realizing that your little corner of the world is exactly that: a corner.

There is so much more to see.

Istanbul was my layover, but even being there felt significant. I was in Turkey, preparing to continue on to Kyrgyzstan, a place I probably couldn't have pointed to on a map as a little girl growing up in Boston.

Yet there I was. Passport in hand. Window seat secured. Camera ready. Because, priorities. And then the sun started doing this.

The view before the arrival. Somewhere between where I had been and where I was going. Photographed by Andrea C. Stallworth.

Photography has taught me that the story isn't always waiting at the destination. Sometimes the journey is the photograph. The airplane wing. The clouds. The changing light.The view from a tiny window while you're suspended somewhere between one country and another. I didn't need to stage anything. I just needed to pay attention. And maybe that's what traveling has taught me too.
Pay attention.

Look out the window. Walk the unfamiliar street. Try the food. Talk to people. Take the picture.
Stand still long enough to realize, Wow. I am actually here. Because life has taken me places I never could have predicted. From Boston to Alabama. From Alabama into classrooms, careers, experiences, and adventures.

And on this particular journey, all the way to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, by way of Istanbul, Turkey. That's wild when I really think about it. But that's also why I keep the photographs. They are evidence. Evidence that I went. Evidence that I saw. Evidence that there is a whole world beyond the familiar.
And evidence that sometimes you have to get far enough away from home to realize just how far you've come. So take the trip. 

Take the window seat. Bring the camera. Look up.
And when the sky decides to show off... take the picture.

Through My Lens
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan via Istanbul, Turkey
Photography & words by Andrea C. Stallworth
Brown Girl From Boston

Just a girl from Mattapan seeing what the rest of the world looks like through her lens.

 

Through My Lens: Learning to Love the Lane I'm In

Sometimes the most beautiful views aren't found at the destination, they're waiting beside the road while you're simply moving forward.

Photo by Andrea Stallworth | Brown Girl From Boston

There was a time when I spent more energy looking at everyone else's lane than appreciating my own. I measured timelines, compared milestones, and wondered if I was somehow behind. But somewhere along this journey, I realized that peace doesn't come from changing lanes. It comes from learning to appreciate the one God has already placed before you.

These days, I'm not in a hurry. I'm building my health, strengthening my faith, growing my career, nurturing meaningful relationships, and making room for joy. Every mile has taught me something. Every detour has shaped me. Looking out this window reminded me that life isn't just about arriving; it's about noticing the beauty that exists while you're on the way.

Through My Lens: Alabama After Dark

                                                              Photo by Andrea Stallworth | Brown Girl From Boston

Deep in the heart of Dixie.

On my way to see Jeezy at the historic Alabama Theatre, I paused long enough to capture downtown Birmingham after dark. A city built on complicated and sacred ground, carrying the stories of those who came before us.

The lights shine differently when you know the history.

Through My Lens: God's Timing Is Better Than Mine

                                            The light was there, even when I couldn't see it.

Photography by Andrea Stallworth | Brown Girl From Boston

Last year, I wouldn't have been able to appreciate the light shining in the various areas of my life because I was coexisting with darkness. I was hurting, grieving, searching, and trying to understand what God was doing in my life.

I often refer to that season as my Job season. Yet even in my brokenness, God never abandoned me. He did not shy away from my tears, my questions, or my pain. Instead, He stayed close and continued to shine His light on the places within me that needed healing, restoration, and growth.

As Psalm 34:18 reminds us:

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

Day by day, God began repairing the hidden places of my heart. He revealed wounds I needed to confront, lessons I needed to learn, and strengths I didn't know I possessed.

Today, I still don't have everything figured out, and that's okay. I've learned that God's timing will always be better than my own. What I do know is this: I have come to appreciate the many ways His light appears in my life. Sometimes it arrives as peace. Sometimes, as growth. Sometimes, as unexpected opportunities. And sometimes as a quiet reminder that He has been with me all along.

The darkness did not last forever. The light was there, even when I couldn't see it.

 

                                        Peace arrives when we stop rushing God's timing.

Photography by Andrea Stallworth | Brown Girl From Boston