The One Without Pores, Pull Ups, and Kitten Atlas

I think I’m hard enough on myself that I’m allowed to say I don’t have any least favorite photos in this batch, whaddya say? I can’t help it, I like them all this time! My favorite photo is probably Atlas & Bob, though I do like “Give Up” too, because I was just so darn set on hanging up that stupid thing. And for “Insanity”, Tom did about ten pull ups in a row without stopping and made it look so easy I thought it would be cool if I tried. I couldn’t even do one. With help.

Gabby asked, “I really like how you did this in a group, but I can’t seem to find anyone doing it at the same time as me. Do you have advice for people who want to do a group project“?

Oh, this project is a hundred times more fun (in my humble opinion) when you have people doing it with you. Doing a project together helps keep you accountable, and makes those days where it’s a struggle to snap a shot much easier. It’s also really fantastic to see your photos side by side with other photographers, and if you’re doing a prompt project it’s neat to see other interpretations. Also, you tend to get close to the people you’re in the project with since you’re sharing a part of your day with them every day for a year.

I’d recommend the Flickr group for these prompts specifically, as well as 365Project.org. While I’ve not used the site, I’ve received lots of recommendations for it- and the best part is that they’re all doing a 365 project!

“Give Up” October 17th (Day 289)

Dated Oct 17th, 2011
I tried to hang up this shelf above my workspace three months ago and the screws were stripped and it toppled right over (luckily there was nothing on it). So it’s been sitting on my desk with my things on it ever since. I’d given up on it until today when I drilled oversized screws in and was able to hang it up.

“Advertisement” October 18th (Day 290)

As a photographer I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to butcher myself in Photoshop. So we have me, with magazine style retouching (I tried to keep my freckles in but none of the tutorials I watched told me how to do the magazine skin retouching while keeping the freckles…), and then grain and black and white to make it seem like an ad.

I keep looking at it thinking it looks terrible, but I guess that’s because I know what I look like and I feel this looks nothing like me. When you flip through a magazine and see a stranger, it’s a lot easier to accept the retouching I think. Oh, and here’s me for real. (At least how I looked on October 18th! I’m back to rocking a fringe now, though.)

“Puzzle” October 19th (Day 291)

Dated October 19th, 2011
Until a few years ago, I always thought I liked to cook. The truth is I liked to make food because there is a big difference between preparing food and cooking. I feel I’ve really only learned the difference in the last year or so when Tom and I became vegan. (I mean that as a comment on myself and not the cuisine because there are fabulous cooks in other cuisines, obviously.)

It wasn’t until that change that I really started to learn food bases, and how those bases fit together to form a meal, and how certain spices can enhance or detract from those decisions. It sounds so simple, really, but it wasn’t. I can actually create a dish from scratch now based on all these flavors I know and before it just wasn’t like that for me. And sometimes when I’m making a meal from this cookbook I’m photographing I wonder how on earth all these flavors can combine themselves to be something so delicious, but they always do. Cooking, truly cooking, is a puzzle I will forever enjoy.

Pictured are the meatballs for the cookbook’s “meatball soup”.

“Wish” October 20th (Day 292)

If our dear house plant Bob could talk, he’d probably take this moment to say, “You wish.”

“Mask” October 21st (Day 293)

“Forgetful” October 22nd (Day 294)

Every. Time. No, really. I can’t have it right as it’s come out of the tea pot because it’s too hot, but then I forget about it and it’s cold, so I warm it up. And forget about it again. Sometimes I’ll pour myself a cup and open the microwave only to find a forgotten mug in there, waiting.

“Insanity” October 23rd (Day 295)

“Vacation” October 24th (Day 296)

Sometimes a mental vacation happens by just taking a walk.