There is a poem by Lisel Mueller called “Monet Refuses the Operation.” It recounts how the painter Claude Monet opted out of a cataracts operation in order to keep his blurry vision. It’s a decision that may seem ironic for a painter, but to him it made perfect sense. Monet’s aged vision permitted him to see the world differently. It may have even been the catalyst for his iconic hazy and impressionistic style. I love this story because it makes the very best of the very worst. I recently came home after a long time away and the familiar environment looked very different to me. These pictures depict how disconnected I felt from my surroundings. With this series, Ally and I tried our best to have an appreciation as opposed to an aversion to this new hazy lens. ♦