Spurred

The Hardest Part Is Taking The Photo

Happy Monday, everyone! Tom is finally feeling better and up and walking around, so thanks to everyone who sent him well wishes. =) And since I usually share a digest from the Spurred project with you on Mondays, I thought today I’d start answering questions I’ve received regarding the project. If you have any questions you’d like answered- feel free to email me or tweet at me and I’ll add them to my list for next time!

Melanie asked, “What was the hardest part about doing a 365 days project?”
The hardest part of this project was, if you can believe it, actually taking a photo every single day. It seems really easy (at least it did to me) but it isn’t. There will be days when you don’t want to take the photo, there will be days where you want to quit (there will be several, actually), and when you’re done the project will leave you feeling photo-ed out for quite a while. For me the difficulty came while trying to relate to the prompt and putting too much expectations on myself. It takes some time to think about shots and how you want to compose them, but when you’re pushing yourself to take an “amazing” shot every single day, you’re just setting yourself up for failure. Which is what I was doing, which obviously isn’t going to happen, and so towards the end I just had to let go and shoot whatever came my way.

My favorite photo of this batch is “Dead” because of the light and my least favorite is “Gold” because I wish the quality had been better. I didn’t take my time with that shot at all!

Random tidbit: The “Dance” photo was taken while we were in the car driving. Music was playing and I thought it was just a neat shot.

“Dead” September 10th (Day 253)

“Tranquil” September 11th (Day 254)

“Change” September 12th (Day 255)

“Reality” September 13th (Day 256)

“Dance” September 14th (Day 257)

“Dull” September 15th (Day 258)

“Pleasure” September 16th (Day 259)

“An unexamined life is not worth living.” September 18th (Day 260)

I like to think that I try really hard to better myself all the time. I’m constantly evaluating my habits, my responses, even my thought process sometimes, for ways to improve or ways in which I would like to change. And I admire that immensely when I see it in other people. Tom is one of those people, and so is his mother. She just had her birthday and she is still examining her life, her situations and thinking of ways to improve or make her quality of life better.

“Gold” September 19th (Day 261)

Making homemade waffles for the cookbook.

The Beginning of September

Did everyone have a good weekend? Ours was fairly good, but Tom came down with a fever of 102 last Tuesday night and was 101 today. (It broke on Friday but came back Saturday night. We’ll be visiting the clinic today! Just so you don’t think I’m a horrible wife or anything! GEE.) It was a very laid back week of eating light and taking it easy for both of us. Today is also my sister Kait’s (who visited in December) birthday, and we talked for a while this morning. I just can’t believe how fast the years are going. You know how they say the years go by faster and faster the older you get? I really think that’s the truth. I’d like to make an effort to slow down, in life in general and in work.

(Are you ready for a Spurred update? =P )

“Library” September 2nd (Day 245)

Last year when I did my vegan challenge in September I checked out three vegan cookbooks from the library, and haven’t borrowed any since. To celebrate the healthiest year of my life, I went and checked out some more.

“Curl” September 3rd (Day 246)

“Note” September 4th (Day 247)

I left a note for myself to do a photo like this of Atlas with my feet in the frame because I have one of Morn and Pumpkin just like it, and I thought it would be nice to have one of Atlas too.

“Square” September 5th (Day 248)

“Silhouette” September 6th (Day 249)

Morn, Pumpkin, and Atlas gazing out the window.

“Journal” September 7th (Day 250)

Work out log!

“Falling” September 8th (Day 251)

“Favorite” September 9th (Day 252)

Gluten free fries.

August Flashback

I think it’s probably natural to feel a little “lost” after completing two year long projects in a row. I find myself thinking, and almost in a panic, “Oh my gosh, I should be taking photos of something, but what!” And then I realize, there are no prompts, I don’t have to do any self portraits, I can just relax and take photos of whatever I want. Yes, perfect, this is relaxing and just what I need. But then I think it might not be so bad if I started a 52 weeks project. WHAT IS MY PROBLEM? Projects are fantastic. They help us get out of our comfort zones, they give us inspiration and motivation and we meet cool new people and take photos we never would have taken otherwise. But I’ve overloaded myself with projects the last few years that I promised myself this year I would take it easy(ier). So even though right now I feel like I have no direction, and during the time of the day I spent mulling over ideas and taking a shot for two years I simply wander around with my camera feeling helpless, I’m going to roll with it. Because it will pass, and it won’t be so scary after a while.

“Far” August 6th (Day 218)

“Macro” August 7th (Day 219)

This isn’t a macro shot. It isn’t even shot with my macro lens, but it’s not every day you get a chance to photograph a salt water aquarium so we’re going to roll with it.

“Soft” August 8th (Day 220)

“Clean” August 9th (Day 221)

“Key” August 10th (Day 222)

Do you see those rubber bands hanging on the key ring? Those were for when I went running. Until this month I was strapping my iPhone to the treadmill with a rubber band or two so it would stay put while I ran, and so I left the rubber bands with the gym key so I wouldn’t forget. For my birthday this year I was given an iPod nano, which clips to my clothes, and I no longer need to MacGyver my iPhone to the treadmill. But when I look back on this photo in a few years after I’ve forgotten, I will laugh at the two/three years I spent collecting rubber bands from every asparagus bundle we brought home from the grocery store, forgetting them and only realizing once already in the gym and coming all the way back to get some, having them snap mid run- all just so I could listen to some music while I ran.

“Stretch” August 11th (Day 223)

Usually I can’t handle spicy foods at all and as Tom made this chili we both thought there was no way I’d manage. “Mild” doesn’t mean squat. Okay, maybe mild means, “Sara’s mouth will explode and everyone else will wear confused looks on their faces, take another bite and conclude it’s not really spicy at all.” Because that’s usually what happens.

Except that I used to love chili dogs when I was younger. (Probably a result of being a Sonic the Hedgehog kid. I can’t believe I just admitted that.) So even now I will stretch my tolerance for spice a little bit as long as it’s in chili. And this chili was perfection.

“Stripes” August 12th (Day 224)

“Silence” August 13th (Day 225)

“Silence, peasant. You will provide me with a cushion.”

Sometimes I like to imagine what Morn and Pumpkin might be saying to each other.

“Night” August 14th (Day 226)

“Beautiful” August 15th (Day 227)

Time Traveling To The End of July

I hope everyone had a fabulous new year. Thanks so much for all the feedback on my year end recap, I almost didn’t write it up. I was up until 3am working on it, but I’m so glad I did it because I realized that I worked really really hard last year and it’s always good to reflect on the year and decide what worked and what didn’t. And thank you for all the birthday wishes on Twitter, Facebook and via email- you folks really spoil me. It was great seeing all those. I’m officially back from vacation as of yesterday, so it’s back to regular posting!

The Spurred project is over, and to be honest, I’m not sure what to do with myself! I feel so strange in that I don’t have to take a picture of anything today if I don’t want to. (I have anyway, of course.) But I promised myself I wouldn’t do another heavy duty project this year because there are so many little projects I’d like to try. Anyway, let’s time travel back to the end of July to share those prompted photos.

“Can You Hear Me?” July 27th (Day 207)

You know by now I hated these sentence prompts, right? (PAST TENSE! I can say that in PAST TENSE!)

“Total” July 28th (Day 208)

From our pretty awesome veggie Asian restaurant and one of my favorites, udon noodle soup. =)

“Drink” July 29th (Day 209)

Bubble tea!

“Fur” July 30th (Day 210)

Tom is actually sleeping here, believe it or not. He sometimes smiles like that while sleeping.

“Yellow” July 31th (Day 211)

Hello, Atlas! This is one of the first pictures I took of him, back when he was stuck quarantined in the bathroom. Can you see the mucus on his nose? I thought that he was sticking his tongue out like that because he had an infection and his nose was plugged up, but he does it all the time now too.

“Money” August 1st (Day 212)

Back for Tom’s birthday” I made coupons that matched the rest of the “decandance” theme. There were 62 coupons total.

“Permanent” August 2nd (Day 213)

Atlas again, the new permanent member of our family.

“Familiar” August 3rd (Day 214)

Recreating vegan versions of familiar dishes again. This one is tonkatsu.

“End” August 4th (Day 215)

So speaking of Atlas, while he was quarantined in the bathroom Tom and I took turns reading to him for an hour or so before bed.

“Sharp” August 5th (Day 216)

Bubble tea, again. (I’m actually about to look up how to make it at home, because ordering it while out is getting kind of expensive!)

Where I Talk About Stuff That Isn’t Even Pictured

Today is our the annual fire alarm testing in our building, aka The Day Of Great Disturbing, in which the cats and I hide in the office with the door closed huddled in corners and wearing earmuffs, respectively, while the fire alarm goes off every few seconds for most of the day.

I feel like I should go take a walk or something but I think I’d feel terribly guilty leaving the cats to huddle together in the office without me. Also, you may have noticed, but I finally finished updating my site design. Everything is now integrated and for the most part everything went smoothly. A few of my thumbnails are missing, but as far as complications go it could be a lot worse! I really like this new design and I feel it makes my old one look like it was made in the 90s. I hope you like it too! And, of course, I hope you have a great Monday and enjoy this Spurred update.

“Innocent” July 11th (Day 192)

It’s time to go grocery shopping. We pull out a few bags from the closet. We grab our sungless and shoes and get ready to go. As we start to leave we realize that we have a stow-away in one of the bags. Gotcha.

No, I’m afraid you can’t come with us, Pumpkin.

“Need” July 12th (Day 193)

“Growth” July 13th (Day 194)

“Solution” July 14th (Day 195)

Whenever I am feeling too busy, it always helps me to take a walk to and just enjoy my surroundings.

“Redsign” July 16th (Day 196)

For our wedding, Tom and I had registered own website so people could RSVP online, print out directions, etc. Afterward, I couldn’t bare to part with the domain so Tom and I decided we’d turn it into a personal hub where we could post photos of the wedding for our family to see.

Unfortunately, I haven’t even finished those yet. One of the downsides of being a professional photographer is that your stuff comes last in the list of things to-do.

“Scar” July 17th (Day 197) & “Two Roads” July 18th (Day 198)

Scar: Had every intention of photographing one of my scars (I have one on my forehead) but liked this instead.
Two Roads: Strawberry, orange, green tea smoothie or water with lemon? Choices, choices.

“Illusion” July 19th (Day 199)

I love it when photographs look like watercolor.

Objects With Meaning, Weights, and Setting Goals

Last week I wrote down four goals I hoped to complete by the end of the week, and I’m surprised to say it really, really helped me accomplish them. I think sometimes we (or at least I) have so many ideas floating around in my head that I’d like to finish or set in motion that I get easily overwhelmed. I’ve heard so many times, especially when working from home, that my “inbox will never be empty”. That I will always find things I need to do, and instead of trying to forever play a game of “catch-up”, I need to prioritize. Do one thing at a time until it’s done and cross it off the list. And so that’s what I’ll do! The day I wrote up the last one I immediately set up the shelf that I’d been dying to fix for months, and if you want you can see it here. I took a photo of it for the daily prompt so you’ll see it again in a few weeks when I’ve caught up in posting them. =)

Anyway, before I get perilously wordy, let’s talk about these photos from early June. My favorite photo from this set is the prompt for “Family” because of the soft focus and what it represents. My least favorite is probably “Big”, simply because the composition and execution could have been better. I took it in the car arms-length style just so I wouldn’t forget.

Photo factoids: The “Family” photo is actually taken in color, but because the album is black and the photos are black and white, it looks of course as if it was taken in black and white. Every photo here was taken with an f/stop of 2.2 or lower. (The lower the number, the bigger the opening, making the focus point smaller, but allowing in more light. It’s also called shooting “wide open”.) And the weights pictured are actually from the 90s, plastic, bulky and 5.5lbs. I’ve since moved up to 7.7lbs and now I’m at 10lbs. (Exciting!!)

“Big” June 9th (Day 160)

My Japanese nickname is “Momo”, which means “peach” (or even peach tree!). So I made a charm out of polymer clay and painted it and wear it around my neck. (I also made one as a charm for my camera.) It’s a little charm with a big meaning for me.

“Wrinkles” June 10th (Day 161)

“High” June 11th (Day 162)

“Love” June 12th (Day 163)

“Hidden” June 13th (Day 164)

“Blue” June 14th (Day 165)

My keychain doesn’t have much, but each thing on it is really important to me. The fish was handmade by my little sister Chrissy, the infinity ring (which reads: love always) was a gift from Tom, and the beads washed up on the shore my sister Kait was walking on when she was in Europe for a year.

“Family” June 15th (Day 166)

Tom was given one of the family photo albums dating back to the early 1900s. I think people who can trace their family lineage back that far are extremely lucky.

“Health” June 16th (Day 167)

I’ve always been a runner (sort of) and considered myself fairly healthy, but it wasn’t until recently that I decided I wanted to be fit in all areas, not just my endurance. At the end of May I decided I would attempt daily HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts in the home to increase my core strength and I absolutely love them and am still doing them. They’ve increased my running times like I never imagined!