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Photography as Therapy in the Aftermath of Divorce

Three years ago, photographer and photo editor Justin O’Neill separated from his wife after 13 years of marriage. In the aftermath, he turned to photography for guidance and therapy, directing his camera toward his daughter Stella.

On Stellar Rays: a Dad, a Daughter, and a Divorce, published by G Arts, is a testament to a father and daughter navigating life with their new family dynamic. The collaboration between O’Neill and Stella represents the “struggle of divided families in today’s complex world and how a child, a parent, and a camera can do so much more than document; they can mend and transform the most important relationships as well,” writes the publisher in the press release.

While there are numerous text-heavy how-to books on the subject of divorce, O’Neill’s account is the first in book form to discuss the healing process through photography. As foreword writer Madeline Lippman notes, “The beauty of Justin’s book is the collaborative creative process that takes him and his daughter, Stella, through grief and mourning to the beginnings of new possibility, from loss to wonder.”

On Stellar Rays: a Dad, a Daughter, and a Divorce
By Justin O’Neill
Foreword by Madeline Lippman
Preface by Elinor Carucci
Drawings by Stella O’Neill
Published by G Arts

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