© Christine Cluff, Artist’s treasures and handmade photographic objects displayed on a vintage wooden table, including beloved books, a 19th-century watercolor paint box, various found objects, and natural elements like pine cones and stones collected during nature walks in Maine.

Beyond the Photograph is a Lenscratch monthly series dedicated to helping photographers grow their artistic practices beyond the camera. Capturing images is just one small part of a photographer’s journey. In this series, we’ll explore the tools, strategies, and best practices that support the broader aspects of a contemporary art career.

From time to time, we will check in with photographers about their artistic process. In this edition, we will look at mindfulness as part of a creative practice with photographer Christine Cluff. I met Christine at a portfolio review years ago and have been following her Instagram feed for years. We happen to live in the same city and had the chance to sit down at lunch to discuss her artistic practice in person. She shared with me where she finds some of her inspiration, how the muse flows through her work, and how she incorporates text with her lyrical images.

Christine Cluff: Instagram

© Christine Cluff, Self-portrait framed with collage elements.

“It took me some time to truly understand my creative practice. For years, I felt adrift, searching for direction as an artist. It’s only in the last several years that I’ve begun to recognize and trust my own artistic process—a personal rhythm that feels more authentic.”

© Christine Cluff, A photographic object composed of a vintage compact, a 19th-century edition of Paul Verlaine’s poems, vintage ribbon, found objects and dried anunculus.

© Christine Cluff, “Misty Path Through Owl’s Head, Maine” framed in mulberry bark.

“My creative practice begins long before I enter my studio. It starts in quiet moments when my mind settles: a walk in nature, connecting with a resonant passage in a book, or being moved by a song. Sometimes it’s the calm state during a yoga practice, or a spark of curiosity leading me down a path of discovery. These are the moments when my mind is more receptive and open to possibility.”

© Christine Cluff, Open book of poems “Why I Wake Early” by Mary Oliver with pressed flowers and found objects.

“My photographs usually start with questions that tug at me, rather than methodical planning. I’ve learned to value a natural creative flow, allowing intuition to guide me. This approach helps me escape the noise and find a quiet space to reflect on what truly matters—my curiosities and the mysteries I want to unravel. Recently, I’ve been drawn to physical materials—handmade papers, found objects with stories, elements from nature—and incorporating my own photographs, particularly self-portraits that feel more intimate and expressive. My work feels more like an exploration of this uncertainty, I often find myself responding emotionally to something elusive—feelings or thoughts that resist clear definition.”

© Christine Cluff, “Notes of Absence: Grief in Five Senses,” handmade photographic object.

© Christine Cluff, Self-portrait in tintype case, wrapped stone by Tim Whitten, dendritic limestone, pressed leaf, driftwood, and a favorite journal featuring the timeless quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air.”

“People often ask about the quotes and poems I pair with my photographs. Literature has always been present in my life—on nightstands, in coat pockets, scribbled in worn journals, or in dog-eared books. A line from Pablo Neruda will remind me about life’s connected opposites; Mary Oliver’s words teach me to pay attention to the small, revealing details that surround us in everyday life. A Verlaine poem will show me that even in our darkest moments, happiness is worth preserving in memory and art.”

© Christine Cluff, A beloved 19th-century edition of Paul Verlaine’s poems discovered many years ago among the shelves in a bookshop in Hay-On-Wye, Wales.

“The images almost always come first, with words finding their way to them afterward. Photography and literature share a common heart—both are ways of paying attention, of celebrating what might otherwise go unnoticed. Over years of reading, I’ve collected passages that resonate with me. Sometimes the perfect words come immediately, while other times I search for hours for the right match. What began as simple captioning has blossomed into an integral part of my creative process.”

© Christine Cluff, Pablo Neruda’s “Ode to Opposites,” wrapped stone by Tim Whitten, dendritic limestone, along with pressed leaves, acorns, and pine cones collected from Maine.

Christine Cluff is a lens-based artist who combines digital and traditional photography with mixed media, printmaking, and alternative processes. Her recent artistic practice includes creating photographic objects and exploring handmade paper and materials, transforming two-dimensional images into sculptural elements. Through her art, she explores themes of memory and belonging, drawing inspiration from personal narratives and her connection to sense of place. By giving her photographs physical depth, she hopes to create a bridge that welcomes others into her world of meaningful places and memories, sharing the emotional landscapes that have shaped her personal story. 

© Christine Cluff, Artist’s treasures and handmade photographic objects displayed on a vintage wooden table, including beloved books, a 19th-century watercolor paint box, various found objects, and natural elements like pine cones and stones collected during nature walks in Maine.

Jeanine Michna-Bales

After a successful 20-year career as a creative in advertising, Jeanine Michna-Bales transitioned to become a full-time artist. A visual storyteller working primarily in photography, Michna-Bales (American, b. 1971) explores the profound impact of cornerstone relationships on contemporary society—the connections between individuals, communities, and the land we inhabit. Her work sits at the crossroads of curiosity and knowledge, blending documentary and fine art, past and present, and disciplines like anthropology, sociology, environmentalism, and activism.

Michna-Bales’ artistic practice is rooted in thorough, often primary-source research, which allows her to explore multiple perspectives, grasp the complexities of cause and effect, and understand the socio-political context surrounding the subjects she examines.

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