Untitled by Michelle Arcila

I've been a follower of Michelle Arcila's flickr stream for years, enamored by the square-framed quietude she captures with her Hasselblad 501. Embracing natural light, the seasons, and the colors and textures within the intimacy of her friends' and families' homes, Arcila's images reflect an appreciation for the glow within the everyday: a tree in a snowstorm stands dignified and tall; two men sit on the other side of a window in the glow of dusk light; a woman, above, looks out, looking serene and comfortable.

She writes of her images:

My work lives in an illusive world. It's a world where questions are never fully answered and ghosts wander each room only offering us a glimpse into what their lives may have been. So much of my photography is an homage to the history and stories of my family in Costa Rica. I have collected so many experiences from them that I find myself approaching my camera and subjects, no matter where I may be, with the same hint of mystery and magic I grew up surrounded with.

Her work suggests Arcila ispatiently wandering through her surroundings, observing and then clicking to capture the luminous world of her making.