Metaphors: An Emotional Journey

The book is an amazing reflection of a journey that a lot of us are or have experienced in life, but none have been able to express it the way the author did. It is amazing how she’s been able to depict each moment through the lenses of her camera and the words from her soul. That capacity to catch the moment and unveil it in the form of art that is "worth and speaks in more than a thousand words" is marvelous. Congratulations!

I found this book a really refreshing alternative to typical self-help books. Gabriela doesn't tell you what to think but uses photos to reflect on so it's more of a self-guided journey. I found it almost a meditation exercise, going page-by-page and reflecting on the emotions that came up. It really helped me gain clarity on some things I've been going through. It can be a quick read but I found it beneficial to really spend a lot of time on each page to think about what the photos meant to me.

If you have a hard time when change is forced upon you, read this book. A very short but powerful book about making an opportunity out of a seemingly impossible situation. Sit with the images, ask yourself the questions... and find clarity and peace.

Reactions from Gabriela Casineanu's solo exhibition at prestigious CONTACT Photography Festival Toronto (featuring the content from the book Metaphors: An Emotional Journey): A beautiful journey of transformation • So much insight and meaning • Such feelings of hope and light! • Thank you for your universal and timely journey! • Powerful, insightful, and full of life. • Touching! We all could find ourselves in this visual journey. • A suggestive expression of the sensibility of a good and sincere soul!

This book is deceptively simple at first glance. Using a short poem matched with nature photographs, it portrays a thoughtful essay on surviving personal loss. For the author, it was the loss of a job, a foundation of her success and identity, which unexpectedly led her to a new, more fulfilling life. This is a book to be savored, opening new pathways of thought and contemplation. While the essay is about the pain of losing a job, it's helpful for healing after any loss. This is a book you'll want to turn to when you need a friend, a confidant, a wise counselor, a way forward... to access your own inner wise person. As Ms. Casineanu writes, 'There's a beautiful path waiting for you when you let go.'