Introduction

Rolf writes:

It’s a stormy day, so we are staying inside our Honolulu hotel room to write. These words will complete the making of this book before sending it out for printing. Karina and I are honored to feel the support of a few hundred people, who have been following our progress. After editing 30,000 images down to just 103, we now feel ready to take this next leap of faith. Karina and I have already taken many such leaps together, and we recognize the energized feeling  which comes right before important developments in our lives. We had a similar feeling during a recent visit to New York City, when we first showed examples of our most intimate photos to another human being.

That being was Gabrielle Roth, founder of the 5 Rhythms dance meditation that Karina and I both appreciate so much. It is on the dance floor that we create some of our most beautiful and revealing pictures, and we feel respect and gratitude towards Gabrielle for birthing this ecstatic practice. Encouraged by her response to the work, we have since shown an evolving collection of photos to several groups, varying in size and demographic, during our travels in Europe and the US.

Feedback came mostly from individuals, who shared that our images

caused them to reflect on their own intimate relationships, past and present. Some said they became aware of new desires, while others were glad to see something of their own ecstatic experiences reflected. It is our hope that CAMERAS AT BREAKFAST will become part of a new genre of photographic exploration; one of intimate relationships - as seen from the inside.

Karina writes:

When Rolf first took pictures of me, shortly after we met, it was the first time in my life that I wasn’t asked to smile or pose. Instead, he encouraged me to just keep doing whatever I was doing. The images were unlike any I had ever seen of myself. For the first time, I was  seeing this woman, Karina, as others might see her. “Wow, is that really what I look like?” I was stunned that I was able to see myself as an attractive woman. At other times I was humbled to see how uncomfortable I looked. Within a short period of time, after being photographed regularly, this self-consciousness began melting away,

to be replaced by a new confidence that comes from self-awareness.Although I had very little photography experience, Rolf encouraged me to have my own camera, and to experiment with taking pictures of whatever I wanted, so that we could both photograph our perspectives of this journey together. Thanks to his his expertise and patience, I now feel comfortable with a camera in my hands. One of my greatest joys is being able to capture something special in a photo I take of Rolf, and then show him the gorgeous man I love so much.

Creating this book has required a lot of letting go. Letting go of being small, letting go of old ideas about what privacy means. Dancing has helped me to do this. Moving my body allows me to release old emotions and fears. It clears my mind and creates presence. When my mind is calm, I am capable of seeing clearly and choosing my own path.

Rolf and I dance together, we dance alone, and we dance with other people. Dancing is Freedom. Freedom is Bliss. We are dancing through life – from one experience to the next – letting go of the past and opening to the present. Every moment is new.

Rolf writes:

When I met Karina in 2006, I was already living and traveling in The Womb (our beloved motorhome, as seen in some of the photos). Having discovered a whole new sense of freedom in my life, I was not really looking for any kind of partner/relationship that I could imagine.

We found ourselves sitting next to each other in a circle of forty people -- all fresh arrivals for a work-study month at the Esalen Institute, in Big Sur, California. We were both participants in a daily painting workshop, but otherwise had separate jobs in the community. Each evening, after work, we would meet in the magnificent hot spring baths, to watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. It was wonderful getting to know someone, while being naked, in warm water, surrounded by stunningly beautiful nature. We both remember the first time our hips touched, ever so slightly, under the water. Neither of us said anything, nor did we move away...

This was also where we first spoke of being together, for however long or short duration, with the agreement of one primary intention: that of awakening Consciousness, in ourselves  and those around us. There were no promises, no expectations, just love and freedom -- and a shared feeling; that life is an adventure to be lived.

Having grown up in six countries, I was already quite familiar with changes. Karina, on the other hand, was still living in the provincial Canadian town where she was born, and had a comfortable job as an accountant. Amazingly, she decided to let go of what she knew, cash in some of her savings, and join me, living on the road.

We set off for Europe, and then India, where, for three months, we rode a single-cylinder motorcycle through the Himalayas. Karina  adapted to change and adventure incredibly rapidly. Typically Indian challenges such as primitive rural toilets, parasites, dangerous roads, and life-threatening weather conditions, all just felt like new and exciting experiences for us to navigate together.

Now, three years later, with no separate jobs or other distractions to keep us apart, we still find ourselves being together virtually 24 hours a day. We fully appreciate one another’s attention, and neither seem to tire of it. Our intimate conversation about awakening is, therefore, an unbroken field of communication and direct experience, from moment to moment. As we evolve, so do the various practices we discover, or create ourselves, to help us maintain pleasurable and balanced states of being. We find that when we are feeling positively focused, life occurs as effortless and thrilling. This simple but powerful truth confirms itself in every day of our experience.

One of our practices has been the discovery of photography as a means of focusing on what we love, both in our surroundings, and in each other. When we honor our experiences by taking pictures, those experiences become even more magical. The more magic we pause to photograph, the richer our life feels. The richer our life is, the more we feel like taking pictures… and so on.

There is plenty more to tell about our wonderful experiences together, but this is a photo-book, and we have something to share in pictures. If you would like to hear more of our story in words, visit our website and blog at: www.WakingUpTogether.com, and send us a question, or some feedback on what our work means to you. We are working on a book that includes more detail on the agreements and practices that make our relationship so enjoyable and fulfilling. We would love to receive encouragement and support from our readers.

Rolf writes:

The Photographs: Although we travel quite a bit, there are a few constants which appear in the photos: one is the Womb, our blessed little home on wheels. Another is the converted church on the Big Island of Hawaii, which we rented as our living and dancing space one winter. And then there is that blue furry hat, and the orange blanket… Karina loves them dearly, so they show up regularly in our pictures.

Karina is a woman who does not generally wear any make-up, which I appreciate, because one is able to see and feel her aliveness shining through her skin. Since our everyday lives are what we  are photographing, it follows that there is no make-up in the book, either.

As we are sharing everything in our lives: 50/50, Karina and I choose not to distinguish between photos taken by myself, and those taken by her. All the photographs in this book were created by "Rolf + Karina", and we agreed to own the copyrights together.

For those interested in technical matters, for this book we used two small Canon SD800 digital cameras, and one big and beautiful Nikon D3 digital SLR. The photos which show both of us together were either taken at arm’s length, or with the self-timer. We also use a cordless remote control for the Nikon. Manipulation of the photos is generally limited to spot-removal, cropping and noise-reduction. To organize and edit our large library of photos, we use Aperture on a MacBook Pro.

Karina writes:

The experience of seeing photos of ourselves, captured through the eyes of love, has changed us both. We can see that we are becoming more beautiful, relaxed, generous, confident, open-hearted, etc. We want to share this opportunity for self-discovery through photography. Since exploring this process with each other, we have created a new technique called Transformational Photography, which we offer for individuals who are ready to let go of habitual self-consciousness, and to discover a new level of confidence, in relating to themselves, and to the world around them.

We intend that the openness expressed in this book will inspire others to share more of themselves, in whichever way they choose. We are all part of the same family and we have so much to learn from each other’s unique and beautiful lives.

May the creation of this book lead us to a supportive relationship with an innovative publishing house – so we may enlarge our audience, and feel encouraged to produce more beautiful books, as well as other projects.

Rolf and I feel so blessed to be in this delightful relationship, and although we aren't interested in traditional marriage, we do like the idea of publicly honoring our togetherness. So we’ll just go ahead and do it, here and now, by releasing this first book of love, into the world!

OK, let’s leap now…

Rolf + Karina