365 Day People Picture Project - Week 24

We've completed week 24 of the 365 Day People Picture Project. If this project were a marathon, we're right around mile 11. Day 162 - Mason

Sunday, I headed back down to Esther Short Park in search of a subject.   It's been a gamble here, on whether or not I'll find a subject, but I love the little park so I seem to go there at least once a week.   When the farmers market isn't in season, the park can be pretty sleepy.  Unlike Portland's waterfront, which is filled with interesting people no matter what the time or season, there are times of the day and year in which the only life you'll find in Vancouver's near-waterfront park are the squirrels!

As soon as I arrived downtown and before I even found a parking spot, I spotted Mason with camera in tow. A person with a camera will most likely agree to let me take their picture.  I parked and then began my chase to catch up with him.

Mason is a photographer and he was actually shooting for a client.  He was working for a bank and getting images for the bank's upcoming community campaign, but he paused long enough to let me take his picture.

I asked Mason about the happiest thing happening in his life and was envious when he replied, "I'm moving to Hawaii in a month." Mason is moving to the Big Island,  so I asked if he happened to be a scuba diver. He is, so we talked about the night dives with the Manta Rays.

I asked Mason if he's performed a recent act of kindness and since he's moving, he's been giving away a lot of his possessions.

Because of Mason's upcoming move, his website is going under construction but he shared his flickr page.  I love Mason's work!  I'm happy for him and his move to Hawaii, but I wished I had met Mason a few months ago and we could have become photography friends.  I forgot to ask Mason if he's also an underwater photographer.  I'm going to keep an eye on his Flickr to see his work evolve as he makes the transition to his new surroundings in paradise.

Day 163 - Crystal

"The Girl with Stars in her Eyes."

I met Crystal on the patio of the Doug Fir.  Shauna and I had met there on Monday and before leaving, we headed back to the fire pit in search of a subject.  We saw, what we thought a was a couple, hanging out by the fire.  I asked the guy if I could take his/their picture simply because he was closer to me.  He half-heartedly agreed but said I should really take Crystal's picture because she's so pretty.  I've mentioned before how much I love it when people's friends volunteer them to be subjects!  Crystal agreed to let me take her picture and it was only later that we learned that the guy who volunteered her for the picture wasn't actually with her. He had been a complete stranger to Crystal as well!

Crystal has an actual star-shape in her right eye. (her left eye as you're looking at the picture.)   After I had taken a few pictures, she mentioned her special feature and hoped I had captured it. I've been debating which picture to share with you.  Although the fire pit is the greatest place to meet new and interesting people, it's actually quite challenging to take a picture there.  Not only did I nearly catch myself on fire, but because I'm inexperienced, I don't yet know how to control the ISO and aperture for the conditions.  Once I learn this, I bet some of my favorite pictures will come from that very spot!  I wanted you to be able to see Crystal's star, but I love her picture in black & white over color. (Black & White seems to not only be my personal preference, and I have a tendency to look at something and envision how it will look B&W, but I think it's slightly more forgiving of my mistakes while I'm in the process of learning.)   Even in the B&W version, you can see her special and beautiful feature.

What started out to be just a quick shoot-and-run mission to find a subject, turned into an extended stay at the fire pit, just hanging out and talking with Crystal and the other people who gathered as the evening went on.  Crystal is not only nice and very pleasant company, but she's quite interesting as well!  She's also a photographer!  She describes her work as abstract.

When I asked Crystal about the happiest thing happened in her life, she told us she's going to school and currently "learning about neuroscience and how it connects to self awareness."  Crystal told us that if we spend 20 minutes a day in thought/reflection/meditation, it improves brain cell function by 30%!  Hopefully my brain cells are working efficiently and I'm reporting this accurately.  Once again, I think it's time to get a recorder if I'm going to be meeting such interesting people!

I asked Crystal if she's performed an act of kindness and she said that she and a friend had just been to Washington Park and she spent time picking up litter.

Day 164 - Sarah and Brian

I met Sarah and Brian, walking down the street.  I spotted them immediately and because they pretty much ooze niceness, I was optimistic they would say yes if I asked them if I could take their picture.  I approached them at the crosswalk and they agreed!  We waited for the light signal to change and I accompanied them across the street.

Sarah and Brian are also both interesting people. I'm getting to meet so many great people in this project!  They just moved to Portland a week ago and I'm happy I got to be a part of the unofficial welcoming committee!

I asked the happiest thing happening in their lives and Sarah responded, "my relationship." She's inspired by her relationship with Brian.  When I asked if she's performed a recent act of kindness, she told me that she had just helped and elderly woman who had spilled out nearly the entire contents of her purse.  Sarah wanted to help the woman but also be respectful of her space and things.  The woman thanked her.

Brian is a performing story teller and he's happy about their move to Portland and hopeful it will be beneficial to his work.  He's another person who I plan to keep an eye out for and hope to catch a performance soon! (You can also learn more about his work here.)   Brian was having trouble thinking of a recent act of kindness in which he's performed but Sarah came in with an assist and explained that he's always doing kind things for her. She was recently sick with a stomach ache and Brian cut up ginger to make a remedy.

Brian and Sarah were both so gentle and nice! Sarah shared her blog with me. If you check it out, you'll discover that she's quite a writer and poet!

I'm wishing Sarah and Brian the best of luck in Portland.

Day 165 - Derek

I first met Derek's dog as she waited for Derek outside of a building.  I visited with her for a few minutes, went inside, and was happy to meet her human when I came out. Since I had already introduced myself to his dog, I figured I should make his acquaintance as well, and ask if I could take his picture.

Derek agreed but he was in a hurry, so I had to be quick!

"I just got married, I play music, I'm a happy man," was Derek's response when I asked about the happiest thing happening in his life.

Day 166 - Brendan

Brendan was another person I met just walking down the street. He caught my attention because of his slight resemblance to Portland's former Mayor, Sam Adams.

The happiest thing happening in Brendan's life are his two kids and his family.

I asked if he's performed a recent act of kindness and he tries to do things all the time, but recently, he had given a few dollars to someone.

Day 167 - Jason David

I had one of my biggest challenges taking Jason David's picture.  He's actually the one who brought it up and we both laughed when I confessed that I had indeed taken more pictures of him than anyone else in the project,  but I did my best to assure him that it was me who was photographically challenged and not him!

Jason had been having a hard day (actually, more like a hard year) and he was having a difficult time shaking it off and it was coming through in the pictures.  I could easily see Jason's sparkle when we were talking, but when I would start to take his picture, he would tense back up again and we just couldn't get a good shot. So, we tried to work with the tension and exaggerate it by trying the squinch.  My timing was off and the attempts at the squinch resulted in him just looking sleepy or just a tad too tough-guy.  I felt bad because he felt bad, but I explained that if I were better skilled, I would know how to help him feel more relaxed.  I was definitely seeing a nice person in front of me, and he was fun and friendly to talk with, but because this is such an awkward situation, we both had to work at it.  I mean, c'mon…you're having a tough day and then some complete stranger asks you if you could take their picture?  That's not uncomfortable or anything!

After all of our shots, I ended up with two favorites. This picture, and a picture in which he was happy and mid-laugh.  I debated which one to show you and after working so hard at creating a happier look, I opted to share this one with you because I like that it had just the right amount edge, and I also see a hint of a resemblance to Russell Crowe.  I know I've been working on not chopping off the tops of people's heads and my gut reaction was to discard this picture. You would think that I would have shared the other picture with you for this very reason alone,  but after studying the work of other actual photographer's, I've discovered they don't all automatically discount a photo just because of a slight head-chopping-off.  I've seen some photographers who even seem to do so intentionally.  It is still my intention to eliminate this from my personal style and I understand that I've contradicted myself in sharing this with you.  I just like and chose this picture, in spite of my error, simply because you can see Jason David is a nice guy, but his look also creates a mood…you just get the feeling that he's pensive.  I also pick up on sort of a musician vibe as well.  Perhaps it's me, but I just look at this picture and wonder what he's thinking about.

I asked Jason David the happiest thing happening in his life right now and although he's experienced some turbulence, he was quick to answer, "my career."  Jason loves his job.  I asked if he's performed a recent act of kindness and he said, "I tip well." He then tried to dismiss this, thinking it didn't really count because it's not something he goes out of his way to do, it is simply a part of his daily life.  We then had a nice discussion that this is actually a great act of kindness and is really one of the ways in which we can do kind things on a daily basis.

Day 168 - Josiah

Josiah was a runner I met on my favorite trail.  A friend from work joined me on my walk this morning and we did 7 miles. This was the longest distance she's ever gone! We did the walk as sort of an assessment so she could decide if she would like to do a half-marathon in April.  (She did excellent by the way, and I think I'm now going to have a new half-marathon buddy.)  We crossed paths with Josiah on the trail. He was impossible not to notice. The guy is fit!

We were under time constraints and I was hoping when we finished that I would be able to quickly find a subject at the trailhead.  Josiah had just finished his run and stretching, so I asked if I could take his picture.

I asked Josiah about the happiest thing happening in his life and he's about to realize a dream, 16 years in the making.  He's always wanted to fly missionaries in third world countries and he's nearly finished with requirements for both piloting and missionary work. He and his wife will be leaving on their first mission soon.

When I asked Josiah if he's performed a recent act of kindness, he couldn't think of anything recent and I told him it was ok, his entire life is about to become an act of kindness.  I think he wished his wife were with him at that moment so I could have asked her that question. He described her as an incredible person who is constantly performing acts of kindness and it's the reason he married her.

Thank you for reading this week! It's great having you as my partners in this project!  Now, I have a question for you…can you think of any new questions that you'd like for me to ask the subjects? I've been so stuck on our two questions and although I feel like I should change things up a bit, I also really enjoy hearing about the happiest thing happening in people's lives. Even if things are difficult for people, the question helps them to identify at least one positive thing happening in their lives. It is my hope that after we're finished with the picture and they're on their way, they reflect on the answer they had given me and even more happy thoughts come to mind, and for a moment, their happiness is multiplied.  I also like to find out about the acts of kindness performed by people because it is my hope that by us learning about the kindness of others, in a tiny little way, we could potentially breed and spread even more kindness.  So, what questions would you like me to ask?  I'd love the questions to be not only interesting and enlightening for us, but also positive for the subjects as well.

If you've been a subject, I give you my sincere appreciation and thanks.  You've made this project happen and I feel honored that you let me take your picture and share it here. I hope you were having fun.  I was, and I thank you for that!

Have a  great week!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 23

Hello and thank you for checking in on week 23 of the 365 Day People Picture Project! After several weeks of having at least one subject a week who has been a friend or acquaintance, this week's subjects have all been complete strangers.

Day 155 - Colby

This is Colby.  I met her in the park in Downtown Vancouver. She looked like she was on a mission as she walked through the park with coffee in hand.  I suspected she wouldn't have time to stop for a picture, but I was happily surprised when she agreed.

Colby said, "I just got into a relationship with someone I really like," when I asked about the happiest thing happening in her life.

I asked if she's performed a recent act of kindness and after thinking about it, she said that she recently bought coffee for a friend who didn't have any money.

Day 156 - Two Handsome Police Officers

Do you remember how just last week I was saying that I hoped to get a Police Officer in this project, since we've had EMT's and a Fireman?

I ended up being someplace I wasn't supposed to be and three police officers let me know about it!

Monday, I headed to the MAX Light Rail/Bus stop on 82nd and Halsey, in search of a subject.   I've gone there once before when looking for a subject (remember Tony from Day 96?), and I know it's always a busy place. I wasn't really finding anyone who looked like they might let me take their picture on the upper street-side bus stop, so I descended down the stairs to the MAX platform.  (MAX is Portland's light rail train system.)

As I approached the MAX platform, I could see several uniformed officers.  At first I thought they were Transit Officers, but then I figured out that they were actual Police Officers.  I stopped. Whoa! What's going on here, I wondered.  Unsure if I wanted to venture the rest of the way down to the platform, I noticed that everything was calm and business as usual. I didn't see any sort of situation or drama, so I continued down the rest of the stairs and onto the MAX platform.  At the bottom of the stairs, I was greeted stopped by three officers.

"Do you have your fare?" one officer asked.  I told him I wasn't taking the MAX, that I was actually just looking for someone interesting to take a picture of for my picture project.  He told me that I wasn't allowed on the platform without a paid fare.  I apologized and politely explained that I didn't know that.  Then, even more politely, I asked, "how 'bout you, could I take your picture?" Perhaps I caught him off guard with my question because the smart thing for me to do would have been for me to turn around and head back up the stairs where I was supposed to be.  He sort of chuckled as he declined my request,  but then he suggested that I ask the "handsome guys."  (The officer who declined me was also quite handsome, not that I noticed or anything.)

I did a quick survey of the platform to make sure I wasn't going to be distracting them from their work and decided the timing was perfect. I just went for it!  I asked these two Officers if I could take their picture and they agreed.

So, there I was, trying to direct these two Officers to, "get closer. A little closer, please."  At the time, I was serious and focused on getting a good picture, but looking back at it now, I just have to laugh at myself.  I'm so embarrassed!  I can't even believe I was trying to direct these two!  I'm not sure which I should have found to be more intimidating; that they're beautiful, or that they're police officers!

I quickly snapped a few pictures and then explained that I also had two quick questions if they had the time to spare.  I asked about the happiest thing happening in their lives, and the officer on the left responded, "being young and enjoying each day…."  Then, before he could even finish his answer and before I could ask the other question or even their names, they had to go.  I didn't see what was happening, or about to happen, but our time was up.  The three officers left the area where we had been standing,  joined a few other officers, and I decided I needed to get out of the place where I wasn't even technically supposed to be.

Once again, time with my subjects had been cut short at this particular station. And, once again, I was sad.  As I was leaving, I sent out a little wish (I guess it was actually sort of a little prayer) that the Officers will be safe and protected.

Day 157 - Selene

Tuesday, I decided to look for a subject at a park-and-ride bus stop.  Seems I have the best or worst timing.  Several busses had just pulled away and of course, they had taken all of the potential subjects with them!  I found one group of people still remaining and that's where I met Selene.

Selene had been visiting with another passenger (or friend) when I approached them both to ask if I could take their picture. Her friend volunteered her for the job!

What I hadn't noticed when I approached them,  is that they were standing in the long line to actually board the bus which was already there.  I had to be super quick! So quick, I was only able to take a couple really fast pictures and I didn't even get to ask Selene any questions.

Day 158 - Paul

I met Paul outside of Velo Cult, which I had no idea was so close to my work.  Velo Cult is a Bike Shop, Bar, and Coffee Shop.  I'll definitely be going back there!

When I asked Paul about the happiest thing happening in his life, he responded, "I'm about to go get a beer!"

Paul's recent act of kindness, well, I don't know how to say it…he really was kind when he managed to remain nice to his brand new roommate who accused him of stealing her laptop.  He told me the strange story and he's a pretty nice guy for being able to be calm, even when someone was accusing him of something he didn't do.  His new roommate felt horrible when she found her laptop…right where she left it!

Day 159 - Lillie

This beauty is Lillie.

I've explained before that I don't yet have photoshop or lightroom. The only editing programs I have are iPhoto which just comes on/with the computer, and an app I downloaded from the App Store.  I'm still having a lot of fun experimenting with the two programs I do have.  It's taking all of my restraint not to post about 17 different versions of Lillie's picture!  She's got a pretty amazing look and she looks great in nearly every "effect" I could apply.  Ironically, even though her look goes beautifully with all of the different effects,  my favorite picture was the plain ol' unedited, original photo. I think the original best shows her beauty.  I struggled with which picture to share with you, and although the unedited version was my favorite, I couldn't resist sharing her photo in black & white.  I'm too inexperienced to have developed a style, but whenever I see great texture such as in her hat, hair, and jacket, I'm compelled to go black & white.

Lillie looked like she could have been coming from work or on her way to a fancy party but she was actually on her way to the gym!  She said she had on her gym clothes underneath her dress.

"Going back to school," is the happiest thing happening in Lillie's life.  She's learning to be a grant writer and will work with non-profits.  When I asked Lillie if she's performed a recent act of kindness, she explained this is basically her motivation for going back to school.  She doesn't feel like she's done enough. She considers herself a nice person, but she said she hasn't really done anything extraordinary.   I suspect Lillie is quite extraordinary and when she finishes with school, many people will benefit from her efforts.

Day 160 - Marielle

This is Marielle.  She works at the Nectar Cafe, with Natasha from Day 89.  I met Marielle on Friday evening. It's been a bit of an exhausting week and I coasted into the Nectar Cafe, needing coffee, just like a car running on fumes coasts into a gas station.

Marielle filled me up and was nice enough to also let me take her picture.  Marielle thought about it for a moment when I asked about the happiest thing happening in her life, and then she shared that it was a very happy day for Nectar Cafe!  Their coffee was just picked up by a co-op/shop, so good things are happening for Marielle and Natasha!

I also asked Marielle if she's performed a recent act of kindness.  She said that always tries to hold kindness with her, and then explained she's a person who does her giving in secret.  I didn't want to pry.  There have been times when I've done kind things that I've never told anyone about, so I totally understand her philosophy of giving in secret.

Marielle is a kind person. I thought I left my wallet at the shop and when I returned, she was in the process of closing but she still helped me to look around.  We couldn't find it anywhere so I was hoping I had just hidden it from myself inside my giant purse/camera bag. Sure enough, that's where I found it!  I was relived and finally able to enjoy my much needed coffee.  Which, by the way, was the best cup of coffee I've ever had. (Sorry, Debbie.)

Day 161 - Rick

Rick had just finished running 7 miles when I asked if I could take his picture.  I remembered that had we crossed paths on the trail and that he was friendly, so I was optimistic that he was going to say yes.

When I asked Rick the happiest thing happening in his life, he said, "I'm just happy to be alive."  He went on to say that he's intimate with his higher power and that no matter what life throws at him, he knows he's not alone.

I laughed at Rick's answer when I asked if he's performed a recent act of kindness, "I put the toilet seat down for my wife," he joked.  (I know my husband is going to read this and will once again open up the debate that if I were kind, I'd put the seat up for him!) Yes indeed. This is a great act of kindness and one often overlooked.

Rick recently started Master Builder Ministries and you can read more about his work and program here.

If you're reading this and you've been a subject in this challenge, thank you!  If we were pressed for time and I didn't get the opportunity to thank you properly, I just want you to know that I appreciate your kindness and that you allowed me to take your picture.  Thank you.

Thank you for following along in this project! I hope you're having as much fun meeting these people as I'm having introducing them to you.

Wishing you a great week!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 22

Hello! If you're stopping by for the first time, I've challenged myself to take a picture of a person every day for an entire year.  I instagram the pictures daily and then post a review of the week, here on the blog.  The main rule I've given myself is that the pictures are taken fresh daily. I'm not stockpiling pictures for use at a later time.

I had visions for this blog to be something quite different and eventually, it will mature. I've given myself the permission to evolve slowly and for now, concentrate on the 365 Day People Picture Project.

Week 22 of the 365 Day People Picture Project is a wrap!

Day 148 - Ward

This is Ward.  He's a Fire Chief and he's training for a Half Marathon.  Ward had just finished 7 miles when I approached him.  (I had given up looking for subjects at my second-favorite trail and headed over to my first-favorite trail and that's where I met Ward.)

When I asked Ward about the happiest thing going on in his life, he replied, "just being able to run."  Ward is just coming off the injured list himself, but what has really impacted his appreciation for health and wellness, is the recent death of a family member and that another family member is currently in their own battle against a potentially terminal illness.

Ward and his wife are both in training  - Ward for a half-marathon, and his wife is training for the full.  Ward joked that he only wanted to hurt half-as-bad.

It was when I asked Ward if he's recently performed an act of kindness, that he told me about his job as a Fire Chief.  I knew at that moment that his life is basically one big act of kindness, and his job is perfectly fitting because he's such a nice man.  Ward explained that over the holidays, all of the city workers gave in some way.  His group collected toys and gifts for kids in need.

I had a nice visit with Ward, and because of this project, I now have one more trail-friend to say hello to and check in on his training progress.

Day 149 - Kara

Kara is a co-worker.  I had to cheat a little and ask her to be in the project because my car had to spend a few days in the shop and I wasn't able to get around to look for people.  Although I had a couple other nice co-workers who helped me get to and from work, I didn't think they'd appreciate me also asking them if they could also drive me up and down random streets and circle the block while I looked for subjects.

I love working with Kara!  She's fun,  spunky,  and always happy!  She keeps calm when we're under intense pressures, and helps to solve problems and challenges. She's also a single mom and I can't even wrap my head around how she manages to work as hard as she does at our job, and also take care of her family and home.  She's another super-woman who balances both an intense job and single-motherhood, is amazing at both, and is also just a great person to be around.

During baseball season, Kara works all day and then she's off with her son to the ball fields for several more hours of games or practice.   Kara is now on the board of her son's baseball league and is their team's treasurer.  "I'm happy we're advancing to an intermediate field," is what Kara said when I asked about the happiest thing going on in her life.  Kara and the other parents have a lot of hard work ahead of them because in order to make this expansion and renovation on their ball field, they're all having to put in a lot of labor to keep the project affordable for the league.  Kara is also looking forward to taking her son snowboarding this weekend.

Kara and I had been working together for several months before we actually spent time together outside of work.  In all the time we had worked together, we hadn't ever talked about anything other than t-shirts, so when we did get to talk about our lives, we learned that our husbands had worked together years ago!  We had no idea we shared that connection.

When talking with Kara about how impressive she is because of everything she manages to do in her busy life, I learned the funniest little secret/trick about how she functions and gets it all done.  I think Kara is the only human you'll ever meet who actually has an alarm set on her phone, not to wake her up, but to tell her it's time to go to bed!  She said that when she gets home, she doesn't sit down because the minute she sit's down, she'll fall asleep.  She cooks and cleans and spends time with her son, but she doesn't allow herself to sit.  She would get so wrapped up in working around the house, she finally had to start setting her alarm clock to tell her it was time to go to bed.  See, I told you she was Superwoman!

Day 150 - Crystal

This is Crystal.  I was nervous about approaching her because it was dark and the part of town we were in can be a little intimidating.  I didn't want to startle her.   Although our interaction was brief, I learned a great deal about how personality can actually ooze through a picture.

Crystal was waiting for her ride to show so I was only able to ask the questions and take 4 quick snaps before her ride arrived.  "Spending time with my 9-year-old son," was Crystal's reply when I asked about the happiest thing happening in her life.  No matter what Crystal's day may have been like, her son always brightens her day.  When I asked if she's performed an act of kindness, she told me that she and her friend recently came upon a homeless person holding a sign at an intersection, stating that he was needing a warm meal.  Crystal and her friend went through a fast food drive-thru and purchased a meal for him. When they returned to give it to the man, his eyes filled with tears as he thanked them.

Crystal was totally comfortable in front of the camera and practically posed!  Each look she gave me, took on it's own unique feel and personality.  Although I knew at the time I took the pictures that each one had a slightly different feel to it, it wasn't until I got home and sat down in front of the computer that I was able to so clearly see the difference in each photo.  In this situation,  Crystal is largely responsible for this because she was comfortable and she simply gave me different looks. I'm new and inexperienced so I don't yet know how to direct someone or coach them into a particular look or "pose."  (other than the squinch.)  Having experienced this with Crystal, I now have a much better understanding and appreciation of how a subject and photographer can actually "create" an image together, rather than simply capture an image.

Crystal was wearing a casual outfit and a baseball cap which was turned toward the back.  Depending on the expression on Crystal's face and the angle and point one view from which the picture was taken, 3 of the 4 pictures gave off varying degrees of a girl with fun sassiness, street-style, and a sprinkling of athleticism.  However, after talking with Crystal and getting to know her better, my perception of her was that she's a beautiful mother with a kind heart.  In this picture, the visor of the cap was positioned in such a way that it is indistinguishable whether she's wearing a baseball cap or beret style hat.   I liked each of her pictures, but in our limited interaction, Crystal gave me the impression of a kind and a loving mother. This picture shows a person who is both a loving mother, and a fun-loving young lady.

Day 151 - Tucker

This is Tucker at Plaid Pantry.  I thought I had taken every person's picture who works this particular shift at this particular store, but then I realized I hadn't asked Tucker.

I think I've mentioned before how challenging it is to take a nice picture in this store.  There's a reflective covering on the window and tons of busy distractions in the background, and I'm always hurried and trying to take the picture in a rush before another customer comes in. I don't want them to be inconvenienced while I'm taking a picture.  I was trying to position Tucker in a little tiny area where there was an opening in the background but it turned out that the space was a lot smaller than I thought and the tiny little opening ended up looking more distracting than had I not tried to position him there at all.  I'm learning so many lessons the hard way!  I get so bummed when I don't get a great picture of the people who are always so friendly to me!

The happiest thing in Tucker's life right now is that he and his girlfriend are soon moving into an apartment together.  I asked if he's performed a recent act of kindness and he said, "I try to do something everyday…gotta be kind to our fellow man."

Day 152 - John

This is John and he's got to be one of the nicest guys out there.  I had been wandering around looking for a subject for a while, without any luck, so I got in my car and headed to a different location.  It was starting to rain so I was hopeful I'd find someone quickly!  When I spotted John, I couldn't help but notice that he was carrying a giant bouquet of flowers which made me want to stop him, but he also looked like he was in a rush, so I was also hesitant to delay him.  I got up the courage and asked him if I could take his picture.  John was quickly agreeable.

Some of the subjects in this project have surprised me with how willing they are to let me take their picture without hardly any explanation of the project.  I'm always impressed with their comfort in front of the camera and also that they act like it's a normal thing for a person to approach them on the street and ask for their picture.  Those people have often turned out to be photographers, or they're close to a photographer .  In their lives - it is a normal thing!  It turned out that John was a photojournalist in college!

I asked John the happiest thing happening in his life and he answered me back with a question, wondering if people always say that it's their kids.  The happiest thing for him is his 9-year-old, but he's also happy with his girlfriend.

When I asked John if he's recently performed an act of kindness, he said, "yes, we just had Christmas but I try to do things all the time."  I could tell his vague answer was an attempt to be humble and I just knew he had something interesting to share, so I was happy when he opened up.  John owns a heating company, Chase Heating, and he had just finished a job he had done gratis for a woman who was in need and didn't have any heat.  He had given his time, labor, and a new furnace to the woman.

You can just tell by looking at John that he's a good guy, and his answer confirmed it.  We visited for a while longer and as we were about to part, I asked if the flowers were for his girlfriend.  He explained that he was on his way to see a family member who had just had another family member pass away.

John was a little turned around and trying to find his car which he remembered parking near a Bank of America. I pointed him in the direction of the bank block where I had just come from, in which there's practically a bank on every corner.  That is, every bank except Bank of America which is in the completely opposite direction!  I realized after he had already taken off down the street that I steered him in the wrong direction.  I felt so awful!  I went running after him but he was too fast and completely out of sight!  I gave up and got back in my car to see if I could find him to give him the correct directions.  I finally spotted him. He had figured it out and was headed in the right direction. Once again, he was such a nice guy, he wasn't even annoyed with me and my mistake as I hollered my sincere apology out the window.  I may have heard him incorrectly but I think he said something like, "it's ok, it was a nice walk."  Poor guy, I accidentally sent him on a "nice walk" in the cold and rain.  He really is a nice person.

I enjoyed meeting John but was disappointed in the picture.  I intentionally wanted the lights from the businesses and street to be in the background, but I didn't intend for the crosswalk sign to be so distracting.  Now that I've mentioned it to you, it's completely overwhelming, isn't it?  Again, I'm learning things the hard way.

You might be asking why I end up with so many bad shots.  Aside from being inexperienced and basically clueless, when I first started taking pictures, I intuitively allowed myself to get caught up in the moment and I wouldn't  stop to look at every single picture on the display screen.  I found the act of stopping to check each picture to be somewhat of a mood-killer and a huge interruption to my train of thought as images were forming in my mind and I was trying to figure out how to create and capture the images as I was seeing them in my head.  I've since learned that this is actually a good practice and is encouraged by pros and artists, however, for someone starting out, there needs to be a balance.  Shoot a few - review - shoot a few - review - and do so until you're certain you have the image you're looking for.  This allows for a smooth and uninterrupted flow, but the review process also ensures you'll end up with good pictures.

I struggle with finding that balance because of the circumstances and my inexperience.   Often times, we're in a huge race against a bus or some other pressing time constraint, and sometimes I simply get so caught up in the moment and the person, or making a connection with that person, that I miss the completely obvious. (such as cross walk signs and recycle bins in the background)  As much as this is a challenge to learn photography, it has also been been a challenge to learn how to connect with someone so that I can capture their sparkle, and a challenge to make that connection quickly!  I've found I can get so wrapped up in finding a persons nice features, that I simply forget to look for the huge distractions in the background.  I know this will improve with time and lots of practice.  For now, it's still quite easy for me to get lost in people's eyes, smiles, and expressions.  Although the results can be a distracting photo, getting lost in the faces of my subjects has also been a rewarding part of this experience. During that moment of temporary tunnel vision, it feels like I'm in the process of forming a permanent impression.  I'm not talking about pixels and the memory card in my camera, I'm talking about the permanent mark that this experience is leaving on my brain and how my life is changing because of each and every picture I take.  Sometimes it's not as beautiful as this. Sometimes I'm just an idiot and need to pay better attention to the background and remember to check the view screen to make sure I have a good picture.

Day 153 - Carly

I go to Costco after work every other Friday and those days are usually one of my most challenging days, although I've also met a couple of my most favorite subjects at Costco! By time I finish with my shopping, it's "late" and I'm exhausted.  On Fridays, I often rely on my two favorite "assistants,"  Anne and Scott.  I meet up with one of them at a pub, knock back a few diet pepsis, and look for a subject there.

I had arranged to meet Anne and her friends but I first needed to fuel up on Starbucks so that I could stay up late.  (you know, late, as in - 9pm.)  Carly helped me at Starbucks and after giving me my coffee, she asked if I would like anything else.  Thinking that she looked like a nice person and that it would actually be quite nice to find a subject before meeting up with Anne, I asked if I could take her picture.  I know that's not quite what she had in mind when she asked If I'd like anything else, but that's really what I wanted most - a picture!

Carly happily agreed. Don't worry, there wasn't anyone else in line behind me!

The happiest thing happening in Carly's life is that she's going on a trip to visit her sister who moved to the East Coast last year.  I asked Carly if she's recently performed a random or not- so-random act of kindness.  She went on to explain her situation and that it's not a random act of kindness, but that she makes it a point to visit her brother often.  Her brother has MS and he doesn't get out much, so it's important for her to go see him as often as she can, even if it means she has to pass on other social invitations.

Day 154 - Shawn

Shawn is another artist at Donovan's Black Label Tattoo.  You've  met the rest of the crew: Donovan was day 10 and Matt was day 122.  There may actually be one more artist, but I need to check on that and if so, I'll be sure to ask for his picture as well.

I wish I could say that I was the shop getting some ink, but I actually called ahead to ask Shawn if I could take his picture.  I had been having a hard time finding a subject today and  Shawn agreed to let me come in. The timing was perfect!

I arrived just as he was putting the finishing touches on client's arm, so I was able to take a few pictures of him at work and I also caught a serious case of tattoo envy.  Not wanting to make his client feel uncomfortable, I didn't ask to take her picture but I loved her work!

I've always known that Donovan was an excellent tattoo artist and after having the opportunity to hang out at the shop a little and meet Matt and Shawn and see their work, I can say with 100% certainty, that everyone in the shop is an amazing and skilled tattoo artist.  I'd send my own mother there!

The clients of the shop are always so interesting, and sometimes, unexpected.  On one of my visits,  there was a Grandmother, Mother and Daughter and two of them were getting work done.  Tonight, the client that Shawn was working on asked about the project and said that if I would be interested in a Police Officer, to let her know.  Turns out, she was a Police Officer! Yes! I told her that I've wanted a Police Officer because we've also had EMT's and  a Fireman as subjects.   I told her that I had been rejected by several police but she explained it was just because they were on duty at the time.  I understand that.  I joked that although I don't want to be pulled over, I think it would make a great picture if I could take it from the point of view of being in my car and looking up through the driver's side window, toward an officer.  (This idea  might go over with as much success as the time I thought it would be great if I took a picture of my dentist while I was reclined in the chair.) I sort of blew it because I got distracted admiring her tattoos and talking with Shawn and I forgot to get her card!

When I asked Shawn about the best thing happening in his life, he responded, "my career is taking off since I started working at this shop."  He likes the cool projects he's a part of.  I also asked Shawn if he's recently performed an act of kindness and he said that he hasn't been charitable with money, but he gives a ton of his time.  Shawn mentors two young artists and of his time, he gives them each anywhere from 4 hours to 20 hours a week!  Nearly everything he does is in some way related to tattooing.  I admire the level of passion and commitment of these artists.  It's not just their job, it is their life!

Shawn is also a sweetheart and it's even obvious in pictures.   I explained the "squinch" and asked if he could give it a try.  I was glad he was willing to humor me.  I think the result was a nice 3/4 squinch - he looks like a nice guy with a bit of an edge.

Thank you for following along another week! I had been feeling a little down about the lack of  quality of my pictures this week,  but when I sat down to button up this post, I realized that it hasn't mattered how good or not-good the photos have been.  I always close the week feeling so happy to be working on this project, meeting such great people, and sharing it with you!  If you'd like to follow along during the week, you can follow me on Instagram - my username is @missellanea. 

If you happen to be reading this and you were a subject in this project - thank you!   You've left an impression on me as permanent as a tattoo. I appreciate the time you gave to me, and the act of kindness you did in letting me take your picture.  Thank you. If you would like a copy of your picture, please e-mail me and I'd be happy to e-mail it to you!

What about you? Have you been inspired to star a project of your own or challenge yourself to something new?

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 21

Happy New Year! The start of 2014 closes week 21 of the 365 Day People Picture Project.  Thank you for following along!  It's funny when I think back to the start of this project - it started on a random Sunday, August 11th.  Had I waited till the start of the new year to start the project, which I considered for a split second, this would have been week 1.

I didn't make any resolutions to share with you, but I've made a big change.  It's more like a New Year's declaration than a resolution.

Have you noticed that I've said, "I'm not a photographer" probably 21 times in the last 21 weeks?  I've decided that I'm not going to say that anymore.  By refusing to embrace the "photographer" title, I've been giving myself an excuse to remain exactly where I am, and an excuse not to improve.  Hey, you can't expect me to take a good picture if "I'm not a photographer."   With the help of a new friend and the haunting words of an old friend, I decided that the only way I'm going to improve, is if I accept and embrace the title of "photographer."

I reached this decision last night.  I met my new friend Scott, from day 83, to find a subject for the day.  I overheard him describing this project to someone and when talking with that person, he referred to me as a photographer, working on an art project.  I cringed!  This is not the first time he's said that but it's just so hard for me to accept.  I've half-heartedly tried to embrace the title and I definitely like the sound of it, but I just can't take my own medicine!  When Scott denied the title of "artist," I encouraged him to own it, but I've been unwilling to do the same.

On my way home last night, my thoughts drifted and my mind replayed a conversation I had with a friend years ago.  That old friend (the friend who inspired this post) and I had been talking about a writing contest that I was afraid to enter.  The friend had finally grown tired of listening to me talk about writing, but never actually writing. He said, "you know the only difference between you and all the writers who enter the contest - they write and you don't!  You talk about writing but you don't write."  He went on to simultaneously scold and encourage me with more simple brilliance and although I can't remember word for word, he said something like; to be a writer, you just have to do one thing - write.  You may be a shitty writer, but at least you can call yourself a writer.  It's better to be a shitty writer than it is to be someone who just sits around wishing they could be a writer. If you want to be a writer, write. If you're a shitty writer, get better.

With the words of two friends swirling around in my head, I made the decision:  I take pictures. I'm a photographer.  I may be a shitty photographer right now, but I am a photographer and I will get better.

Day 141 - Ryan

I saw Ryan sitting outside the mall on Sunday evening and I actually passed him by.  I was having a challenging day finding a subject and I think I was feeling a little defeated because even though I liked his form, I just continued driving past him.

I came to my senses, parked my car and walked back to find him. I thought he would be gone by time I reached the area but he was still there.

When I approached Ryan, he agreed to let me take his picture right away, but then he was concerned he would look upset.  He had been waiting for someone and was starting to get both annoyed and concerned that the person hadn't shown. I assured him he didn't look mad.

I asked Ryan the happiest thing happening in his life and he replied that he's "trying to start a clothing line."  I asked who he's working with and explained that I work for a screen printer.  I think we both thought it was more than a coincidence that I just happened to randomly stop to take his picture.  He told me who he's been working with and although I've heard decent things about the shop, I still told him where I work.

When I asked Ryan if he's recently performed an act of kindness, he gave me quite the look!  I couldn't tell what he was thinking! It turned out to be another big coincidence, as he was trying to perform an act of kindness at that very moment.   He explained that he was there,  waiting for someone whom he had just offered to help.   He told the person where and when to meet him, but they never showed.  I could tell Ryan was upset and concerned for that person.  He did his best to reach out his hand to someone in need, but the person who needed the help just didn't reach back.

Day 142 - Anonymous Girl at Sam's Billiards

I surprised this girl when I approached her to ask for her picture. She didn't think she was picture-worthy but I insisted she was.

I've learned during this project that glasses are my nemesis.  I'm constantly battling glare, reflection, and how they sit on people's faces.  Being inexperienced, I mostly lose the battle.  I've just recently learned to ask people if they would be willing to take off their glasses.  Actually, it may have been after this picture that I realized I need to ask people to remove or reposition their glasses.  I  love her look but I wish that I had been a tiny bit lower, or asked her to reposition her glasses just a tiny bit higher, so that we could see her pretty eyes.  I get frustrated with my mistakes, but I understand I need to make them in order to improve.

"Living in Portland," is the happiest thing going on in Anonymous Girl at Sam's life.

Day 143 - Shelly

This is Shelly and she was the last person of 2013!  We're both from the same small Southern Oregon town and we actually went to High School together.  Unknowingly, we've ended up living about a mile away from each other in the same town, over 250 miles from where we came.  Were it not for Facebook, we probably would have never known we were so close!

Shelly is pretty amazing.  She's both a student and teacher of the Law of Attraction.  She publishes a blog on the subject and she's even written an e-book, "Happy Change Life."  Shelly keeps busy writing, blogging,  being a mom and managing her ebay store, Cherry Picker Boutique.  Her job sounds like so much fun but I realize it must be a lot of work.  I know that she's often out treasure-hunting for inventory for Cherry Picker Boutique.

I understand the foundation of the Law of Attraction is that basically; our thoughts become reality, so keep our thoughts good ones.  Shelly lives this!  In the 3+ years that we've been Facebook friends, everything she says is positive!  It's refreshing and inspiring.

Not only is Shelly's positivity inspiring, but if there's something she wants to do, she just does it.  She's also currently studying to get her real estate license and working on a novel. I know she's the type of person who will actually finish it! "Writing my book is giving me the most pleasure in life," is what Shelly said when I asked the happiest thing going on right now.

When I asked Shelly if she's performed an act of kindness, she responded that she gives money to a homeless couple - this happens to be the same homeless couple that Megan just gave her meals to last week!

Shelly has encouraged me since day one of this blog. It's been nice having a friend cheer me along and I appreciate her and her support.  I'm so glad she agreed to let me take her picture and close out the year! (Shelly, thank you for being in this project! Your support means a great deal to me!)

Day 144 - Mary, My Sister-in-Law

I had a great surprise on New Year's Eve!  I learned my brother and sister-in-law would be in town for the night so we made plans to meet for breakfast on New Year's Day.   I don't see my family often enough, so it was great to be able to see my brother twice in a week and a half, and this time, I also got to see Mary too!  Although our visits have been short both times, my little heart gets a much-needed fill-up when I do see my family.

When I was little, I didn't really understand the "in-law" of sister-in-law.  I always just thought of Mary as my sister. Although I'm older and I now know the difference between a sister and a sister-in-law, my heart doesn't distinguish the difference.

We had a nice New Year's Day breakfast and spent some more time catching up and visiting, but this time I remembered to ask Mary about the happiest thing going on in her life.  "The commitment to the change that I've decided to make - I'm encouraged to be more Christ-like in every situation and to be filled with spirit, love, peace and joy," is the answer Mary gave.  We went on to have a good conversation where she elaborated that she wants to be more Christ-like in her life and interactions, not just when she's at church.

Mary - thank you for letting me take your picture and being in this project and most importantly, I'm glad you're my Sister-in-Law Sister.  I love you.

Day 145 - Rachelle

I met Rachelle waiting at the bus stop.  It was another race to take her picture before the bus arrived.  I'm disappointed in myself because I didn't do as good of a job as I should have.   Rachelle had also told me that she didn't think she was picture-worthy.  It's obvious that she is quite picture-worthy and a beautiful girl, but I really wanted to take a fabulous picture; one that she would love so much, she would never say those words again. But, on the bright side, I think I proved the point anyway.  She's so picture-worthy, it can't even be hidden in my poor execution of the photo.

"Being able to restart," is the answer Rachelle gave when I asked the happiest thing happening in her life.  Diet and exercise are important in her life and a new year is definitely a new start for us all.

When I asked if she's recently performed an act of kindness, she explained that she likes to do small things every day because it makes her a better person.

Day 146 - Jeff

This is Jeff and I met him at Out-a-Bounds. (Anne and Scott's Cheer's.)  It took some encouragement from Jeff's girlfriend and from Scott, but he agreed to let me take his picture.

This is actually the most cropped photo I've ever posted on the project.  I could be mistaken, but I think I've actually only cropped 2-3 pictures so far.  If you're a photographer, you might be saying, "yeah, I can tell!"  (There's several that could have benefitted from being cropped.)

One of the first lessons I've been able to grasp when learning about photography, is to minimize the amount of cropping done in post.  The pros suggest that you learn to compose a picture properly to begin with, so that you don't have to do so later.  If you can train yourself to compose a shot properly, you'll train yourself to have a better eye and you'll be a better photographer.  Of course, there are times when this is unavoidable and there isn't a rule against it, but it's one thing I've tried to be diligent about because even with my lack of knowledge, this is one skill that I've been able to work on since the first day I got my camera.  No matter what your skill level and no matter what you know and don't know about your camera's operation, this is one skill that you can work on from the minute you first pick up a camera.   I sort of blew it on this one, but I knew at the time that I was blowing it.  Jeff was standing to the side of a dry cleaner business and although I knew the awful and distracting window signage was in the background, Jeff looked awesome!  Although I accidentally make this mistake quite frequently, this is one time that I knowingly took the shot with the intention that I could always crop it later.  Jeff and I moved to a different spot after this picture, but this was still my favorite picture because of his eyes.

I asked Jeff the happiest thing happening in his life and he said, "I'm really happy the holidays are over."

Jeff works at a care facility, so he performs acts of kindness every day!

Day 147 - Cyclist 

I met this man at the trailhead of my favorite lake trail.  I had just finished a little 7 mile walk and he was taking a half-way-there break from his ride.  Like a waitress, I approached him just as he had taken a giant bite of a protein bar, but he agreed to be day 147 just as soon as he finished chewing.

I love to watch people's faces when I ask them about the happiest thing happening in their lives. Some people answer right away and other people really take their time in forming the answer. I secretly hope to myself that they have so many happy things going on in their life, that they're trying to figure out which is the happiest.  On the flip side, I also appreciate that perhaps things aren't so happy but they're working really hard to think of something positive to say.  When I asked the cyclist about the happiest thing in his life, he responded after much thought, "that my son is doing well in the air force."

I asked the cyclist if he's recently performed an act of kindness and he thought for a while and then said that he's not the most generous person in the world in that he doesn't give away everything he owns, but he tries to do little things all the time.

I wanted to share another picture of the lake along which my favorite little trail runs.  I met the cyclist at the start of this trail. This is actually from last week, but I forgot to share it with you then.

Thank you for sharing in this project and for spending time with me and all of the subjects so far.  It's nice having you along!

If you've been a subject in this project, thank you!  Although our interaction was brief, every one of you has made an impact on my life and I appreciate you.

I'm just a little curious - has the start of the new year inspired you to start a project of your own?

Wishing you a great week and a year filled with happiness and acts of kindness.

Thank you!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 20

Hello! Thank you for checking in on week 20 of the 365 Day People Picture Project.

If you're checking in for the first time, I'm not a photographer.  I started this blog and quickly realized, I'm not a blogger either.  This presented a bit of a problem.  Successful bloggers need interesting and photo-rich content to capture people's attention.  Feeling like I didn't have blog-worthy life experiences, and knowing that I certainly didn't know a thing about photography, I decided to face this seemingly-impossible-to-solve problem head-on, and make a go at it anyway.

I challenged myself to take a picture of a person every single day, for an entire year, and share that process with you.   The majority of the subjects have been complete strangers.  Also included, so far, are a few friends, family, co-workers, a couple rock stars and a famous author.   I post the pictures to Instagram each day, and if you'd like to follow along, my username is @missellanea.

As soon as local photography workshops start up again, I will join in a few, but in the meantime, I've just been absorbing information from photography blogs and videos. Although I started this project to learn about photography, I'm learning far more about myself and about people.  It's getting a little easier for me to approach people, but I still have a long ways to go before we'll be able to see an observable and measurable improvement in my photography skills.

Day 134 - Ron

Ron is an acquaintance of Scott, from day 83.

I'm beginning to see that Anne and Scott's hangout is basically a version of "Cheers," with both of them being like the "Norm" character. They both know everybody and were it not for them and their willingness to let me hang out with them while I search for a subject, the project could have ended by now.

There have been days when I've been completely unable to find a subject. Sometimes the reason is that I can't seem to find a person who looks approachable, sometimes I simply lack the confidence to approach someone, and sometimes I simply can't find anyone who is agreeable to letting me take their picture.  It is on those days that I end up at their "Cheers," and someone always saves the day and the project! Ron was one such person.

When I asked Ron the happiest thing happening in his life, he responded, "…that I woke up this morning and that I've got a job I've had for 31 years and I still love what I do."

I also introduced a new question and asked Ron if he's performed any recent random acts of kindness.  Ron thought about the question for a long time.  I could tell by the look in his face, he was feeling a little discouraged.  He said, sadly, he hadn't gone out of his way to do an act of kindness.  Ron was specifically referring to giving money to a person or organization.  I reminded him that he was letting me take his picture, which would help me with this project, and that was an act of kindness.  I then probed a little further and suggested that he surely must do something kind, such as hold the door open for people or visit with a cashier at the store.  He happily agreed, "yes, I'm a gentlemen!  I always treat people the way I want to be treated!"

Day 135 - Jesse

Jesse is another friend of Scott and Anne's.  Is this cheating? (Twice in one week?)

Even though I had made several stops on my way home, I hadn't been able to find an approachable subject. It was Christmas Eve - Eve and I think people were in get-stuff-done mode.  I didn't want to interrupt people who looked like they were deep in thought or intent on wrapping up their last minute power-shopping.  So, I ended up back at "Cheers."

I'm glad that circumstances led me back there.  Jesse is a cool person and there could possibly be another family + dogs portrait session in the near future.  (Remember my first hilarious attempt at family + dog portraits back on week 18?)

When I asked about the happiest thing going on right now, Jesse responded, "my job."  Jesse is among the top 10 salespeople at her job.  Jesse attributes her success to being sincere, personable, and working to build a good rapport with customers.

I asked Jesse if she's performed any recent acts of kindness or intends to in the future.  Jesse humbly responded, "I try to do at least 2 or 3 a day."  Overhearing our "interview," Jesse's friend interjected - "Jesse is the nicest person you'll meet!"  The friend then proceeded to tell me that just a few minutes before I arrived, Jesse had given gas money to a person who was stranded at the gas station next door and this is the sort of thing Jesse does all the time!

Day 136 - Megan

Megan is a family friend. We spent Christmas Eve together.  As I was writing this, I was struck with the realization that she was in grade school when we first met and now she's grown into a beautiful woman.

Christmas Eve was so low-key and enjoyable.  There were only 7 of us but we had enough food to feed more like 37 people.   We were all so stuffed and content just being cozy,  Megan was the only one willing to be the subject for the day.

I asked Megan about the happiest thing happening in her life, she responded, "I have someone who loves me."

Megan and I live in the same area, so when she told me about her recent act of kindness, I knew exactly who she was talking about.  A young homeless couple and their dog have been hanging around the same part of town for a few months now.  Megan recently picked up fast-food on her way home and after seeing the couple sitting on the sidewalk, she decided to give them the meals she had just purchased.

Day 137 - Lou

Lou was the subject on Christmas Day.  He's practically family.  Lou is married to one of my very best friends, Debbie, from day 105.

Although Debbie and Lou have been together for several years now, sadly, I know little about him.  We always joke that when we're all together, none of the husbands can say a word because we girls are always laughing and talking so loudly!  We don't shut up!  Poor Lou. I know he's an interesting and special person, but we don't get to hear it from him.  I just know how special he is because of the way he loves and cares for my dear friend.  And for that, I love him too.

Practically the only time we get to hear much from Lou, is when his band, Bad Habit, plays a show.  Until recently, Bad Habit has been mainly a classic rock cover band and I'm not sure who has more fun at their shows - the band, or us!  Recent changes in the band are resulting in more original songs and the second happiest thing happening in Lou's life right now is he's got a lot of new music coming out.  Lou said,  "just getting ready to celebrate 10 years together with Debbie," is the happiest thing happening in his life.

I didn't even have to ask Lou if he's performed a recent act of kindness…I know first hand that he had just finished an act of kindness less than an hour before this picture was taken.

This really deserves it's own post and I need to carve out the time to tell you more about Project Brown Bag Northwest.  For now, pardon me while I give you the short version.

If you remember last year, one of my very first posts was around Christmas time and it was about Project Brown Bag Northwest.  We've continued to press on with Project Brown Bag, not nearly as much as we would like to, but we're continuing with our efforts to distribute brown bag snack lunches to homeless people.

On Christmas day, we went to Downtown Portland and handed out hot chocolate, soup and snack sack lunches, and distribute gloves, hats, scarves and blankets that we had collected from friends and/or purchased ourselves.  Lou is instrumental in Project Brown Bag Northwest.  Although all of our families contribute, Lou and Debbie contribute a big portion of the supplies and the space to store and assemble our bags.  In addition, they "live"  Project Brown Bag Northwest on a daily basis, rather than just on the days that we get together to distribute bags en masse.

We didn't exchange gifts with each other or even share dinner together, but we all agreed this was the best Christmas we had ever had.

Lou is actually a soft-spoken (if we ever let him get a word in) teddy bear, but I realize this picture makes him look pretty tough.   I told him it was his rock star look, but I don't think he was convinced.   The badass look is entirely due to the "squinch!"  (Lou humored me and we practiced Peter Hurley's "squinch" technique.)

Day 138 - Stylish Man at the Bus Stop

Thursday was another challenging day.  I wandered around the Hollywood District, in Portland, for quite some time.  Several people had politely and not-so-politely declined me when I asked if I could take their picture.  Just as I was about to give up and move on to someplace else, I spotted this man sitting on a bench and waiting for the bus.  I approached him and asked if I could take his picture for my picture project. I was so happy when he agreed!  As I readied the camera, another man at the bus stop told me that I'd better hurry, the bus is coming!  I looked up and saw that it wasn't actually coming, it was already there!

I quickly snapped the picture and told the man that since his bus was here, we wouldn't have time for me to ask him my question.  He asked, well, what's the question?  "What's the happiest thing going on in your life right now," I asked.  "Life itself," the man replied, as he boarded the bus.

Did you notice the little angel above this man's left shoulder?  I didn't love the giant cheeseburger in the background, but I loved the angel and thought it was appropriate that this nice man had a little angel on his shoulder.

Day 139 - Jake and Jake

I was loading my car after my Costco trip and after I found a place in the trunk for a 192-pound bag of lemons, I looked up and saw these two.  The picture project force was definitely with me at that moment.  Jake and Jake were characters!

I didn't get to learn a whole lot about them because they were busy eating! They had just hit up the Costco deli right before we had met.  I asked the happiest thing going on their lives and the Jake on the left responded, "this cookie."  The Jake on the right responded, "this hot dog!"

I asked if they had recently performed any acts of kindness and the the Jake on the left said that he had just picked up a bunch of friends from the airport.  The Jake on the right said that he hadn't done anything and declared that he's "pretty much an ass@%$*."  They were so likable, I was certain that the Jake on the right must have recently performed some sort of kind act.  I pried a little more but Jake on the left agreed that yes, he really is an ass.

I'm still not buying it!

Day 140 - Sparkle Josh

The weather was unseasonably pleasant today, so I decided to look for a subject at Esther Short Park, in Downtown Vancouver, Washington.  When I arrived at the park, I could see that a fairly large wedding party was in the process of their photo shoot.  I stayed out of the photographer's way and as I was walking around the group, I noticed a guy sitting on a bench.  He was dressed so stylishly, I assumed he was with the wedding party, although he wasn't dressed like the groomsmen.  I approached the guy and asked if he was with the wedding group.  He confirmed he was. I asked if I could take his picture for my project and he agreed and joked that we could have our own little photo shoot.

When I asked him his name, he said that his friends call him "Sparkle," but that his name is Josh.  I inquired as to why he was on the bench instead of taking pictures and Josh replied, "I'm sort of the black sheep."

Black sheep or not, when I asked Josh the happiest thing happening in his life, he gestured to the wedding party and said, "my Brother's wedding."  Josh joked that he was also happy that there was going to be an open bar at the reception.

Josh was a sweetheart and when I asked if he has performed any recent acts of kindness, he explained that he does volunteer work for the gay and lesbian community.

When I remember and when time allows, I ask the subjects if I can promote anything for them on my blog.  (such as their own blog, business, band, art, etc.)  Josh said he would just like to promote "equality, happiness, for everyone to get along, and happy shit like that."

I really liked Josh.  After I drove away, I wished that I would have asked him if I could be his date and crashed the wedding!  Perhaps it's a good thing that I hadn't thought of this brilliant idea until after I had driven off.

This post could end right here - but I've decided to tell you something. I entered a photography contest!  I know, I know…for 140 days, I've been telling you that I'm not a photographer, so why in the world would I enter a photography contest?  The sole reason that I decided to enter is because the contest isn't judged on the technical quality of the photograph, but rather, the ability to direct a subject to "squinch."

That's right!  Peter Hurley, the photographer behind the "It's all about the Squinch" video and the "It's all about the Jawline" video, is having a contest and I decided to enter.  If you've been following along, you know that I stumbled upon Peter Hurley's videos after starting this project and and that I've been working on the "squinch" with several subjects since first watching the video.

Although I have a burning desire to learn photography and it's a huge motive for even starting this project, I'm also realistic that I've started learning about photography at such a late point in my life, I know that I will never master it.  I'm currently struggling with my understanding of ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.  I know I'll never master these technical aspects of photography, but from the moment I watched Peter Hurley's videos, I immediately grasped that there are a few directorial techniques I can implement which will help people to give more flattering photographs.  I want for people to feel good about themselves when they look at a picture I've taken of them.

To enter the contest, you were to submit a side-by-side photo showing a person before-squinch and after-squinch.

Do you remember Andrew, the kid from last week who crashed my mini photo-shoot with Nubby?  I decided to submit his photo.  Aside from not being a photographer, there were two huge issues working against me:

1)  In all of the pictures I had taken of Andrew, I had been directing him to squinch, so I didn't really have a good "before-squinch."  I only had a picture showing a lesser degree of squinching.

2) My favorite picture of Andrew and the one in which he had the best squinch, is a picture of him smoking.  Smoking is such a taboo, I agonized about whether or not to submit the photo.  I finally decided to go for it  after realizing some of my favorite photographs are of people smoking.

I suspect that anyone who has looked at the picture I submitted, has probably questioned my decision to make such a submission. (Perhaps even my photography idol, Peter Hurley, has questioned my decision to submit the photo and perhaps even made fun of me? Well, he doesn't even know me - but you know what I mean, it's possible he thought, "what kind of a person would submit such a photo" when he came across my submission)  But, what's done is done.  I think Andrew was a beautiful subject and I love the picture. (But I do wish him good luck and hope that he's successful in his effort to quit smoking soon.)

Most of the other submissions, with a few exceptions, appear to be from professional photographers or at least of professional-level quality.  Hey, what can I say?  I'm not a photographer, I submitted a photo taken at night, on the patio of the Doug Fir Lounge,  of a complete stranger whom I asked to "squinch" within the first 5 minutes of knowing him.

You can check out the other submissions here.  The contest ends on New Year's Eve.  I'm not expecting to win or even place - but I'm just happy I got up the nerve to make a submission, even if my entry was quite unconventional.

If you're new to this project or if you've been following all along, I'm honored that you've taken the time to read this and share in my project.  Thank you.

If you've been a subject in this project - thank you.  This is really your project and you showed me a great deal of kindness when you let me take your picture.  Thank you for your time and your generosity.

Wishing you a very happy and successful new year!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 19

Week 19 of the 365 Day People Picture Project was an extra special week!   I had two VIP subjects - My brother and my friend Shauna, who is basically the reason this project even exists. Day 127 - Man Walking Dog on the Lake Trail

This man and his dog, Tramp, were leaving the trail just as I arrived for my Sunday morning walk.  It had been raining that morning and they were both pretty soggy.

Tramp is a sweetie and one of the most gentle dogs I've ever met. He's an old fella, but he gives you irresistible puppy-dog-eyes.

Tramp and his human walk the trail twice a day.  I only get to walk those trails on the weekends and it is one of my favorite things to do.  Walking those trails grounds me and keeps me happy. When I asked Tramp's human about the happiest thing going on in his life, he responded, "this right here."  We visited for a while about our appreciation for the trail and Tramp accepted a biscuit and some lovin from me.

Here are a couple more pictures from my walk the morning that I met Tramp and his human.

It was so foggy and misty that the sky was absent of color, so the photos actually came out looking black & white.  (These have been enhanced slightly, and one is now more sepia-looking.)

Day 128 - Shauna, AKA - Nubby Twiglet

Meet Shauna, one of the best graphic designers in the Northwest, sweetheart, friend, and an amazing girl who makes things happen and gets things done.

Shauna is truly an amazing and inspiring person.  The girl does not stop. She doesn't take no for an answer and if something can't be done, she'll find a way to do it.  And, she'll push you to do the same.

You've actually met her husband, Joey, back on day 6.

Shauna is basically the entire reason you're reading this now.  I've been acquainted with Shauna and have followed her blog, Nubby Twiglet, for years.   I didn't really understand blogging, but what I did understand is that I enjoyed seeing snippets of her life and her evolution as a designer and blogger.  Never in a million years would I have thought that I would someday have my own blog - but if you hang around amazing people who are constantly pushing themselves, eventually you'll absorb some of that energy and you'll push yourself to do things you would have never imagined, no matter how far out of your comfort-zone things may be.

In addition to publishing Nubby Twiglet, Shauna recently launched her own design studio, Branch, and she's one of the Headmistresses at the blogging workshop, The Blogcademy.  I'm telling you, the girl does not sleep.  I've texted her at midnight and she's awake and working, and I've texted her at 4am, and she's awake and working.

One thing I love about Shauna is that she's so encouraging of others.  Esthetically, her blog is perfection but she'll be the first to tell you that you shouldn't let your desire to be perfect stand in the way of starting where you are and then working to improve.  This thought is also one of the core messages from The Blogcademy - perfectionism is a form of procrastination.  It is because of Shauna and the Blogcademy, that I decided to start this blog and the #365 Day People Picture Project.  Shauna is the type of person who will tell you something like - so what if you're not a photographer and you want to challenge yourself to take a picture of a person every day for a year…just take the first step and strive to improve as you go!

From day one, it was important that Shauna be one of the subjects in this project because not only is she a friend, but she's also the main source of inspiration for missellanea.com.   I knew the day would come when it was time to take her picture and I've been so nervous!  I've explained before that I get really nervous when taking pictures of friends, family and acquaintances - sometimes even more so than when taking the picture of a complete stranger.  I know, it doesn't make sense to me either.  However, in Shauna's case, it is completely understandable why I was so nervous.  When you check out Shauna's blog,  you'll see that she's been photographed by some of the most talented photographers in the world and she's a graphic designer with a great eye and high standards. She denies it, but she's also a pretty talented photographer herself!

I realized that I was worrying for nothing.  Shauna understands that I'm just a beginner and it turned out that I was more relaxed taking her picture than I have been with anyone else!  She actually coached me and the result was something we were both pleased with.

The one thing that made it easy, is that Shauna is such a great subject/model.   I've learned from this project that it is still possible (and very easy) to take a bad picture of a beautiful person.  I didn't want to blow it and I really wanted a picture she would like.   Shauna is fair complexioned and she explained to me that we were working with challenges because of her make-up look that evening.  She did her best to coach me on how to compensate and I learned a lot from her in just that short time.

One improvement I've noticed in myself is that I'm starting to see things differently and I'm beginning to think like a photographer. However, just because I see a beautiful image before me, I'm still learning how to capture it and present the image as beautifully as it appeared in real life or in the viewfinder.  This picture is the perfect example that I still have a long way to go.  Shauna and I were sitting next to mirrored glass and as she was talking, I could see both her and her reflection in the mirror. The image was so striking,  I interrupted her mid-sentence and grabbed my camera.  I love this picture, but it's nowhere near as beautiful as I was seeing it in real life.

Shauna has made some great things happen in her life, but when I asked her about the happiest, she summed it up by saying, "realizing that it was possible to work for myself."

Shauna continues to inspire and help me, although I try my very best not to ask her for help.  She's among the most popular bloggers out there and I just don't want to take advantage of her and her many years of experience. I need to learn things on my own, often the hard way. However, I am going to take her up on her offer to let me practice and take pictures of her, so don't be surprised if you see more of the little Nubby Twiglet.

Day 128 Bonus - Andrew

While Shauna and I were taking pictures on the patio of the Doug Fir Lounge, we were approached by this guy.  This is Andrew, of the band 1491.  He wanted to know if we were doing an interview for a magazine or something, so we told him about the project and made him a subject. He was a funny part of the evening so I wanted to include him a bonus person.  Andrew not only let me take his picture but we also worked on the "squinch."

Day 129 - Two Stranded Travelers

I met these two at the Cascade Station shopping center, by the airport.  After approaching them and explaining the project, I started to get a read on them that they were going to decline me.  It turned out, they had just had a really long and tiring day. They were both really nice, but they were tired and hungry. Their flight had been delayed and then cancelled, so they had been at the airport all day before learning they would have to catch a flight the following day. Although their day was probably stressful, they were both optimistic about their trip and happy they would be traveling the next day.

I attempted to introduce a new question but it's not as smooth as the "happy" question. I asked them about an event has been a turning point in their lives.  The traveler on the left responded that he's going back to school for forestry.

Day 130 - Rebecca and Boo

Wednesday was a tough day.  I had to run to the Lloyd Center Mall to do some shopping and figured it would also be a rather easy place to find a subject.  I was definitely mistaken. I was declined so many times, at one point, I thought I was going to cry.  (Yes, it was that bad.  My feelings were crushed.)   Feeling discouraged and almost-defeated, I was questioning if that was going to be the day that the project came to an abrupt end.

I decided that I shouldn't ask another person at the mall and that I just needed to look for someone on my drive home.

After leaving the mall, I spotted a Christmas tree lot across the street from a convenience store and I knew I would definitely be able to find someone at one of those two places.  When I parked my car,  I looked over and saw a beautiful dog, attentively waiting for his owner in the store.

When Rebecca came out of the store, I asked her if the dog was her baby and she said yes. I then asked if I could take her picture and she agreed.

I started to ramble about how I'm not good with taking pictures of people with their dogs but then I decided to just shut up and take a picture.  It's a good thing, too, I would have been wasting my breath.  Boo was such a good little subject, I didn't struggle at all this time!  I just asked Rebecca to crouch down with Boo and we immediately got a nice shot.   It felt like Boo totally understood that we were trying to take a picture!

Rebecca explained that they just had family portraits taken with Boo and their other two dogs, so Boo really did know the drill.  I didn't tell her that I had just done my first-ever family + dog photoshoot last weekend.  I just told her that Boo was probably a dream subject for their photographer.

When I asked Rebecca about the happiest thing in her life, she replied, "I'm going back to school to get my masters degree."

We visited for a few more minutes, I thanked Boo with a biscuit and then they were on their way.

After my interaction with Rebecca and Boo, I was actually kind of glad I was declined so many times at the mall. Had I not been declined, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to meet the two of them.

Day 131 - Kevin at Plaid Pantry

I was happy to see a new face when I stopped at the convenience store on my way home.  I think we now have every person who works the swing shift from this particular store.

It was a rare moment because I was the only customer in the store, so I took advantage of the opportunity and asked Kevin if I could take his picture for the project.

The happiest thing happening in Kevin's life right now, is that his band, Between Cities and Skies, is nearly finished with an entire album.   His enthusiasm is contagious and I left there feeling excited for his band and happy to have met him.  You can check them out here!

Day 132 - Donny, My Brother

This is my Brother, Don.

I don't see my family as often as I should, but they're always in my heart and my thoughts.

My Mom called last week to tell me that Donny would be in Portland for a Tribal meeting and she wanted to make sure that I set aside time to see him and attend the meeting.  She was pretty insistent that I also take his picture for the project.   I laughed and told her, "I'm already all over it, Mom."

We met friday and only had about an hour before the meeting, during which time my brother updated me on the issues affecting our Tribe and towns where we're from.  I'm proud of the work Donny is doing for our people and for the environment. I just wish our Dad were still alive to see it.

We had a few laughs when we were taking pictures.  Donny humored me and tried the "squinch" but we ended up laughing and our attempts at the squinch either looked goofy or angry.  The "squinch" isn't easy, and that's usually what happens with most people.  It was a little emotional taking my brother's picture because he's really starting to look like our Dad.  I was disappointed in myself because I wanted to get the best picture ever taken of my brother.  I know I could have done better - so I'll just have to make it a point to go home to visit more often and try again.

My brother is a pretty talented guitar player but I never realized just how good he was until I was in high school.  I thought that everybody who played a guitar, played as well as my brother.  I didn't realize that not every guitar player takes their guitar with them every place they go and practices for hours upon hours and then practices some more and does so nearly every day.  It wasn't until I was approached by one of my high school crushes that I realized just amazing Donny was.  The "crush" asked me if I was related to Don and when I said that he was my brother, crush-guy told me that he was taking guitar lessons from him.  Crush-guy went on for a good 10 minutes telling me just how good Donny was and how much he admired him. He talked about Donny as though he were a rock star!  I was blown away! I should have been blown away by the fact that the hot guy even knew my name, but what struck me most was that I had no idea Donny was so talented. I always thought it was something my brother just did - playing a guitar was just as much a part of him, as were his own two hands. I heard my brother play all the time, so I didn't realize he was exceptional.

I was so glad I attended the meeting Friday.  I didn't need someone to point out to me how special my brother is.  This time, I was able to see clearly with my own two eyes.

I admire Donny and I'm inspired by his life.  We were so busy catching up that I forgot to ask him about the happiest thing in his life.  I'm just going to share what I think his answer would have been - I think he would have said that he loves his wife and his family.

Day 133 - Ray

I've been looking at the same fallen-tree in the lake for a few years and I've always known there was a good photograph in there somewhere.  I'm just not skilled enough to get it. I've tried so many times but I've never managed to capture it.

The fog was pretty thick this morning and as I was nearing my second favorite trail, I looked over to the familiar fallen-tree and thought that today might be the day I finally get the picture.  Having discovered earlier in the week my new appreciation for shooting in the fog, I realized conditions had never been better.  I had to try again, even though I've never been able to capture the picture as beautifully as it appeared in my mind.

As soon as I started shooting, several ducks came swimming toward me.  Although I love ducks and normally welcome the photo-op, I was annoyed that they were putting ripples in the otherwise glass-like lake.  They were going to "foul" up my picture!  I did manage to snap a few photos before they got too close.  The ducks kept swimming toward me and it was obvious they thought that I was going to feed them.  I was empty-handed though.

I gave up trying to get my picture and headed back across the street to the trailhead.  Just then, I noticed a man had pulled up to the lake. He got out of his truck, went down to the bank and he proceeded to feed the ducks.  Aaahaa!  He was the person who the ducks were expecting to see!

I approached him to ask if I could take his picture and he agreed.  He told me the story about how two little orphaned baby ducklings somehow ended up in his back yard when he lived in California.  He fed them and took care of them until his wife told him that they needed to be freed.  He took them to a park with a pond and released them back into the "wild."  He was worried that they wouldn't be able to fend for themselves because they had grown up in his back yard, so he would go to the park and feed them every day.  Now that he lives here, he's adopted these ducks to care for.

When I asked Ray the happiest thing happening in his life, he responded, "I'm alive. I'm 82 years old and I'm alive."

If you have been a subject this week, or any week, thank you.  Not only do I appreciate you, but you're part of the happiest thing happening in my life right now.  (Donny, if you happen to read this, thank you and I love you.  Shauna, thank you. Thank you for everything.)

Thank you for following along so far.   My friend Shelly shared this video the other day and I wanted to share it with you.  This project is sort of like my own personal little "ball pit" and I hope this project and this video will help to inspire you to open up to a stranger, and perhaps, meet a new friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfHV4-N2LxQ

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 18

Week 18 of The 365 Day People Picture Project has concluded with so much fun, it's taken me several hours to calm down and gain enough focus to be able to tell you about the photo's from this week. If you're checking in on this project for the first time, I'm not a photographer.  I've challenged myself to learn photography by taking a picture of a person every day for a year.  The photos in this project are taken fresh daily.  The majority of the subjects have been strangers, but I've also included some friends, family and co-workers.  Now that I'm into this project almost 4 months, I've realized the challenge is actually 4-part:

1) the challenge to find a person who is willing to let me take their picture

2) the challenge to find the nerve and confidence to then approach that person to ask if I can take their picture

3) the challenge to be able to capture a decent picture with my limited experience and knowledge of photography

4) the challenge to repeat steps 1 - 3, every day, for 365 days.

If you would like to follow along daily, I post the pictures to Instagram and my username is @missellanea.

Day 120 - Melissa

Melissa assisted me with my purchase at Sephora on Sunday. She was so friendly and knowledgeable!  Everyone at Sephora is always helpful, but Melissa won my vote for the best Sephora customer service in the history of the universe, because she also took a moment to let me take her picture.

Can you imagine working there and being able to sample so many different products?  I think I would have to go in on my off-days just to experiment with all of that make-up! Melissa confirmed what we've all suspected about working in a place where you love what you sell - it is an exercise in restraint for her not to turn around and give back her hard-earned paycheck.

When I asked Melissa the happiest thing happening in her life, she replied, "I'm going to be getting married in September."  They plan to start a family immediately afterward.  Twins run in her family, so she's hoping for a pair.  Best wishes to you and your lucky fiancé, Melissa!

Day 121 - Man at Plaid Pantry

I would have loved to ask this man if he would take off his cap so that we could see his perfect silver/white hair, but I could tell that I was already lucky that he agreed to let me take his picture, so I didn't push any further.

He was a friendly man, but I got the feeling that I needed to be quick and let him get back to doing what he was doing.   When I asked the happiest thing happening in his life, he said, "I just got out of the hospital last week.  I'm alive and doing well."  With that, he and his friend were on their way.

Day 122 - Matt

This is Matt from Black Label Tattoo.  He works with Donovan, from day 10.  I've always known that Donovan, Matt and the rest of the crew do excellent work, but after having just watched one of the new tattoo TV shows for the first time and then getting to hang out at Black Label, it completely reinforced just how skilled they are.

When I asked Matt about the happiest thing going on in his life, he replied, "tattooing and snowboarding - it's a tie."

Day 123 - "Mr. Bumblebee"

This is "Mr. Bumblebee."  He's a baker.

I had a tough time finding a subject on Wednesday but it was all worth it because it led to "Mr. Bumblebee."  I've mentioned before, the majority of the week-day pictures are taken after I get off work.  Now that it is so dark and so cold, there really aren't a whole lot of subjects to choose from.  I'm not at all selective.  If I have the opportunity to ask someone if they would let me take their picture, I seize it.  Sometimes I've approached people from behind, without having any idea what they're going to look like when they turn around.

The night I bumped into Mr. Bumbleebee, I had just finished cursing at the bus, in my mind, for taking away all the people.  I couldn't catch a break!  I would see people, run to catch up with them, and just then the bus would scoop them up and take them away.  So, I'd walk across the street to try again from the other side and the same thing would happen on that side of the street.  That's the hazard of searching for subjects at the bus stop.

I finally decided that I was just going to go hang out in front of Whole Foods and wait for someone.  As I approached the store, I could make out a tall silhouette with good hair, and the most important thing - he was standing still!  He was talking on his phone so I decided to just wait for him to hang up and then ask if I could take his picture.  This was such a potentially awkward move on my part.  It was so awkward, I was actually annoying myself!  I just tried to stay out of his way, smile, and not look like a salesgirl while I waited for him to finish  his call.

Once he finished with his call, I approached him to ask if I could take his picture. I didn't even have to explain the whole project before "Mr. Bumblebee" was on board with letting me take his picture.  Can you believe, he was as nice as he is beautiful?

We visited while I was snapping away and I learned that he wants to move to Portland, so he had been out looking for work that day.  He was feeling optimistic because one of the bakeries at which he applied, told him that his resume was going to the "short stack" rather than the "tall stack."  I have a feeling he's going to get that job!  (or, at least call-backs from  the places he visited that day.)  The guy is just nice and he gives off a good Portland vibe, even though he's a total transplant.

When I asked him the happiest thing going on in his life, he explained that he has a core group of friends who have made the migration to Portland. They keep running into each other, even though they've all moved around a bit.  I couldn't write fast enough to keep up with everything, but "Bumblebee" explained that they've experienced adversity together, and now it's nice they're here together.

Day 124 - Kyle

Thursday was a funny repeat of Wednesday, in that I really had to work to find a subject. I started out thinking it was going to be an easy night.  I had a hair appointment in NW Portland, so I figured it would be easy to find a subject after my cut.  However, I was in total disbelief that the sidewalks around NW 23rd were fairly empty that evening.  This is one of the best and busiest shopping areas in NW Portland, except at the particular moment that I went out to look for a subject.

I finally spotted Kyle and his dog, Nixon, coming out of a store and I decided I was just going to ask them.  They were across the street so I dashed after them.  Kyle and Nixon were fast. Really fast.  They had already widened the distance between us to at least a block.  I just persisted after them.  Kyle and Nixon may be fast, but my marathon experience came in handy - I knew I could eventually catch up with them.

When I finally reached them, Kyle agreed to let me take his picture, practically before I finished my sentence.  Later, I learned why.  He remarked that he understands how how challenging it is to ask strangers if you can take their picture.  Kyle is a bit of a Street Photographer - but he said it's been a while.

When I asked about the happiest thing going on in his life, he replied, "there's snow on the mountain.".  Nixon also likes the snow.

Wednesday and Thursday may have been challenging - but I ended up meeting two really nice people who were patient and understanding while I tried my best to get a good shot.

Day 125 - Dave

Meet George Clooney's brother, Dave.  I'm just kidding!  But, doesn't he look like he could be a possible relation?

Dave is actually Anne's brother.  Last night, I just dropped in at Anne's hangout, hoping she or Scott would be there.  They've introduced me to enough people, I'm comfortable going there to find a subject, alone, if I need to.  Fridays are my one "easy" day, in that I allow myself to look for a subject in a warm/dry pub, instead of out on the streets.

Before this night, I had only met Dave just briefly, even though we're from the same small hometown in Southern Oregon.  While we were at the pub, 2 other people from our same small town showed up.  What are the odds?  We were having a nice reunion when Anne asked me if I had decided on a subject.  I told her,  "yes, your brother!"  When I told Dave about the project and asked if he would be Day 125, he paused and said he might do it, but only if he could be day 127.   I was a little bit crushed for a minute - I thought he was being serious!

Dave is pretty tall so I had to stand on my tippy-toes so I wouldn't be looking up at Dave.  (or up his noes.)  I learned the hard way, when you're on your tippy-toes, it's a little challenging to hold the camera steady.  Luckily, I've also finally learned that I need to view my pictures before calling it a day.  I'm glad I did.  We had to shoot a few more inside and while we were both seated.

When I asked Dave the happiest thing in his life, he considered the question for a while before responding, "I'm pretty happy with the way my kids turned out."

Day 126 - Jenny & Kim and Kip & Cali

Jenny and Kim asked me if I would take their Christmas card picture.  Yay! Someone asked ME if I could take their picture!  This is a switch from me chasing people down to ask them If I could take their picture.   I was flattered and honored.  I'm not a real photographer, so I felt pretty privileged that they would consider me for the job.

We had plans to meet this morning and this entire week, I had been feeling excited and nervous about our Christmas Card photoshoot.  Although I knew the pictures were simply for friends'  (we're practically family) Christmas Cards, to me, it was the most important portrait session in the entire world.  I felt as though I had been given the assignment to photograph the President of the United States.  No, it goes beyond that.  I felt like I was given a job to photograph Channing Tatum, and the entire internet would be scrubbed of all other previous pictures of Channing and my photos would then be the only pictures in existence, and the only publicity photos he could ever use for the rest of his entire life.  That was the kind of pressure I had placed on myself.

If you've been following along, you know how unsuccessful I've been with photographing people with their dogs.  It seems like I've been regressing instead of improving and all of my failures have resulted in me being quite intimidated by the thought of taking a picture of a person with their dog.  Well, Kim and Jenny's little family includes not one, but two dogs!  It was time I faced my mental block head-on and take some pictures.

I had spent some time researching photos on the internet, looking for inspiration for family portraits with dogs.  I guess this isn't technically a family portrait, is it?  Jenny & Kim's expectations were realistic and they understood my limitations and capabilities. They just wanted a casual setting and a picture they could send to their family and friends.  In my search, I found several amazing photographs which were taken in a studio with proper lighting, backgrounds, and by actual photographers.  The casual and informal images I found online, caused me to fret even more.  I determined that it must be really, really hard to take a picture of a family and their dogs.

So, I had no choice but to go in with an open mind and just let our day unfold.  The only setting I had mentally pre-imagined, was the thought to put Kim, Jenny and the dogs in the back of their SUV.  The reason this was such a strong image in my mind is because I know how much they love to go camping.  Excuse me, make that "glamping." (These ladies bring all of the comforts from home, so camping with them would be like staying in a luxury resort. They know how to do it right.)  Anyway, I  imagine the girls packing up the dogs and getting ready for a weekend of glamping, and in my mind, I could totally see that holiday card hanging on my refrigerator.

We started out shooting a few pictures inside, and basically, they were all terrible.  I'm not skilled enough to compensate for lack of light, and I don't yet have any reflectors or lighting. Most of my limited experience  has been outdoors, so I knew we'd have better luck out in the yard.

Once we all headed outside, we had a blast!   We alternated between slow, intentional, deliberately composed "poses"  and more candid shots where the camera was basically on "burst" and I could quickly snap pictures one-right-after-another.   I wanted to capture Jenny and Kim laughing, because they're always laughing, and I wanted to catch the dogs doing dog things.  (here are a few of the outtakes - in the photo below, Cali looks like she's tired and ready to call it a wrap.)

When I was preparing for this post, I spent a good hour reviewing our pictures and actually laughing out loud at the hilarity.  Yes, we did capture Jenny and Kim laughing and we did capture the dogs doing dog things, and it was all pretty amazing.  It was nothing we could put on a card, but we'll definitely pull out our photo-shoot pictures at the next family gathering and I'm pretty sure it will cause such a laugh, someone could possibly have an accident.  (I have to explain, I had some very random shots - such as the dog peeing on a bush and one in which Jenny, Kim and Cali all looked fabulous, but Kip had darted out of the frame so only his tail was in the picture and it dominated the photo.)

The main reason we were able to get a few usable pictures is because Jenny's Dad and stepmom, Tommy & Pam, were positioned behind me, or beside me and they were able to direct the dogs and tempt them with treats.  If you're trying to take pictures of your pets and your family, it is so helpful to have someone assist you by positioning themselves by/behind the photographer.  The assistant helps to hold the dog's attention.  This allows the photographer to concentrate on taking pictures, and frees the rest of the family from having to direct the dogs while simultaneously presenting themselves for the photo.  The key is to have the assistant placed in the right position so that it appears as though the dogs are also looking at the camera.  I was a little too far to Pam & Tommy's side in several of the shots, but for our first time, we did alright.

I really wish I could share all of the pictures with you so you could see the chaotic process of framing 2 humans and 2 dogs.  No matter how experienced a photographer may be, we learned that it is a pretty hilarious and challenging process.  Here are a few more of the shots from this morning, some showing a little of the chaos. (the picture below is a good example of the majority of the shoot - everyone looking in different directions.)

Jenny and Kim were just awesome! They were so patient and understanding and they were the best possible subjects I could hope for in my first photoshoot.  I don't have aspirations of becoming a professional photographer, but I would love to become someone who my friends and family would look to when they needed informal photos taken.

In all of the excitement, I completely forgot to ask Jenny and Kim the happiest thing going on in their lives…so I'm just going to share with you what I know. They've had a great year filled with several road trips to see Pink in concert, camping, and a great Disney vacation and 2014 is going to start out even better!  Kim just won an all-expenses-paid vacation from her employer.  The only thing more fun and exciting than traveling, is traveling for free!  I think they would also say that they're grateful for their loving family, good friends, and of course their babies, Kip and Cali.

I'm considering the possibility of a separate post with more outtakes from our photoshoot.  We had so much fun and I learned a lot from our session.  I just get nervous about sharing these things because I feel like I'm such an amateur, I have no business telling other people how to do their thing.  But, I would have appreciated seeing someone else's process, even if they were a beginner like I.

I just want to thank you if you've been a subject in this project.  I appreciate the time you gave me, and thank you for opening up to me.  Jenny & Kim, thank you for inviting me to take pictures of you and the dogs. I hope you were having as much fun as I was.  It means so much to me, and I hope you're pleased with your photos, and thank you for letting me share some of the funny outtakes.

Thank you for following along with this project.  I'm pretty close to this and it's sometimes difficult to see the obvious…I would love to hear from you if you have any feedback and if there's anything you'd like to see more of, or maybe if you have any burning questions that you would like me to ask the subjects.

I appreciate your time and hope that you have a great week!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 17

We're finished with week 17 of the 365 Day People Picture Project! This has been one of my favorite weeks so far.  I didn't make any measurable progress in the quality of my pictures, but I met such interesting people!  I've realized this project has become more about meeting new people, and opening up and connecting with others,  than it is about photography.  I have a lot to learn when it comes to improving the quality of the pictures I take, but I'm pleased with the progress I'm making in my ability and desire to open up and connect with others.  I hope this project may have inspired you to put yourself out there and strike up a conversation with a stranger!

Day 113 - Matt

Matt is a bartender at the Hawthorne Theatre, where my neighbor kids' band had a show on Sunday.

I had been hearing  them practice in their garage all summer long, and from down the street, they were sounding pretty good!  Especially for being just kids! When I learned they were playing an actual show, I decided that I had to check them out in person since I had been listening from down the street for months.

It was an all ages show and when I walked into the theatre, I realized I was the oldest person there.  I was a tad early and feeling way too old to be hanging out with a bunch of kids.  To pass the time, I left the theatre and headed to the bar where I nursed a diet pepsi with lemons and waited for an interesting person to come in so I could ask to take their picture.

Turns out, Matt was that interesting-looking person!  When I asked him the happiest thing happening in his life, he replied, "I'm writing again and happy to get back into it."  I also asked Matt about his hopes and dreams.  He considered the question for a while and finally answered that he dreams of being able to travel.

Day 114 - Kathryn the Librarian

Kathryn is usually working the desk whenever I go to the library. She always greets people with a friendly smile when they come to her floor.

I've had to ask for her help with one thing or another, but this time, I only asked if she would be willing to help with my picture project.  She agreed.

I asked Kathryn about the happiest thing happening in her life and she replied, "…that my daughter is loving being a freshman in college."  Her daughter's happiness gives her happiness.  I also asked Kathryn what she dreams of.  She said, "I'm living the dream."  She explained that she actually switched careers to become a librarian.  That would explain why she's always happy and friendly!

Day 115 - Tyson Kelly and George Krikes, of the band, King Washington

At the recommendation of my new blogger friend, Kathy Rasmussen, I decided to check out Crash Kings and the band who opened for them, King Washington. They played a show at the White Eagle on Tuesday and they didn't disappoint!

Both bands put on a great show!  Although it wasn't as heavily attended as I was expecting, it only added to the positive vibe.  I have a feeling this was both the first and last opportunity that I'll ever have to catch either band in such an intimate setting.

My intention that night was to just ask a show-goer to be the person of the day, but after listening and watching King Washington, they felt more like friends than touring rock stars. They were just so funny and personable!  After King Washington played and before Crash Kings started,  I headed to the merch table to buy a CD and ask one of the guys if they'd be willing to let me take their picture for this project.  Both Tyson and George agreed to let me take their picture.

I could just tell you that I haven't stopped listening to the CDs since that night and leave this post just like it is.  I've been debating all week on whether or not to tell you the rest because it's just so ridiculous.  But, you've been with me this far, I figure I may as well tell you the rest of the ridiculous story. Please keep in mind, this could have been absolutely nothing more than my imagination or the fact that I'm way past due for an eye exam.  Or, it could have been a really freaky experience. I'll just let you decide.  Oh, and just to clarify things - I don't drink, so what happened is in no way related to having had "tii many martoonis."

Here goes…wait. No. I'm not going to tell you this.  Ok…for reals this time.  Here goes…

So, just as I was trying to fit both Tyson and George in the frame and about to take the picture, a figure appeared next to Tyson. I figured it must have been a fan or another band member who popped into the photo.  I was a little stressed because it's a big struggle for me to get a good picture of two people, so I knew a third person was really going to make me blow my picture. When I looked up from the viewfinder, I couldn't figure out who could have been the photo-bomb culprit.  I quickly snapped another picture and it happened again!  I could see a figure, but there wasn't anybody there! My mind was racing to try to problem-solve.  This was all happening so quickly but the thought popped into my head that I had messed up some of the camera settings when I was experimenting earlier with taking no-flash pictures in a concert setting. (Taking pictures of my bedroom curtain with the lights off.)  Then another thought popped into my head…the White Eagle is famous for being haunted! Perhaps the figure was a "ghost"?  With that thought, I was able to relax knowing that I hadn't completely messed up my camera and I snapped one final picture - the one you see here.

I was so curious to get home and check out the images on the computer to see if the camera captured any of the figure that was trying to photo-bomb our picture…but of course, there was nothing.

I told my friend about my ghost story and she asked if I had said anything to the guys as I was taking their picture. I told her, "no way! I didn't want them to think I'm crazy!" We then laughed and joked about what I could have said, "oh, I need to take another picture because there's a ghost leaning over your shoulder."

See, I told you I didn't want to tell you this.  I think I should probably make an appointment for my eye exam now, but it's also kind of fun to believe that a "ghost" tried to photo-bomb my little project.

If you get a chance, do check out both bands!  (Their tour together will be ending soon.)

Day 116 - Kelly

Kelly and I were next to each other in the very long line at the mall Starbucks.  She looked like she would be a nice person so I turned around and asked if she would let me take her picture.  I called it right! She was super nice and agreed to be day 116.

I asked Kelly the happiest thing going on in her life right now and she responded, "my family is all happy and healthy."

Day 117 - Al

This is Al.  Big Al.  Al doesn't say much, but he doesn't have to.  You can just tell he's sort of a gentle giant and a big teddy bear.

When I asked Al the happiest thing going on in his life, he replied, "I'm breathing. I'm alive."  Good answer, Al!  It really is as simple as that.

Al was actually my second subject for the day.  Earlier, I had met a man on the street named Dave.  He was so nice and it was absolutely freezing when he stopped to let me take his picture.  We knew he was blinking when the flash would go off, but I thought I had a picture that could pass for a cute "wink".  After looking at it again, I was just too worried it was unflattering and more like a blink than a wink, so I opted to find a back-up subject which was Al.  Dave, if you happen to read this, I'm sorry I didn't get a good picture. Thank you for taking the time with me and good luck with your new job!

Day 118 - Kelly (two Kelly's in one week!)

Kelly is another one of those people who just brightens up the place!  She reminds me of a movie star but she's actually an electrician!  I guess you could say that she literally brightens up the place!

When I asked Kelly about the happiest thing going on in her life, she replied, "happy?"  After thinking about it for a while, she said, "let's just say that I'm fascinated with Chicago."

Sometimes, I struggle with how much to share of my interactions with the people in this project. I explain to people that I'm going to instagram their picture and then post it to the blog with a recap, but I don't want to share too many personal details out of respect for the people who have agreed to let me take their picture.

I will just share that during a terribly sad experience, Kelly also had a very positive thing happen when she had to return to Chicago to attend her father's funeral.  It can be so confusing and ironic how life can give us sorrow at the very same time it gives us love and joy.

Day 119 - Lynn of Mod Haus

Lynn is a fascinating woman and the owner of the new boutique in Downtown Vancouver, called Mod Haus.

I was heading down to the park to find a subject but I knew my chance of finding someone was going to be slim because of the freezing temperature.  I lucked out and happened to park right next to Mod Haus.  When I looked in the window and saw Lynn, she was just impossible to pass by!

I went into the shop, explained the project and asked if she would be willing to let me take her picture. Lynn agreed.  I absolutely love her style!  From head to toe, Lynn is amazing. Her clothing was vintage but she accessorized with both new and vintage jewelry.

I wouldn't be surprised if Lynn has done some modeling in her past, because she was completely comfortable with having her picture taken.  I'm pretty disappointed in myself though.  Lynn is a beautiful woman, we were in her beautiful shop, and she gave me all the time in the world.  I should have done better!  That's ok, it's all the more reason for you to go check out Mod Haus personally!

Mod Haus is part vintage and part new apparel at discounted prices.  Seriously, the prices are incredible!  Even better than the price - is Lynn's personal service.  I can just imagine women going in to the shop looking "normal" and after Lynn is through styling them, they come out looking fabulous and with a newly defined personal style of their very own.

Lynn comes from a family of artists and to me, the thought with which she puts herself together could also be considered art.  She told me about her previous shop in the Seattle area and her move here to Vancouver. I could have visited with her for hours.  When I asked about the happiest thing happening in her life, Lynn replied, "living close to family."  Her move to Vancouver has her now in closer proximity to the rest of her family.

I snapped a few pictures of the shop but I'm not happy with the quality, so I'm just going to encourage you to visit the boutique for yourself.  The prices are incredible and Lynn is amazing.  She has a great mix of new and vintage and you'll walk out of there looking like a million bucks and feeling even better because of how little you had to spend to get your new look. Mod Haus is right across from Ester Short Park and around the corner from Starbucks.  I hope you'll go in to meet Lynn for yourself and find some treasures. I know I'm definitely going back!

If you have been a subject this week, or any week, thank you!  I appreciate you and feel privileged that you let me take your picture.

Thank you for following along with the project!  I anticipate that next week could possibly be 7 pictures of people bundled up in scarves and beanies!  I hope you're staying warm and cozy wherever you are!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 16

Week 16 of the 365 Day People Picture Project is now behind us! If you remember from last week, I had the intention to instruct this week's subjects to try Peter Hurley's "squinch" technique.  Circumstances were such that I was only able to introduce the "squinch" to one subject this week. However, that one subject was nearly perfect!  I think even Peter Hurley would be pleased!

Day 106 - Runner with Dog

I  had just finished an easy 7 mile walk when I ran into this guy and his dog.  I could tell he was in a hurry but I couldn't tell if he was starting his run or just about to drive away, so I asked, "are you coming or going?"  He replied that he was going for a run, so then I asked if I could take his picture for my picture project.  He agreed and said, "my wife is a photographer. I understand."  I'm always so happy when people "get it" and don't think it's weird for a complete stranger to ask them for their picture.

After I explained the project, he shared that his wife also did her own Project 365.  He said she missed a few days here and there, but she did it for an entire year. Her project wasn't limited to just pictures of people.  I'm amazed that I've already encountered a few people who've done their own 365 Day Project, or are close to someone who has. It's encouraging and inspiring.  It makes me feel like I can make it!

You know by now that I have a really hard time with people-with-dog pictures.  Well, I missed this one too.  The guy was doing his best to direct his dog and being that his wife has probably taken hundreds of pictures of the two of them, he successfully "posed" the dog.  I was so focused on watching for the perfect moment to catch the dog, I didn't even notice that it wasn't a flattering picture of the guy.  This was a first - the dog nailed it, but I blew the shot of the human! It's usually the other way around.

I didn't want to delay him any more than I already had, so I didn't ask him the "what's the happiest thing going on in your life" question.

Day 107 - Peter

One of my Instagram friends summed it up perfectly when she commented, "those eyes!"

Peter had just put on his helmet and was unlocking his bike when I approached him outside of a grocery store.  After explaining the project, he agreed to let me take his picture.  I could have totally mis-read him, but I have a feeling that Peter is a fairly shy guy, so it makes me appreciate him even more, knowing that it was probably a bit of an effort for him to allow me to take his picture.

When I asked him  the happiest thing in his life, I could tell he was giving it some serious thought.  I wanted to alleviate some pressure, so I told him it could be simple and that one guy said "doughnuts."  We laughed and then he was able to tell me his answer…"cats."

Day 108 - John

I had to make a quick trip to my mechanic on Tuesday. It was near closing time so I was the only customer there. When they finished with my car, I asked if one of them would be willing to let me take their picture for my project and they all pretty much pointed to one another, saying "he'll do it" and then everyone scattered except for one guy.  I asked the one remaining mechanic if he'd let me take his picture and he jokingly said it would blow his cover with the witness protection program. He then walked away and came back a few moments later with John who following right behind.

Turns out…John is the new guy!  I just love my mechanic.  Not only are they great to work with, but they even "volunteer" the new guy to help me with my project!

When I asked John about the happiest thing going on in his life, he replied "working here and skateboarding."

Day 109 - Zach

Zach is another co-worker.  You met his cousin, Griffin,  back on day 79.  Until that day, the day his cousin was a subject, we probably hadn't said more than a dozen words to one another.  Zach is always working hard and when we do happen to pass one another on the production floor, we usually just exchange a polite hello.

Again, I could have been completely misreading him but I always thought he must be shy, so it means a lot that he agreed to let me take his picture.

I've noticed that I can get extremely nervous when I take the picture of a friend or acquaintance.  There have been a few times where I've felt more nervous and uncomfortable taking pictures of friends, than I have felt when taking the picture of a complete stranger.

I started to get a little nervous when we started shooting, but I decided to tell Zach about the "squinch" and asked if he could try it. I gave him the instructions just like Peter Hurley explains in his video.  I was put at ease when Zach simply did exactly what I was trying to explain.  It wasn't weird for him, and unlike with my girlfriends, it didn't turn into a huge giggle-fest.  He just did it. And, he totally nailed it!  Zach looks like he could be a model!

My nervousness and insecurity disappeared and his shyness disappeared and the result was a great picture with the perfect amount of "squinch."  (technically speaking, I'm sure I've done a hundred things wrong in this photo but overall - I'm pleased with Zach's picture.)

When I asked Zach about the happiest thing in his life, he replied, "skateboarding."  I told him that was the same answer given by the person the day before.  He also said that he's happy that he moved into a new house.  (Zach also sent out a little code message  - "SRP")

Day 110 - Mark

I was so happy when I woke up bright and early on Thanksgiving morning.  I knew if I hurried, I would be able to get ready and leave the house in time to get to my favorite trail in time for "golden hour."

I was nearly to the trail when I spotted Mark pulled off the side of the road.  He had his tripod set up and he was taking pictures of the sun, rising over Mt. Hood.  I pulled over and asked if I could take pictures of him taking pictures!  I explained the project and he agreed to let me take his picture.

Mark is just now getting back into photography after having taken a break for many years. He took 3 years of photography in high school and loved it and was re-introduced when he got a new camera for Christmas last year.

I enjoyed visiting with him and hearing about his accomplishments.  He won 3 awards last year in the Clark County Fair and he encouraged me to look into making a submission.  (I'm not ready for that, but I appreciated his advice and encouragement.)  I felt bad that I may have been interrupting Mark's time and space, but he seemed pretty welcoming and even gave me a few pointers.

When I asked Mark the happiest thing going on in his life right now, he didn't hesitate when he replied, "photography."  He's enjoying it after being away for a while.

I was going to share a picture of Mt. Hood and the sunrise that we were watching/shooting, but my photos were not worthy of sharing with you.

I did get this shot just a few miles down the road from where I met Mark and I think it's worthy of sharing with you.  My favorite little trail is the 7 miles (3.5 mile out-and-back) along this beautiful lake. Several of the subjects in this project have been runners whom I've met at the trail head.

The next day, I headed down the same road where I found Mark on Thanksgiving morning and there he was again, shooting Mt. Hood and the beautiful sunrise. It made me happy knowing that he was doing something that made him happy.

Day 111 - Vera

After seeing Mark on the side of the road again, I continued on down the road to my second favorite lake trail which is where I found Vera.  It was an absolutely beautiful morning and Vera was fishing.  I observed her cast her line and  the way the light hit her, I could only make out a silhouette.  I was on my way to do another loop around the lake when I thought that I should ask if she would be day 111. I was hesitant to interrupt her because she looked so peaceful, and also because my camera was back at my car.  My grandma was a fisherwoman and I think she often fished alone when she was alive.  I thought, for my Grandma, I really needed to ask Vera if I could take her picture.

When I approached Vera and gave her my spiel, she told me that I'd have to slow down. She explained she's Russian and her English isn't so good. It took us some time, but she agreed to let me take her picture.

When I asked Vera the happiest thing happening in her life, again, she reminded me that I needed to go a little slower. So, I simplified the question and just asked her, "what makes you happy?" Vera replied, "my children" and "the natural," as she gestured to the beauty around us. I know she meant that she liked spending time in nature.

Vera hadn't yet caught anything that morning.   After we had taken the pictures, she decided to pack up and head to a different spot around the lake.  I don't know if she caught anything later, but I vote her the best-dressed fisherwoman in the entire state!

Day 111 Bonus - Alice

I ran into Alice as I was leaving the park.  We stopped and visited for a while.  She told me about her walking group, which I tried to invite myself to join, but she said it was for seniors. (but anyone is welcome!) Sounds like a very impressive group of seniors!  They walk every morning and 4 of their members are in their 90's!

After talking a few minutes, I explained the picture project to Alice and that I had just taken a picture of Vera, but asked if she would be willing to be my bonus for the day. Alice agreed.

Alice is retired but she was a librarian for many years.  I asked how many books she's read.  She's read so many that she's lost count but she has averaged about a book a week for several years.

Between walking and reading, Alice is about as sharp as it gets!  She asked more about the project and I explained that I post the pictures once a week on my blog.  She asked the name of the blog. Having forgotten my cards, I explained that it is a play on the word miscellanea, but with 2 S's.  She immediately said, "oh, it's "Miss Ellanea!"  I was impressed! I think it takes people a few moments for miscellanea to register as "Miss Ellanea," but she caught on in an instant!

I asked Alice the happiest thing in her life, she replied, "my grandkids and my walking group."  Alice has 14 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I enjoyed meeting both Vera and Alice and hope to run into them again some day.

Day 112 - Jenavieve

I didn't get to meet my friend Anne tonight, but instead, I met Scott, from day 83.  Between the two of them, I no longer have to worry when it starts to get late in the evening and I still haven't found a subject for the day. They both help me out when I find myself in a bind.

I had messaged Scott to find out his location and when he responded back, he told me he had already found someone…a birthday girl.

When I arrived, Jenavieve was outside and we struck up a conversation instantly.  I hadn't realized that she was the person Scott had already lined up, and she didn't realize I was the person who Scott had told her about.  I guess it was just meant for Jenavieve to be day 112, even without Scott's assist.

When I asked Jenavieve the happiest thing going on in her life, she replied "family and friends."  I really needed a recorder to accurately quote everything else. I couldn't take notes fast enough to keep up with all of her great insight.  Jenavieve also feels blessed that the right people have been placed in her life, right when she needs them the most.  She went on to say that "you never know when you're going to meet someone who could change your life."  I agreed, as I've become well aware of this in the 112 days I've been doing this project.

Jenavieve is right-on in her thinking.  The people I've met through this project have changed my life and we're not even half-way through yet.  It has been a pleasure and an honor to be allowed into people's lives and to then be able to share that experience with you.

If you've been a subject in this project, thank you for letting me take your picture.  I feel indebted to you.

Thank you for following along so far.  It's been a fun journey and I'm glad you're joining me.  Every morning, I wake up wondering who I'm going to meet & shoot that day.  A few friends have shared with me that they also look forward to seeing who I'm going to meet. Hearing that others are sharing in the curiosity is just about the greatest feedback and encouragement that I could ever hope for.

Thank you!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 15

Week 15 of the 365 Day Picture Project is now complete! If you're just checking in for the first time, this project is just a challenge I've given myself.  I'm not a photographer.  This is all very new to me and I'm just learning as I go along.

The challenge is to take a picture of a person, every day, for a year.  Each picture is taken fresh daily.  I'm not stockpiling pictures.  The majority of the subjects have been strangers but also included are co-workers, friends and family.

I post the pictures daily to Instagram and if you'd like to follow along, my username is @missellanea and the project is tagged #365daypeoplepictureproject.

Day 99 - Jessica

I found the person of the day fairly early on Sunday but I hadn't sat down to Instagram the picture until I was nearly ready for bed. Once I looked at the pictures, I was shocked at how badly I had blown it!  I had to change back out of my jammies in order to go back out into the world to find another subject.

I ventured as far as the convenience store down the street.  I was so happy when I pulled into the parking lot and could make out an interesting-looking person working at the counter.  I approached the register, told Jessica about the project, and she agreed to be day 99.

When I asked Jessica about the happiest thing going on in her life right now,  she replied, "hmmm, what's the date today?"  I thought it was cute that she had taken the question so seriously.  After determining the date, she then said, "today is my 4 month anniversary."  She and her husband were married exactly 4 moths earlier.

Day 100 - Malcolm

 

We hit triple digits on Monday!  This felt like a huge milestone for me, even though we still have a long way to go to get 365 days. I wanted an extra special picture to mark 100 days.  I left early that morning so that I could take my time and find a subject before work.  Traffic derailed my good intentions, so I was going to have to look for a subject after work, in the dark.

When I left work that evening, I was trying to think where I could go to find someone, when suddenly, Malcolm comes walking down the sidewalk.  Yay!  There isn't a ton of foot traffic around my work so I was so happy to see someone and I'm glad that someone was Malcolm.

He was wearing headphones, so again, I had to work hard to get his attention.  I think I startled him!  I explained the project and he agreed without hesitation.

I asked Malcolm the best thing happening in his life right now and he replied, "music." Malcolm is a musician and he had just had a show that weekend.  He's happy whenever he gets to make music and since he's busy making music, he's happy. Keep an eye and an ear out for Wamba and 1000 Fuegos.  Malcolm is involved with both bands.

Day 101 - Curt

I was driving down the street, looking for a subject, when I looked over and saw Curt unlocking his bike on the sidewalk.  As fate would have it, he was very close to a parking space that was long enough for me to land in.  (yes, I've had to miss out on a few subjects because I'm such a terrible parallel-parker!)

When I approached Curt to be day 101, he agreed but then hesitated, asking if his picture would be on a site that he would be "ashamed of."  My poor feelings were crushed for a split second as I was thinking that my blog has beginner written all over it,  but I wouldn't say it was anything to be "ashamed of." My initial reaction to his question was was that he would check out the blog and call me out on needing  to spruce things up a bit with a graphic designer/web designer and that he would be ashamed of being on my work-in-progress blog. I laughed and was relieved when I realized that he meant that he didn't want to be on some sort of "People of Walmart" site where they're actually making fun of you and if your picture ends up on that site, you've basically been shamed.

When I asked Curt the best think happening in his life right now, he replied "finding his girlfriend."  They've been together 6 months and she's treating him well.  I loved to watch him talk about his girlfriend because I could see the sparkle in his eyes and I could just see the happiness on his face.  He's also happy because he has his first solo art show coming up.

Did you notice…NO GLASSES GLARE!!!  Progress!

Day 102 - Brandy

Brandy and I work in the same neighborhood. We've known each other for about 10 years.

I stopped by her work to ask if she would be in the project. I could tell she really wanted to say no, but she's just too nice! I think she and I are of the same mindset.  If a friend asked if they could take my picture, I'd really want to help them, but I'd be so conflicted because of how intensely I dislike having my picture taken.  I'm glad Brandy let me take her picture.

Brandy and I were giggling so much because I had just watched Peter Hurley's new "It's all about the Squinch" video and I was excited to implement this new technique.  Our attempt at the "squinch" was more blink meets scrunch, but at least we were having fun!

I forgot to ask Brandy the question!  I'm just going to have to do my best to give you the answer I think she would give.  Brandy has a great group of friends. She's always out camping or having a fabulous home-cooked dinner with her friends.

Day 103 - Guy #1, Mysterious Shadow, Guy #3, and Dave

I bumped into these guys on the sidewalk and asked if they would be in my project.  They were all in!  As soon as I asked, I realized I may be in over my head. I've only taken "group photos" one other time and it wasn't pretty.

These guys were a blast!  They had me cracking up the whole time! I made some mistakes but given that I don't know how to take a good group picture and I was laughing and having too much fun, we did okay.

I will learn from my mistakes and will know better next time.  I was so concerned with making sure that Dave fit in the frame, that I nearly cut out Guy #1 on several of the shots.  I could have filled the frame a little better, but I'll know next time.

The best thing happening in their lives right now:

Guy #1 - I'm just going to paraphrase and say that he's traveling.  We had a complicated conversation that can be simplified by saying that he's happy about traveling.

Dark Shadow - He was happy they were on their way to get something to eat!

Guy 3 - "Being on the West Coast."  I should have asked where these guys were from, but I was cracking up and forgot to do my job properly!

Dave - "Getting engaged."  Dave had just recently proposed to his fiancé!

Day 104 - Julie

I made arrangements with Anne to meet up again on Friday.  When I arrived, she wasn't there but I ran into Scott from day 83.  I think Scott was working to take Anne's place as my friday night Talent Scout assistant.  Within minutes, he had found 3 or 4 subjects for me to choose from.

I decided the week needed another woman, so Scott then asked his friend Julie to be in the project.   Gosh!  This was an "easy" day!  Scott did all of the work for me!

Julie dreams of owning her own restaurant someday.  When I asked about the best thing happening in her life right now, she replied, "being single" and her "two kids."

Julie was a natural.  I ended up with a couple pictures that looked more like ads in a magazine!  I opted to show you this picture instead, because the others were a little too posed.

Day 105 - Debbie

Debbie is one of my dearest friends.  It was her birthday last night and we all went out to celebrate.

We've known each other over half our lives and she was a huge influence on my life.  I learned the meaning of work ethic from Debbie and my Mom.  Debbie has been working since the day I met her. I don't think it was my parents who told me in high school that I needed to go out and get a job - I'm pretty sure it was Debbie!

It was also Debbie who taught me to do your best, work hard, then once you're finished with work, go out and do your best to play hard too!

Debbie  has turned into quite the cook!  So much so, that I keep encouraging her (borderline obnoxiously pushing her) to start her own cooking blog some day.  She already has the domain name and everything, it's just a matter of time. (Which I can completely understand.)  I recently had to send her an urgent text because I had misplaced the recipe she had given me for her perfect Alfredo sauce.  It had been so long since I made it, I had forgotten the proper amount of ingredients and the order in which to cook them.  Debbie gave me the quick instructions and then gave explicit direction to "love the sauce."  That's why she's such an excellent cook!  She really does add love to her meals, and then she feeds it to us. That explains why I always leave her place with a full belly and a full heart.

We really had to work hard to get a picture.  I wanted to get a perfect picture for her birthday and Debbie had also given me the expectation that she wanted me to take the very best picture that had ever been taken of her in her entire life.  No pressure or anything!!  I think we were both demanding a lot from ourselves and it resulted in a lot of laughs, a little bit of the scoldings that you can only say to a best friend, and the best picture ever taken of our other friend Becki, Debbie's step sister Jenny, and just about anyone else there, except for Debbie!  I'm just kidding, we did actually end up with a few nice pictures.  My favorite picture that I've ever taken (below) is actually one of Debbie and Becki together. My two best friends, together, laughing. It was a perfect day.

Part of the reason that Debbie and I were having so much difficulty in getting a picture last night, is that not only did I want her to work the "sqinch", but I also wanted her to give me the "slightly curious turtle" which is the name I've given for Peter Hurley's other technique that I picked up from his video, "It's all about the Jawline."  

We were "squinching" and "slightly curious turtling" and laughing and laughing!  I was basically using my poor dear friend as practice on how to direct future subjects. We do much better together when I'm just getting candids rather than giving her any direction. In our relationship, I'm not the director and Debbie isn't the follow-the-directionser.  It is the opposite!

In the midst of all of our silliness, I remembered to ask Debbie about the happiest thing going on in her life right now. Her response, "this…this right now is what makes me happy."  She was surrounded by friends and family and we all love her!  If someone would have asked me that same question at that moment, my response would have been the very same thing.

Moving into next week, I'm going to continue practicing the "squinch."  Peter Hurley is amazing and he presents things in such a way that it makes you believe you could actually learn to take nice pictures.  He's dynamic and energetic and I get a huge boost of enthusiasm just watching his videos. Here's his newest video. Even if you're not interested in learning how to take better pictures of others, this video is an excellent tip on how to "give" better pictures!  Plus, you'll be able to spot the "squinch" in future subjects and in other photos you see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff7nltdBCHs

Thank you for continuing to follow along!  I know your time is valuable and it is an honor that you've shared a little bit of that time with me and this project.

If you've been a subject in this project, thank you.  Thank you for your time, thank you for being you, and thank you for sharing your beautiful self with us.

Have a great week!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 14

Week 14 of the 365 Day People Picture Project feels like it flew by in a flash, even though my goal was to spend more time with each subject in the hopes of learning a glimpse of their lives and sharing it with you. The same friend who had given me the suggestion last week to write more about each person, followed up with me this week with an idea on how to actually implement this. Having reached the same conclusion myself, I knew we were both on the right track.  Randy suggested that I should think of a few go-to questions and have them in my mind and at the ready.  I told him that I was thinking the same thing and the question that I was going to use for the week would be, "what is the happiest/best thing happening in your life right now?"

I started the week eager to learn about the best thing happening in the lives of the next 6 people in this project. (I didn't get to ask this question of Sunday's subject because, well, you'll see in a moment.) Having a canned question may seem artificial but it's quite the contrary.  Being prepared with a question has the potential to lead to a very organic interaction.

Some of the interactions this week were still quite brief, even with my "canned question," but I'm going to continue with this idea as it seems the only logical way to smooth over the interaction I have with each subject. It gives me a little more confidence to be able to interact with each person and because I'm prepared and confident, each subject will also feel confident and more at ease in the conversation.  Although the question is "canned," each interaction will be organic and unique to each person.

Day 92 - Dr. Tram

I love that my Dentist is open on evenings and weekends!  Knowing I would be seeing the dentist over the weekend, I had been envisioning this picture in my mind since the day I made the appointment.  My normal Dentist had the day off and this was my first time seeing Dr. Tram, but she was still cool and paused long enough to let me take her picture.

The shiny, blurry thing in the right corner is a mirror.  I'll tell ya…this shot was a lot more difficult in real life than I envisioned it being in my mind!  And, for obvious reasons, Dr. Tram and I didn't get to visit much about anything other than the business at hand.

Day 93 - Troy

This is Troy from Kansas.  Troy is a new co-worker.  I noticed he was at work well after he normally gets off his shift.  He was working on some personal things and it gave me the perfect opportunity to learn a little about the new guy.  (I think I've mentioned before, we're pretty good about keeping on-task at work so unless we spend time outside of work, we don't always learn a whole lot about each other.)

Troy is a graphic designer.  He wanted to move to Portland because of the skateboard and snowboard scene which Portland is well known for.  He googled "screen printers in Portland" and then basically began to stalk us!  I love his persistence and determination!  With so many people looking for work, it is easy for your resume to get lost among hundreds of other applicants.

Troy was persistent, followed up several times and eventually caught the attention of the owner and production manager and he's now part of our team!  (Although, not in the art department.) That's the awesome thing about Troy…he wanted to move to Portland and work with us, so he took the one job available which was in the screen reclaim department.  Although it is critical to the function of the entire company, it is not a glamorous job and it's one of the most difficult jobs in the entire process of screen printing.  But it was a start and it enabled him to make the move.

He's since moved into the Ink Department where he helps mixes the colors for every single job that gets printed.  Although he's not yet utilizing his skill as a designer, all of this experience will make him a better and stronger designer in the future.  I just love that he was willing to do whatever it took in order to move to Portland.  When I asked him the best thing happening right now, he replied "I got a car, a new job, and I'm enjoying Portland!"

Day 94 - "Like a Fox"

This was an off-day. "Like a Fox" was a great subject and he saved the night because he was actually a "plan b."  I had been rejected 2 times before finding a great subject.  We were seriously on-the-go when I took his picture because he was running late for a dinner appointment. After he left, I realized that every picture I had taken was unflattering.  I managed to catch him blinking in every single picture.  We laughed because I knew a few of the pictures were mid-blink and he even told me he blinks a lot!  I thought I captured a good one, but I was mistaken.

So, I went back on the hunt again.  I got my third rejection for the night and was feeling defeated and that's when I found "Like a Fox."  He happily agreed to let me take his picture as he was waiting for his bus.

When I asked him the best thing happening right now, he replied, "I just paid off my pre-order for the new Xbox One."  (which are due out on November 22nd.)  His "Like a Fox" name is actually his online name.  I told him I had just heard in the news that due to an error, some people had already been shipped the new Xbox and maybe he was one of those people.  I don't think you're supposed to give a gamer that sort of false hope. For a split second, I could tell that he was processing the possibility of whether or not he could be one of those lucky people who received their shipment early.

When I got home, I realized that all of "Like a Fox's" pictures were showing a little glasses glare.  I was so bummed!  I had one picture which had the potential to be among my favorites so far, except for the darn glare!  I don't know how to edit the photo to fix the glare and I'm learning that glasses glare is  a big challenge that I need to learn how to compensate for.  This was the least problematic picture I had taken. (I really wish I could have shared the other one with you.)

In spite of the glare, I hope you can get a feel for how nice "Like a Fox" comes across. He may be "Like a Fox" in online gaming, but in real life, he's more "like a puppy."

Day 95 - Taylor and John

 

I have to admit, this was one of the days where I felt like abandoning the project.  Training for, and completing, 4 marathons has taught me one thing…I know how to quiet the negative thoughts of self-doubt and when those thoughts tell me that I should stop, I've learned how to push myself to keep going.  So, somehow I found myself out on the street and looking for a subject even though I was ready to call it quits.

This was another interaction that was simply meant to be.  As it would turn out, Taylor is a real photographer!  She's even done her own 365 Day Project!  She was full of helpful tips and encouragement and meeting her and John was perfect! They were also waiting for a bus so our time was brief but in that short amount of time, Taylor was so helpful and she gave me the boost I needed. I loved watching her talk about photography.  I could see the flicker in her eye as she spoke…it's something she's truly passionate about.  And, I appreciated that she didn't think less of me, or dismiss me, for being such an amateur.

When I asked Taylor and John the best thing happening in their lives, Taylor replied that she had had a great day because she spent it in the darkroom.  John's reply, "doughnuts!"  I like John's thinking!

Day 96 - Tony

This is Tony.  He was waiting for the MAX train to arrive.  This is one of my favorite pictures so far, and if I had snapped it just a fraction of a second later - the lights from the train would have been closer and I would have been able to better capture the "impending" and "temporary" feeling that we were experiencing.

Tony was  the second time this week that had to resort to "plan B".  After another two rejections, I had found a great subject who was on his way to band rehearsal at his church.  Luckily, I checked the pictures after he hopped on his train. I had failed.  This time, it was a combination of glasses-glare + blinking failure.  Dang, glasses are tough!  (Glasses and hats!)

After failing the first subject, I wandered around the MAX and bus stop in search of the next person.  I spotted Tony.  When I approached him, he was wearing ear phones so I had to work to get his attention to explain the project.   He agreed to let me take his picture so I started snapping away.

Knowing that I had to be quick, I asked him questions as I was taking his picture.  I was eagerly anticipating his answers to the  "what's the best thing happening in your life" question, but first I asked his name and if there's anything I could promote.  Just as soon as the words came out of my mouth, I could see the light from the train approaching us.  I interrupted my own question and asked if it was his train.  He confirmed that it was.

I knew I had a usable picture so I put the camera down and awaited his response as the train pulled into the station.  He was still giving me his attention as he slowly started to walk away to board the MAX, when he said, "peace, love and happiness…that's what I want to promote." And with that, he was gone and I was sad. I wanted more time. I wanted to learn the best thing happening in his life right now.

Day 97 - Makenzie

I'm starting to look forward to my Friday routine of meeting my friend Anne at Charlie's. It's still challenging to get a subject, but at least I know I'll be in someplace dry and warm and I'll have a friend close by to be with me as long as it takes to find someone.

As soon as I walked in, I spotted Makenzie.  She's another girl who's pretty impossible to miss.  I was torn if I should ask her because she was at a table with several friends and right behind her was a table of  a few of my favorite subjects - scruffy bearded guys who make for a great black & white. I know I need to push myself beyond my go-to black & white picture of scruffy bearded guy, and I also wanted to have one more girl for this week, so I decided that I would ask Makenzie to be day 97.

I interrupted her table, which is always awkward, and quickly gave my spiel. She agreed to be day 97 and among her friends, I could have several more subjects!  We laughed as we tried to decide if she was going to get her picture alone, or with one of her friends.

Makenzie has her own business and it's quite interesting. She's an esthetician and provides in-home waxing service!  I should have guessed this as she and her friends are the best-browed group of people in all of Vancouver.  (Even her guy friends!)  She obviously does great work!

When I asked about the best thing happening for her right now, she replied "working and waxing."  She went on to explain that she had just experienced a break-up that very same day, so concentrating on her work is helping her to be happy.  Gosh, you just never know what people are dealing with.  Makenzie put on a happy face and beautiful smile, surrounded herself with her great friends and was trying to make the best of things, even though she was probably feeling broken-hearted.  I loved her style, but I truly admire her attitude and approach to dealing with a sad time for her.  She still managed to light up the room, even though she was feeling down.

Makenzie is a class act and a beautiful girl  I didn't even do her justice in this picture.

Day 98 - Tim

My friends and I, all 8 of us, made a coffee stop at Brewed this afternoon.  Having basically slammed them them with all of our orders, I used the wait as an opportunity to find a subject.  I found Tim in the corner of the coffee shop. He was working away on something that looked extremely complex. Even without my glasses, I was able to glance down and see that the paper in front of him had some sort of hand-drawn diagram and complicated notes and possibly even math formulas.  Tim said he was in the coffee shop, catching up on some work.

When I asked Tim about the happiest thing going on in his life, his response was quick and certain, "my 1-year-old kid."  I don't know what Tim was working on, but he also wanted to promote the importance of supporting local businesses.

That's it for week 14!  We're going to hit the triple digits next week!  Woohoo!  I now often use a marathon as my yardstick for many other things in life.  When I compare the progress of the 365 Day People Picture Project to distance of a marathon, basically, we're almost to mile 8.  Still a long ways to go, but we've already covered some respectable distance.

If you remember last week, I was pretty touched by Nancy and Stephen.  Part of the "risk" of making a connection with someone is that when you do, they leave a little mark on your head and your heart and once you make that connection, it's impossible to sever. This has all been a little heavy for me to process.  Making a connection is work…opening up, letting someone in, them letting me in, taking a picture, and then trying to let go.   Even though I may never see these people again, I now still wonder about them, and wish them health and happiness.

I'm gong to continue to use the "what's the best thing happening in your life right now," question for this upcoming week.  I want to learn about good things happening for people,  Even if it is something as simple as doughnuts and Xboxes.  I love hearing about people and the ability to find happiness even in simple joys.  Can you think of any questions that would be great to add to the list of questions for potential subjects? What are you wanting to learn about them?

Thank you for spending this time with me and sharing in this project!  Have you started a project of your own?

If you have been a subject, thank you.  Thank you for being you and for letting me take your picture. You've touched my heart. Forever.

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 13

Can you believe it?  We're three months into the 365 Day People Picture Project!  Week 13 was feeling a little hollow as I was mentally preparing the summary that I wanted to share with you, but it ended on both a happy and heavy note. My co-worker and friend, Randy, remarked that he likes it when I share more information about each subject.  I agree with him!  I explained to him that I don't always learn a whole lot about the subjects in this project. Some of the interactions have been so brief, they're mere seconds.  It is for this reason that week 13 was feeling a little incomplete.  I didn't do a nice job of really connecting with each person and the majority of the interactions with this week's subjects were quite short.   That lack of a connection not only makes for a short read, but it also has a huge impact on whether or not I can truly catch someone's sparkle.

When I'm trying to take a picture, it is my responsibility to temporarily suspend anything that is on my mind so that my single focus is on the person before me.  Over time and with a lot of hard work,  I will eventually learn the technical skills of photography.  The skill that is critical for my progress right now, is the ability to let go of everything else and engage with each subject.  We have to connect.

Day 85 - Jeffery and his nephew, Matt

Jeffery and Matt were walking down the street when I chased them down to ask if they would let me take their picture.  I know they look like tough guys but they were both soft-spoken and quite gentlemanly.

Day 86 - Virgil

The Broadway Cigar Company is near my work and I've often wondered what it's like inside. I've also been thinking it could be a great resource for potential subjects.  I decided Monday would be the day that I explore the shop and introduce myself to ask if I could come back in the future.  When I walked in, Virgil raised his eyebrows in surprise…I don't think they get very many women visitors.

I explained that I wasn't there for cigars, but rather to ask a favor. I explained the project to Virgil and he obliged my request to be day 86.  He gave me the names of the owners, so I might just be back in touch. I just know the shop must get all kinds of interesting customers who would be great subjects!  I felt a little like I was intruding on a secret men's club - so I would definitely want to get permission before a return visit.

Day 87 - David 

David is the 3rd Plaid Pantry person in this project.  Plaid Pantry is a chain of convenience stores in Portland and I don't think I've ever met a Plaid Pantry worker that I didn't like. The employees are always pretty cool people.  The challenge with each of the three, is that I've had to work quickly to get the picture before any customers are ready to check out.

Day 88 - Tim

It was a dark and stormy night.  I mean, it really was a dark and stormy night!  I started my commute home and was really starting to stress about finding a subject in the rain. I didn't want to hit the mall but I just couldn't think of anyplace else to find a subject.  As I was sitting in traffic, I realized I was right next to a Les Schwab Tire Center.  Les Schwab is known for their amazing customer service. When you pull into a Les Schwab, they come running out to your car to help you!  I'm not making this up - they actually run to you! (ok, so it's technically more like a trot.)

It couldn't have been more perfect - all I would have to do is pull into the parking lot and my subject would come running out to greet me!  It felt a little like cheating but I decided to give it a try since there were no cars in the lot and it was shortly before closing time.  Sure enough, the moment I pulled in, Tim came running/trotting out to help me! I explained I was actually stopping by for a strange favor and Tim was happy to help with the project.

Day 89 - Natasha

Natasha is the new owner of the Nectar Cafe, in the Hollywood District.   She makes a perfect Americano!  I stopped by for the caffeine but left having also found a great subject for the day.  This coffee shop is so cozy, I just wanted to hang out and be still for a while.

Day 90 - Matt

I maintained the new Friday routine of meeting my friend Anne to hunt for a subject at Charlie's.   I was having trouble finding just the right person and then I discovered Matt. He was playing pool with his friends.  I approached Matt's table and asked if he would be willing to help me with my picture project.  Matt was bashful but his friend wasn't!  His friend told me, "yes, he'll do it!"

Matt asked a few questions about the project and seemed genuinely interested in how it came about and how it was moving along.  Although he was bashful at first, it quickly felt like Matt was just a friend I hadn't met yet.  I was enjoying our talk because he's just the kind of person you'd want to hang out with.  Although Matt was one person who I was afforded the time to actually connect with, we were still having problems getting the shot.

Even though we were having a nice conversation, when it came time to take the picture…we were both nervous!  He's as nervous to have his picture taken as I am when I ask someone if I can take their picture!  He wanted direction from me, but I still lack the confidence and skill to direct someone on how to "give" the picture that I'd like to take.

There's so much to learn!  In addition to the technical skills of photography, I also need to learn how to put people at ease.   I need to gain confidence and learn how to "direct" a subject on how to move if they're feeling uncomfortable or unsure of what to do.  Once we're both comfortable and confident, then we will end up with a picture we both love.  I want people to look at their picture and feel good about themselves.

Day 91 - Nancy and her dog, Patty

I spotted Nancy and Patty in the park, just as Patty bolted away from Nancy and gave chase to a squirrel.  I wasn't going to ask Nancy to be a subject because she looked like she had her hands full with her little squirrel hunter but after walking around the park for a while, I decided they were meant to be day 91.

Nancy happily agreed to a picture before I even finished my spiel.  The first thing she said was, "I'm not very photogenic but Patty is!"  Nancy turned out to be quite photogenic, but there wasn't a thing I could do to win Patty's attention away from the squirrel.

After I've taken a person's picture, I often ask them if there's anything they would like me to promote on my blog. (such as their business, band, art, their own blog, etc.) Nancy responded, "I want to promote peace, love, forgiveness, tolerance, and to be kind to animals."     She then went on to say that "as you get older, you realize that nothing else really matters. When you reach the end of your life, the only thing you really have is the relationships you had with others."  Nancy's sister died a few years ago.  Near the end of her sister's life, they had to move her from her beautiful home and into a care facility.  When her sister moved into the facility, the belongings she had accumulated over her entire lifetime had to be pared down to just one box.  The experience caused Nancy to realize the importance of relationships over any material possessions.

I thanked Nancy and was on my way, but my mind was still deep in thought about everything Nancy had said.  I've been feeling the same way for several years now.  I think we can't help but reach that realization as we reach the age when we have more years behind us than we, potentially, have in front of us.  I was holding back tears once again.  I was touched and impacted not only by the content of Nancy's words, but also because of our interaction…our connection.  Another woman I had just met, opened up and shared a difficult experience and the weight of everything she said just hit me all at once.

And then…

Day 91 Bonus - Stephen and BeBee Baby

I  was still writing down notes from my conversation with Nancy as I was waiting for the crosswalk signal to change and when I looked up, there was Stephen. He asked what I was reading and I said that I was just taking notes.  He wanted to know what kind of notes, so I explained the project.  I asked if he would be my "bonus" for today and he agreed, saying, "I love to have my picture taken!"

Stephen was just a character! He said he lived in Hollywood many years ago and he's been in a few movies, as an extra.  He then told me that he was related to "Lewis."  Having just talked about Hollywood, I thought he meant Jerry Lewis but he corrected me that it was "Meriwether Lewis, you know, Lewis and Clark."  I believe Stephen.

Stephen and BeBee Baby had just come from the grocery store and PetCo.  I looked in the basket and could see that BeBee Baby was sitting on top of a few groceries.  Unless there's a PetCo that I don't know about, the closest store is a few miles away so the two of them had quite the ride!  Stephen assured me that BeBee Baby was secured in her basket.

Stephen and I visited a while longer before saying good-bye.  I had already been holding back the tears from my interaction with Nancy and after saying good-bye to Stephen, I couldn't hold them back any longer.  I hoped Stephen and BeBee Baby would be ok.  I hoped they are having a nice life.  I hoped that Stephen has relationships with still-living family and friends.  And then I thought, what matters most to Stephen may not even take up an entire box - perhaps what matters most to Stephen was right there in the basket in front of me. His Be Bee Baby.

Thank you for following along with me and this challenge.  These 91 people, and Stephen the bonus, are changing my life and I can't wait to see what the next 9 months bring.  I hope that you're enjoying this as much as much as I.  I'll work harder at trying to get to know people a little better and then I'll do my best to report that back to you.

If you've been a subject in this project - thank you. Thank you for your time, and thank you for your kindness.

Have a great week!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 12

Week 12 of the 365 Day People Picture Project ended on a high note - I achieved one small goal. (More about that in a bit.)   Although I'm pleased that I made a tiny bit of progress, I'm also feeling nervous that I may be in over my head. We "fall back" tonight and with the time change, I will lose the daylight hours after work when I normally walk the stairs at the park, both for fitness and also to find subjects for this project.  I want to succeed.  I didn't challenge myself to an 84-day-project or an until-it-gets-too-difficult-to-find-subjects project.  I want all 365 days!  I said I was going to do something, and I want to finish what I've challenged myself to do.

I should explain to you why I'm so nervous because you may be reading this and wondering why I'm making such a big deal of things.  I leave for work between 6:45 - 7:15 am and work till 5:03 pm, or later.  My commute to work is a lot of freeway, and then about 3 miles of Sandy Blvd. in Portland.  The only people on Sandy Blvd at that time of morning are people who are waiting for the bus, or people who wouldn't appreciate being approached by someone who wants to talk their picture.  My work is in an area of Portland that, although densely populated with residences and businesses, doesn't get a lot of foot traffic.  There are areas in Portland that are rich with interesting people and at any moment of the day, the sidewalks are filled with potential subjects.  Our office is not in one of those places.

The reason I'm nervous is that I'm now going to have to work hard to seek out those interesting places in town and I'll have to do it in the dark and cold. People aren't as happy and willing to pause to let a complete stranger take their picture when it's dark and miserable outside.  Now, the real challenge begins.

Day 78 - Dion

Dion just finished his mountain bike ride when I arrived at the trail. It was raining and he was trying to shed his outer layer of wet clothes when I approached him to be day 78.

Day 79 - Griffin

Griffin is the cousin of one of my co-workers.  I spotted a group of guys walking down the sidewalk as I was driving and knew that was my opportunity to find a subject for the day.  As I was debating on whether or not to turn around, I realized that I knew one of them - we're co-workers! I turned my car around and stopped them at the store.  I approached my co-worker, who I never get to talk to at work, and explained the project.  He volunteered his cousin to be day 79.  (I wanted to save my co-worker for a rainy day. Literally.)

Day 80 - Anonymous Guy at the Park (with a dog, but I failed again.)

Are you keeping track?  How many person-with-dog pictures have I failed?  I think we're now at number 7!  The last two have been so awful that I haven't even had anything to show you!  It's ok, we're just getting started.  Maybe by the end of this project, I will know exactly how to direct a dog and its person to be picture perfect, and then I will have learned how to take the damn picture!

I missed the picture but I had a nice chat with this guy and learned a lot about the breed of his dog and the origin of the Labradoodle.

Day 81 - Lee

It's been a while since I've been in to see Lee but she is one of the team of people that it takes to keep me looking somewhat-presentable.  She works magic on my brows.  I don't know how she does it, but she manages to make my 4 thin little eyebrow hairs look like I have normal brows.

Day 82 - "The Dude"  (Seth)

I knew Seth would be in to pick up his order on Halloween and I was hoping that he would be in costume.  I anticipated that he would be dressed as Bigfoot because he's about 6'5" (maybe even 6'7") and Bigfoot is sort of the mascot of his company, but he did not disappoint when he showed up as "The Dude."

Day 83 - Scott

I reached a small goal with Scott.  Earlier this week, I had reviewed all of the #365daypeoplepictureproject photos on my Instagram. I was pretty disappointed in myself.  Other than just a few, I didn't feel like I had taken any truly nice pictures.  As I evaluated the pictures, I thought that they weren't even good enough for the majority of the subjects to even use as their Facebook profile picture.  (if given the opportunity.)  There were a few that I could imagine my subjects using as a Facebook profile picture, but for the most part - my pictures weren't nice.  I have beautiful sparkly subjects and I wasn't capturing it.

Since starting this project, I've taken on my own independent study of photography.  There are thousands of amazing photographers who share their knowledge online.  I study their blogs and their online videos and although I'm beginning to learn a few things, it has also been very discouraging. These people are just amazing. I am not.  I've questioned that maybe I'm just not "artistic." I will never be as good as the people I'm studying.  I think I've been taking in so much information that I was beginning to feel overwhelmed and defeated.

I decided to break it down all simple-like.  I need to take what I'm learning and do my best to process that information and in order not to become too overwhelmed, I simply set a tiny little objective to capture a picture that so nice that my subject would like it enough to make it their Facebook profile picture.  I don't think it could be any more simple than this.  I want to capture a person's sparkle and I want for them to like the image that I've captured.

Friday night, I decided that I was just going to plan on meeting Anne to find a subject instead of sending her an unplanned SOS text telling her I needed someone to take a picture of!   She was way ahead of me.  She had already volunteered Scott and briefed him that he was going to be in my little project.

Scott was a stranger to me but I got to know him a little by eavesdropping on his conversation with his friend.  Scott was showing his friend some camera-phone pictures of actual paintings that Scott had done in a painting class.  His friend was so encouraging and supportive of his work but Scott dismissed it, basically saying that he wasn't a painter.  I asked if I could look at his work and I was blown away!  Scott is an amazing artist!  I was inspired by Scott and his desire to learn painting technique. He's quite good!  I thought, there's hope for me yet.  I just need to work on it.  Just like Scott is taking classes to learn technique, I also need to take classes to learn technique.

When I got home to prepare Scott's picture to be Instagrammed, I realized - it's one of my favorites!  Scott was a great subject and I didn't screw it up!  I got a good picture!  I texted Anne the picture and told her I loved how it turned out.  She liked it as well.  I didn't realize that Anne was still with Scott.   A little while later, I looked down on my phone and saw that I had a Facebook friend request notification.  You know how exciting that is!  I quickly opened Facebook to see who wanted to be "friends" and I immediately recognized the profile picture of the requestor as the photo I had just taken! It was Scott!!!  He used the picture I had taken of him as his profile picture.  I know this is so silly, but it made my week!   All I want is to be able to take a picture of a person and for them to like it. I did it!

Day 84 - Erin

I was on a mission in the mall this morning when Erin and her coworker passed by me.  I quickly turned around and chased after them.  I'm still cracking up at how I must look as I chase down potential subjects. It's obvious why I had to chase her down though…just look at her! She's great! I love everything about her style and on top of it, she was as sweet as could be!

Erin is a hairstylist at the JCP Salon in the Vancouver Mall.  She asked if I already had a stylist and I explained that I'm loyal to my stylist and she's now practically like a sister.  When I said that to Erin, she gave me a funny little look but I didn't think much of it at the time.

Later, after taking Erin's picture, I spotted myself in the mirror and I was mortified.  I had completely forgotten about the little hack-job I did on my own bangs this morning.  I still  had a few little cut hairs on my nose and cheeks!   I intended to cut just one little rebel bang and then it turned into two little rebels.  Then two turned into a few and before I realized the damage I was doing, I had totally messed myself up!  I felt so horrible. Poor Erin!  I'm sure she could tell I had just cut my own damn bangs and she probably thought I was giving her a polite brush-off and then she was still nice enough to let me take her picture!  So, if you're looking for a stylist in Vancouver - please give Erin a try.  And do tell her I was an idiot!  I really am loyal to my girl but if i didn't have Chandra, I would definitely go see Erin.

Thank you for following along with this week's adventures!  Are you ready? We're really going to have to dig down and get to work these next few months.  It won't be easy - but we can do it!

If you've been a subject for this project - thank you for being you!  Thank you for letting me take your picture and for helping me with this challenge.  I appreciate you!

Thank you!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 11

Week 11 of the 365 Day People Picture Project ended with me crying and hugging a stranger I had just met.  

Day 71 - Runner on the Heritage Trail

When I explain the project to potential subjects, I explain to them that I will Instagram their photograph that day and then do a little recap at the end of the week, here on the blog.  I ask if they'd like to share their name, give a fake name, or just remain anonymous.

I didn't learn a whole lot about this anonymous subject but one of my Instagram friends is convinced he's a baseball player and now when I look at his picture, all I can see is a baseball player! I think she called it right.

Day 72 - DJ

 

This young man is DJ.  When I approached DJ, with camera in hand, I barely got out 3 words before he was on-board with letting me take his photograph.  Hmmm, for some reason, I think he may be used to having his picture taken!

DJ and his friends were tossing around a football when I spotted them.  They were sporting neon clothes and  bright shoes and they were impossible to miss! I felt like I had just stumbled onto commercial video shoot for Nike.  After learning more about DJ, I realized I wasn't just picking up on their sense of style from their appearance, their style was an accurate projection of their real lives!  DJ is currently rehabbing an injury sustained in a car accident but he'll return to play college football next year.  In the meantime, DJ and his partner are the entrepreneurs behind Flight Skool Shoes.

I know we often describe women as stunningly beautiful, but is it ok to describe a man as stunningly handsome?  There's no other way around it. DJ is stunningly handsome.  Handsome, athletic, and entrepreneurial, and to top it off, he was a real gentleman.   DJ presented himself with the professionalism and maturity of a man at least twice his age.

OK, so we've covered DJ's good looks but do you see the several mistakes I made in the picture?   No matter how perfect the subject, you still need to check for distractions in the background.  Ugggg, it pains me to look at the picture because of the stupid recycle bins and street post sign.  Now you see it too, don't you?  This was another very good reminder to me. Even when your subject is stunningly beautiful or stunningly handsome, you still have to do the work. You still have to check for background noise and distractions and then position yourself or the subject away from the noise.

I'm such an inexperienced photographer that I'm just shooting in auto and some of the preset "scene" modes.  I like to think of this phase of the learning process as having training wheels.  Because I'm shooting in auto, it should free me up mentally to learn and implement the fundamentals of composition.  While I'm relying on my "training wheels," I can learn to pay better attention to horrible distractions.  This is a critical step in learning to take better pictures.  A misplaced recycling bin can ruin a picture, even when your subject is as handsome as DJ.

Day 73 - Oscar

I found Oscar at the top of Mt. Tabor Park.  While dozens of other people were gathering at the look-out area to take pictures of the setting sun, I was at the center of the park, taking pictures of Oscar.  I could tell he was gathering his things to go but he allowed me time to take his picture before leaving.  This Oscar was not a grouch…this Oscar was a real nice guy.

Day 74 - My Father-in-Law

We had a little family get-together to celebrate my Father-in-Law's birthday.  It's funny that my own Father-in-Law has been one of the most challenging subjects.  He's usually the one taking the photographs, so it was a little stressful for him to be the subject for once.  I'm actually glad it took us over a dozen pictures to get one that was usable because we all shared a lot of laughs during the process.

Day 75 - Man in the Park

 

I failed another person-with-dog photo.  If I were successful, the title of this picture would have been: Man with "Spuds MacKenzie."  He was walking a playful little Bull Terrier when I met the two of them in the park.  Actually, we didn't just "meet,"  I had to chase them down.  (I laugh at myself when I imagine what I must have looked like.)

I nearly made the same mistake with this subject as I had done with DJ, but this man actually pointed out that our background was a "dumpster."  As we re-positioned him, he then purposely placed himself in the spot with the best lighting.   It became obvious to me that he was an experienced photographer.  He helped to correct me with the lighting and by eliminating the background distraction, but I appreciate that he let me fumble through my mistakes.  And, because I fumbled through my mistakes, I didn't capture a good shot of both him and his dog.   They're another candidate for a do-over, should I ever meet them again.

Day 76 - Wendy

Friday, I sent out another SOS text to my friend Anne, letting her know that I was still looking for a subject and asking if she happened to be out on the town.  Not only was she happy to meet me, but she volunteered her friend, Wendy, to be day 76.  Luckily, Wendy agreed! I like this picture in black & white, but I love Wendy's new hair color more, so I decided to share this one with you.

Day 77 - Tammy

Tammy was a complete stranger to me this morning, but within a matter of minutes - we were crying and hugging.  Well, she managed to dam her tears but my tears definitely spilled onto my cheeks.

I arrived at my favorite trail this morning and immediately spotted Tammy.  I don't know why, but it has always been my preference to look for subjects after I finish my walk.  The minute I saw her, I thought she would make a great subject but it just didn't feel right to break my routine of walking first, taking pictures after.  Something compelled me.  I got my camera and journal and walked over to Tammy's car.  In the short time I had been debating on whether or not to ask her, she had gotten back into her car which made me even more apprehensive about asking her.  I don't like to approach someone while they're sitting in their car. It just feels too bold and intrusive. But, again, I was compelled.

I gave Tammy my spiel about the picture project but I couldn't quite get a read on if she was going to agree or not.   She then responded, "You should wait for my daughter. I have a beautiful daughter."  I replied back, "I don't know, you're pretty beautiful yourself."  She asked a few more questions about the project and about my blog so I explained how it all came about…that I started a blog but quickly realized I have a boring life which means I have no content to sustain a blog!  As a solution, I decided to finally learn photography and challenge myself to take a picture of a person every day for a year.

I wasn't prepared for what came next.  Tammy told me that I was  inspiring her.  She said it a few times and then she opened up.  She explained to me that she's going through a divorce after having been married for 25 years.  She explained how she's wanting to re-invent herself and running has been one of the ways in which she was planning to do so.  She told me a little more about her situation and I was heartbroken for her.  I felt the weight of the sadness she must be feeling and I just couldn't hold back the tears.  (Tammy gave me permission to tell the story of our encounter this morning but I don't want to share too many details.)

I was so touched that my little project could have a positive influence on another person, especially someone who was hurting.  There we were, two strangers, having a conversation as meaningful as those shared by the best of friends.   Tammy and I concluded that we were meant to be placed in each others lives at that moment. She was able to draw some inspiration from the challenge I have given myself, and I received kindness and encouragement from her.

While on my walk, I continued to think about Tammy and the process of her re-invention.  Although I feel empathy for the painful experience she's going through now, I'm excited for her as she starts the process of self-discovery and re-discovery.

Tammy, if you happen to read this - I hope when you look at this picture, you will see the same beautiful woman that I saw this morning.

Thank you for checking in on week 11.  I'm starting to accumulate a little bit of information and soon, I will have enough to report back to you and share the things I've learned so far. I think I'm learning a little more about people than I am about photography.

Remember, If you'd like to follow along daily, my Instagram and Twitter username is:  @missellanea.  I've temporarily turned off the comments here on the blog while I combat comment-spammers.  It's a fairly easy fix and comments will be turned on again soon. In the meantime, you can always e-mail me, or message me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

If you are a subject in this project,  thank you for your time and for letting me take your picture.  You have touched my life in ways which are impossible for me to articulate. Thank you.

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 10

Week 10 of the 365 Day People Picture Project was a nice slide back into reality after the thrill and excitement of week 9.   There are no famous rock stars or well-known authors this week… just 7 nice people who were kind enough to let me take their picture.  To me, they're all rock stars. If you're just checking in for the first time, I've challenged myself to take a picture of a person every day for an entire year.  I post each picture to my Instagram, daily, and then do a recap of the week's photos here on the blog.

The majority of my subjects have been random strangers, but my friends, family, and co-workers are also helping me out as well.

I'm not a photographer, but I have a desire to learn. This project is forcing me outside of my comfort zone. I'm now signing up for a few photography classes and I spend a little time each day studying online resources.   Someone asked me why I didn't first take a few classes and then start the project.  Hmmm, that seems like it should have been the logical progression.  It's ok. I don't regret that I dove into this thing head first and in doing so, I've realized just how much I don't know and just how much there is to learn. I also think I may have never started the project had I first had real instruction.  Learning my deficiencies (which are plenty)  in these first few weeks and months will help me know how to ask for proper instruction and training.

Day 64 - Jill the Runner

I had just wrapped up my 7 mile walk and Jill was half-way through her 7 mile out-and-back when I stopped to ask if she would let me take her picture.  She looked so fresh-faced and strong, I thought she was just warming up! Jill happily agreed to let me take her picture and we visited a little about our shared love of that trail and being out in nature.

Jill has a few marathons under her belt, but now she's running just for the love of it.  She will continue to run half-marathons but she's not so sure about full marathons.  She has a quote hanging on her bulletin board that keeps her moving.  She couldn't remember it exactly, but it's something like…"the run isn't the distance, it's the journey."

Day 65 - Two Skaters at Tabor

I approached these two as they were about to start their ascent up the stairs of Mt. Tabor.  They were cool with me taking their picture but it was on the condition that I be quick about it because they were in a hurry to skate!  I was so quick that I blew the shot of them with their boards and failed this picture as well.  Among other troubles,  the guy on the right isn't in focus.  I have to learn to nail it the first time, and nail it quickly!

Throughout this project, I've had an average of about 1 minute to get the picture after quickly explaining the project and asking the subject for permission to take their photo.   I've had one subject in which my spiel and photo took a total of 45 seconds, or less!

In addition to being a complete beginner, rather, a beginning-beginner, I sometimes get nervous with certain subjects. Knowing these guys were in a hurry made me stressed. In reality, I had no less time with them than I do with the majority of my subjects, but I didn't want to inconvenience them and by worrying about the time pressure, I blew it.   They're still cute skater boys and no matter how badly I blew the picture, you can still see that for yourself!

Day 66 Dog Walker at the Park

I debated which picture to share with you.  I ended up with a lovely picture of just the woman alone. I'm more pleased with her "portrait" but decided to share this one instead. I think it more accurately conveys the experience.

I had an ah-ha moment in week 9 and inadvertently realized why I've had so many problems taking pictures of dogs with their humans.   Actually, Roger (from day 61) showed me the error of my ways.  Although I struggled with the conditions, Roger made me realize the key to taking a picture of a human and a dog, is that I need to close the distance between the two. Roger did the work for me. He crouched down close to Hana and they became one compact little unit.

When I spotted these two in the park, they were already a compact unit because the woman is so petite.  I thought, for once, I'd be able to get a decent full-length shot of a person with their dog.  Again, I was mistaken and I blew it.

The dog kept lunging at me…she was lunging for lovins!  I could tell that the owner was working with the dog on this but I was just too irresistible.  Well, most likely it was the fact that she could smell my own dog so she just really wanted to get to know me a little closer.  The owner explained that her dog loves cameras!  She was actually quite the ham and she loved the click of the camera. However, she would get so excited that I didn't get a good shot of just the dog either.   Had we taken more time, I'm sure we would have all settled down and the results would have been different but I had fun with the two of them.

The  owner gave me a suggestion and I can't believe I hadn't thought of it. She said I should carry doggie-treats with me! Don't be surprised if I catch these two again someday. I'd love a do-over.  Hey,  I never made a rule against using the same subjects twice and I  think it might be pretty interesting to do so.

Day 67 - Jonathan

 

Jonathan works at one of the best pizza places in town - Blind Onion Pizza.  Jonathan, (as is everyone who works there) was so friendly and nice.  I figured the odds were in my favor if I were to ask him if he'd let me take his picture for the project.  He agreed and as soon as he did, he got a rush of customers.

I took this picture after things had settled a little.  Poor guy…I snapped 4 pictures so quickly that he rubbed his eyes after I finished because I had just "flashed" him in rapid-fire succession.  I felt kind of bad for temporarily blinding the Blind Onion guy.

Day 68 - Edgar

Edgar is another co-worker.  He has onehellofa hard job.  He's our production manager.  We've worked together for 13 years but in that time, we only ever talk t-shirts.  Edgar's job is stressful. In trying to think of what to tell you about him, I had the realization that Edgar is always in control.  No matter how tense things can be or how much stress we're under, he handles it.  We're in a deadline-driven industry and the pressure can sometimes be overwhelming, but Edgar is always mister cool.  I appreciate that about him…he keeps us level.

We car-pooled on Thursday because his car was being worked on so that gave us a chance to visit.  We sat in traffic for so long, I was able to convince him to be Day 68 because he saw first-hand that there wasn't one other subject available between work and our neighborhood. Lucky for me, he was willing to fill the void!

Day 69 - Ryan

 

I sent out a frantic text to a few of my friends on Friday night, hoping they'd be out and about.  I hadn't found a subject for the day so I knew my only hope at that point was to hit up a bar.  Luckily, my friend Anne agreed to meet me. It was a great excuse for us to catch up!

Anne and I had dinner while we were scoping the place for potential subjects. I searched the entire place but  kept going back to the same person, Ryan.   After looking through my pictures, I've realized my mind sort of favors furry bearded guys as subjects and my preference is for a black and white photo.  Color is great too, but I've determined that a man's beard makes for great texture in a black and white picture.

Ryan was out having a great time with his friends when I approached him to ask if I could take his picture. I think they were just about to dive into their potato skins when I interrupted them. As awkward as it must have been, he agreed to let me take his picture.

With winter and daylight savings time approaching, I suspect I'll have to start searching for subjects at happy hour.  Luckily, my friends have a much more active social life than I!  Anne now knows that it might be a frequent occurrence for me to text her to ask her whereabouts so that we can meet up and I can get my picture for the day. It's a win-win!  I'll get to see more of my friends and I also have some help in finding a subject.

Day 70 - Lorri

I've known Lorri for 27 years.  She is the sister of my dear friend, Debbie.  Because of my friendship with Debbie, Lorri is practically like my own big sister.

Their entire family came to town to celebrate Lorri's 50th Birthday.  We had such a beautiful night!  I laughed and cried and laughed some more.  I knew I wanted Lorri to be day 70 but there was just one problem…we didn't stop laughing the whole first 4 hours of the party!  I didn't even take any pictures because I was having so much fun enjoying everyone.

We took turns telling Lorri stories and I don't think I've laughed so hard since the last time I was around this bunch. This is one special woman and some of my very best memories are of times spent with her and her family.

Lorri's daughter-in-law and future daughter-in-law both gave such loving tributes to Lorri and they summed her up perfectly.  Lorri is the kind of person who welcomes you into her family with open arms and she makes you feel comfortable from the moment you meet her.  She's always been a welcoming, loving and accepting person…she welcomed me into their lives 27 years ago.

Happy Birthday, Lorri. I love you!

Thank you for following along on week 10!  If you were a subject this week, thank you!  The only reason this project is even alive is because of you.  I appreciate your time and thank you for letting me take your picture.

If you'd like to follow me on Instagram, my username is @missellanea. I'd like to follow you back!

Have a great week!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 9

Week 9 of the 365 Day People Picture Project is now complete. This week has been one of the best weeks in my entirefnlife! I finished my fourth Marathon on Sunday - the Portland Marathon.  I'll share a separate post later this week.  It was actually my slowest time yet, but in a strange way, I'm more pleased with my accomplishment this year, than I have been in the last 3 years. I know this doesn't make sense, but I'll try to explain in a separate marathon race report, later.

When I started this challenge, 62 days ago, I knew there would be a few really tough days - days that were going to be so challenging that even something as simple as taking a picture, might prove to be impossible and the challenge would be over.

Marathon day was one of my big concerns.  After I finished my first marathon, I actually had some sort of incident afterward. I don't know what you call it…I guess I fainted. (or, half-fainted since I didn't actually hit the ground, but only because all of my friends caught me before I went splat.)  The next 2 years, I spent all of my mental and physical effort to remain conscious and upright after crossing the finish line. It worked, but as soon as I would get home, I would hit the couch and remain there for hours.  I couldn't imagine finding the strength to do something as simple as pushing the shutter button.  So, I was concerned for very good reason.

It all worked out ok. After crossing the finish line this year, I still managed to have the capacity to get a shot for the project. For weeks, I had to prep myself that I needed be able to take a picture after I finished. I think my subject actually helped me to tap into a little energy reserve because she looked so strong and tough, like she had simply gone for a little stroll in the park.

Day 57 - Corinne

This is Corinne and this was her first marathon!  Her cute lemon-wedge smile matched her spunky personality and I'm pretty sure she could have done at least another 5 miles or so.  Corinne is actually a friend of Becki's (day 43) sister - they were in the Army together.  I guess when you're army-tough, a lil' ol' marathon really is just a Sunday stroll in the park.  Corinne is now totally hooked on marathons.  She said she was going to register for 2014 just as soon as she got home!  Best of luck, Corinne!

One of the reasons why this is one of the very best weeks of my life is that after the marathon, I then went to see my favorite band in the entire universe - Lucero.  Yes, I somehow rallied and pulled myself together and went to the show that night.  When I arrived, I found the lead singer, Ben Nichols, got a big ol' rock star hug, gave him some t-shirts, and then made arrangements to catch him after the show so that I could take his picture. (It had to be after midnight so that he could be day 58.)  Well, shit happened. It just didn't work out that night but if I have to fly to Tennessee before this project is over, I'm going to do it.  I will get Ben Nichols, or I will keep shooting until I do!

Day 58 - Richard

This is another co-worker, Richard.  When we're at work, we really don't have time to visit, so I don't know a lot about Richard. He's just one of those guys who is instantly likable, even without knowing much about him.  He's an excellent printer, so that's even a bonus!

When Richard first started, he had sort of a hippie-metal look happening. He had super long hair and a totally bushy beard. He was Portland. (even though he's not even a native.) Then one day he came in clean-shaven and hairs-cut.  The transformation was so drastic, I didn't even recognize him.    I felt like telling him, "golf course is down the street, buddy!"  I wish I had taken a before-and-after photo!  Now, he's somewhere between the two looks.  I don't care what look he goes with, we just love that he's part of our team.

Day 59 - Ronni

Two days after the marathon, I decided that I needed to get my legs moving again. However, my body wasn't in-line with the ambitions of my mind, so I compromised with a trip to the mall. Hey, it's walking!

Ronni was so sweet and helpful.  The stubborn inventory-control-tags wouldn't come off from the skirts I wanted to purchase, but she persisted and fought the little suckers to their deaths.  As if that wasn't helpful enough, she then let me take her picture for the project.

I really wanted to capture Ronni's beautiful eyes and enviable brows.

Day 60 - Corrie and her little friend

I was driving down the street and spotted two people wearing brightly-colored monster beanies, hanging out on a sunny partio.  I knew I could find a subject amongst that happy hour crowd.

Day 61 - Roger and Hana

Roger was walking this little beauty, Hana, just as it was starting to get dark and rainy.  Roger agreed to be a part of the project and when he did, I was having an internal battle happening because I realized, I don't know how to shoot this!!  My skills are limited, non-existent, actually,  and my camera can only do so much. I have to learn to get better!  I have to learn how to shoot in these conditions so that I'm not terrified to the point where I'm paralyzed.

Roger seemed like a nice guy and I was worried this could take a while so I just came out with it.  I told Roger that I'm new and inexperienced and that I was struggling to shoot in the rain and limited light.  He was patient with me.  I didn't want to take too much of his time so I did the best I could, as quickly as I could.

Roger was a gem.  I think these conditions may be difficult for even an experienced photographer, so I'm going to cut myself a little slack here and I just look forward to joining a photography class.

When I posted this to Instagram, one of my cyclist friends commented that they actually know Roger through racing.  I've wondered how the "6 degrees of separation" may play out in this project, so it was pretty cool that one of my "random" subjects actually turned out to be a friend of a friend. Tis a small world, after all.

Day 62 - Sarah

This is the Badass Mother Runner herself,  Sarah Bowen Shea.  Sarah is co-author of two books and half of the duo behind the Another Mother Runner blog.  I'm honored that she is part of my little project.

Sarah and her collaborator, Dimity, provide inspiration and support to thousands of women.  "Mother Runners" who are followers of the Another Mother Runner blog and Run Like a Mother Facebook Page are more than just fans, they have become a family, a tribe.

Although I'm not a mother, and I'm just a walker - my greatest source of training information, advice, and inspiration comes from Another Mother Runner.  Sarah and Dimity, and their tribe of mother runners, will be your greatest training partners if you decide you'd ever like to do a half or full marathon.  Even if you run or walk, just for fun - I encourage you to check them out! Wait, I'm not just encouraging you, I'm flat out suggesting that you do yourself the best favor possible and "like them" on Facebook and follow their blog.

Sarah is a client of the shop where I work. We print their t-shirt line.  Since day one, Sarah has been one of the nicest customers I've ever worked with.  I know she must have a crazy schedule with running/training, being a mom and wife, writing, traveling, and pod-casting, but she always makes the time to visit with me and my co-workers.  She makes it a point to learn people's names and she connects with each of us. How does she even do it?  She has thousands and thousands of fans and enormous pressures, yet she still makes time for us. She amazes me and inspires me. She inspires me not only to keep active, but to keep writing and to keep connecting with others, even when I feel like I'm too tapped out to do so.

One of the reasons I love working with Sarah is that she has a sharp eye for color and she's a little on the experimental side.  The Another Mother Runner T-shirt line consists primarily of  slogans/text, so Sarah keeps the line creative by experimenting with unexpected color-combinations and it always works!  She's an athlete, writer, and artist - all in one little 6 foot package! The woman does it all!

Not only is Sarah a writer, artist and athlete, she's first and foremost - a mother.  She's the Mom to three very special little ones and they're growing up to be just as awesome as their mother.

I feel like I should go on, but I admire Sarah so much - I can't even find the right words.  You'll see what I mean when you become a part of the Another Mother Runner tribe.

Day 63 - LANGHORNE SLIM!!

This is "Langhorne Slim" of the band, Langhorne Slim and the Law!!!!

I first heard of Langhorne Slim and the Law just a few months ago when they opened for Lucero. (of course.)  They put on the very best show I've ever seen!  The experience of Lucero and Langhorne Slim in one night had to be the best concert I've ever been to.  Any more energy, and I would have exploded with excitement!

This week has been an extended version of that show a few months ago. I caught Lucero on Sunday, after the marathon, and then Langhorne was last night.  This 42 year old body has danced more in one week, than I did throughout the entire 90's.

You should stop reading this right now, get out your phone, download the "Bands in Town" ap, (if you don't already have it) and follow "Langhorne Slim and the Law." Stalk them until they play a show near you, then prepare yourself for one of the best shows you'll ever see! You may think that you're not into that style of music (roots/folk/alt-country) but you will leave that show having had one of the best nights of your life, and you'll leave there a fan forever.

After the show last night, I headed to the merch table to buy another CD to replace the one which was stolen from my car a few months ago.  I was able to get the CD autographed and Langhorne let me take his picture for the project. Although, I was so excited, I'm pretty sure I was only able to mumble something like…"ummm, can I take your picture, for my, umm, picture project, ummm, please?"  Ok, I wasn't quite that annoying but pretty close.  I did actually tell him that "I feel like I should give you back your heart and soul, because I'm pretty sure you just gave it to us." He laughed, and said, "it's ok, I'll get it back."  I got my picture and a handshake and the end to a perfect week.  (Marathon, Lucero, and Langhorne Slim - perfection!)

You're probably familiar with Langhorne Slim but you might not realize it.  Check this out:

http://vimeo.com/42584484

If you were a subject this week, or if you're just reading this, thank you for sharing in such a special week for me.

I'm working on improving myself and my pictures for you.  Well, you know what I mean - I'm doing it for me, but sharing with you helps me push myself to improve and grow.  With the marathon in my rear-view, I'll now have a little more time to take some photography classes and be better disciplined about my posting schedule.

Thank you again, and I'm wishing you a perfect week of your own!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 8

It is the eve of the Portland Marathon and if I weren't buttoning up week 8 of the 365 Day People Picture Project for you, I would be a nervous wreck.  Instead, I'm having fun reviewing the photos from the past 7 days.   Looking at the smiles on the faces of the subjects from this week, actually brings a smile to my face! Day 50 - Sarah

I attended a blogging workshop on Sunday and I spotted a girl who either seemed familiar to me, or she seemed like someone I just really wanted to know!  I approached her and explained that she was familiar to me but I hadn't yet figured out from where we knew each other.  I asked if she had ever ordered t-shirts before and then we both realized, we worked together several years ago!   It was so great to see Sarah and I love her blog, New Wave Domesticity.

Day 51 - Tabor Man and his Sidekick Nic

These guys actually introduced themselves to me as "Timm with two m's" and "Nic with no k."  They were like a comedy duo with Nic picking up right where Timm left off.  Timm also declared himself to be "Tabor Man," thus the super hero stance.

I've seen Timm and Nic several times before, but until that day, I've always just been in my own little world and too bashful to say hello.  This project is truly forcing me out of my shell and into interactions with others.  I noticed the logo on Timm's work truck and we were able to determine that the company where he works is a client of the company where I work.  I also learned that Nic's company, Essential Wholesale, is a girl's dream come true!  That is, if you've ever dreamed of developing your own line of cosmetics or skin care products.

Day 52 - Mischief and his Human

This was such a difficult shot, I felt like I was being punked.   Poor Mischief…he was just trying to do his business in the park but I was following him, and his human, like a paparazzi.   I did have a nice picture of just his human but I decided to share this instead, even though I didn't get a good shot.  If you can take a good shot of a human and an animal together, then you are skilled and you should be quite proud of yourself!  I'm 0 for 3.  I have learned a few things though, and we'll see if I can get a better shot on the next opportunity.

Day 53 - Alyssa

Alyssa looked so pretty, she seemed like she was glowing!  Now that the Salted Carmel Mochas are back at Starbucks, I'm going to see a lot more of this face!

Day 54 - Steve

Steve was a huge help this day!  I had 3 other failed subjects and had to head out in the middle of the night (ok, it was almost 9pm) to find another subject.  Steve said that he doesn't like having his picture taken but I think he understood my predicament and was interested enough in the project to let me take his picture.  For a guy who doesn't like having his picture taken, I'd say he's quite photogenic!  I love his smile!

Day 55 - Molly and Shannon

Molly and Shannon are two very special ladies and also dear friends. We've known each other  since Jr. High.  I  haven't seen Molly in over 14 years, since our 10 year class reunion.  Shannon lives in Portland so we've been able to meet up a few times since reconnecting several years ago, but the three of us reuniting last night was a very much anticipated and celebrated mini-reunion!   We met at the Portland Marathon expo to pick up our race packets and then catch up over dinner.

Molly has been a runner nearly all of her life.  I remember talking with her at our 10 year class reunion and she had just completed her first marathon.  I  loved hearing about her accomplishment and hearing her talk about the marathon planted the seed for me to get serious about my goal of finishing a marathon someday.  This will mark Molly's 10th marathon! Wow! Talk about impressive!

Shannon has now also added "Triathlete" to her sporty spice resume! Shannon has become quite the fierce competitor since school.  Shannon's spunk  and enthusiasm is so contagious, I think it's impossible to be in her presence and not find yourself fired up and ready to GO DO SOMETHING!!!

Shannon recently did the most thoughtful thing for one of her friends and training buddies. One of her friends was competing in Ironman Canada and Shannon had custom team shirts made for the family and friends of the girl who was competing in Ironman.  Her friend must have been blown away by the kind gesture!

I had such a lovely evening with these two ladies!  I left the restaurant with a full belly and a full heart.  I'm so impressed and inspired by Shannon and Molly's accomplishments in running, but I'm even more touched by who they've become. They're both excellent moms and I loved hearing stories about their children.  When you're a marathon mom, it's not unheard of to run as early as 4am in order not to disrupt the family schedule.  Molly and Shannon are among those amazing marathon moms who manage to work, train, care for their families, and they still have enough time left over to be awesome!

I know all of their hard work is going to pay off tomorrow. I have a sense they're both going to have an excellent marathon and set new Personal Records!

Day 56 - Jordyn

Even though I had just gone to the Portland Marathon Expo, which has everything a runner or walker could possibly ever need or want,  I still had to make a quick trip to my favorite Running and Walking Store  - Fit Right Northwest.

Jordyn set me up with my last minute needs and paused to let me take her picture!  They always have the greatest customer service!

If you were one of my subjects, thank you for taking the time to let me take your picture.  I can't thank you enough, and I appreciate your willingness to share yourself with us!

If you're reading this, thank you for taking the time out of your day to check in on my little project!

I'm going to keep it short this week so that I can finish preparing for the Marathon tomorrow.

Thank you again for following along!

365 Day Picture Project - Week 7

Week 7 of the 365 Day Picture Project is finished and it was a sampling of the challenges that are to come this winter.  The important thing is - the project survived the week! I thought I would have a few more weeks to consult with a real photographer and learn how to shoot in the rain.  I was mistaken! The rain is coming down so fiercely, even native Portlanders are using umbrellas!  Normally, diehard Portlanders will not use an umbrella. If you use an umbrella, you're considered a dainty flower, or, you're not from around here.

I'm just going to have to get resourceful a little earlier than I had expected and search for more indoor subjects.

If you're new to the project - these photos are taken "fresh daily."  I'm not stockpiling photos for use at a later time.  I've been taking a picture of a person each day and will continue to do so for an entire year.  I post the pictures each day to Instagram, and post a re-cap of the week's photos, here on the blog.

 Day 43 - Rebecca

Becki is one of my dearest friends and she is one of the kindest human beings on this planet.  We've known each other since Junior High School. I've never met a more thoughtful or giving person.  I'm so lucky to have her as a friend!

We got together Sunday to celebrate her birthday a few days early.  We didn't plan it this way, but Becki, our other friend Debbie, and I, all ended up settling in the same town.  Being so close to such good friends is a blessing.   It's sometimes quite difficult being away from my family but Becki and Debbie are my second family.

I'm amazed by everything Becki manages to accomplish. She's raising two busy and successful kids, she's an excellent wife and mother, she works, and she still has the time to support all of us in our endeavors.  She is Supermom, Superwife, and Superfriend!  I love her!

Day 44 - Matt

I work with some really cool people and Matt is one of them.  Matt has always been a bit of a dichotomy.  He's got a street style vibe, but with a sprinkling of preppy.  At first glance, one could possibly think he's a badass, but he's an absolute teddybear who works in the embroidery department and loves to sew and cook. He's also our acting on-site mechanic and whenever a co-worker has car troubles at work, Matt manages to get them going again. (at least until they can get to a shop.)  There really isn't anything he can't do!

Day 45 - Jason

When I went into the store that day, it was unusually quite and I was the only customer there at the time.  I explained the project and just as Jason agreed to let me take his picture, he got slammed! I didn't want to hold up the line or delay any customers so I was only able to get a couple super quick snaps and they were not well composed.

I was a little upset with myself afterward.  I want each picture to be better than the one the day before.  I can be hard on myself for making mistakes. But, I've finally learned that  if you spend too much time beating yourself up over mistakes you've made, you're inviting more mistakes to happen because you're so busy focusing on what's behind you that you can't concentrate on what is right before you!

I would have loved to get an unobstructed shot of Jason, but I didn't and that's ok.  He was working hard and serving customers and he didn't miss a beat while I snapped this picture.  That's part of what makes him awesome!  He can have a store full of customers and he's always friendly, efficient, and he never misses a beat!

Day 46 - Jamila and Princess

These two cuties were spending "quality cousin time" together with a walk in the park. Actually, it was more like a walk all over Portland!  These two girls put in some serious miles before they even arrived at the park!

Day 47 - Two Guys Running Stairs 

David from day 35, who is obviously a huge Ducks fan, thinks this should be titled "Two Guys Hanging Out and One of them has on a Killer Shirt!"

This was a super quick shot as they were about to begin their workout.

Day 48 - John 

John is another one of my awesome co-workers.  There have been numerous times that I've gone home at night thinking how glad I was that John works with us!  When we need shipping miracles, he makes them happen!

John is actually an imported Hoosier, but with the love he has for Portland, you'd think he was born and raised here!

Day 49 - Michael from Curly's Lock and Key

This is the rescuer who AAA sent to save me from my myself!  I locked my keys and purse in my trunk.  At least I had my phone on me, so I was able to phone AAA.

My car was parked outside of a residential facility which I believe was a program for people with mental or physical disabilities.   It was pouring down rain but a few of the residents came out to keep me company during the wait. I appreciated their kindness and visiting with them made the wait seem like just a matter of minutes.

It should have been a fairly easy "pop-a-lock".  The plan was to unlock the cabin so I could then release the trunk latch and get my purse and keys out of the trunk. Easy, right?  It only took Michael a few minutes to unlock the door to the cabin part of the car but once inside,  we discovered the car thought it was being violated so it went into lock-down mode.  Nothing worked! The trunk-release latch didn't release the locked trunk and the power locks wouldn't unlock the doors or the trunk.   No problem - I'll just flip the back seats down and crawl through to the trunk.  Well, it was my old car that had flip-down seats which enabled trunk access.  This car is a fortress! Nothing was going to get us through to that trunk!

It turned out, I had two rescuers yesterday!   Michael and I were feeling defeated when I decided to call Jim Fisher Volvo to see if they could help us.  I didn't purchase my car there and I figured they wouldn't have time to mess around with some woman who locked her keys in her trunk, but they turned out to be the absolute epitome of customer service!  (and I'm technically not even a customer.) I talked with Cory in their service department and he was able to walk us through the trick which enabled us to penetrate the trunk.   He was patient and helpful on the phone, even though it must have been a stressful call with all of the background traffic noise and the noise from my blaring car alarm!

After all of Michael's help with my car situation, he was then sweet enough to let me take his picture.  What a nice guy!

Up until now, this project has been more rewarding than challenging.  There have been a few tough days but overall, this has been a blast!  Lately, I've been having nightmares that I wake up in the middle of the night to realize that I had forgotten to take a picture that day and the project is ruined.  Or, that I've been unable to take a picture and the project is ruined.

The project has now reached the "challenge" stage due to the rain and shorter daylight hours.  I've been telling myself that it's just like the Marathon!  If it were easy, it wouldn't be an accomplishment!

SELF-CRITIQUE:

I was just about to publish this post when I did a preview and noticed that instead of making progress, I'm making some mistakes even more pronounced.  I'm going to add this little self-critique section to share with you some of my process in learning how to take a better pictures. If a real photographer were critiquing me, this list list would be 10 paragraphs long.  If I tore myself apart that critically, I'd abandon the whole damn project! So instead, I'm just going to concentrate on one or two areas which need improvement and I'll share with you as I work through these issues.  I think the process of "writing" these faults out and sharing with you, will also help me to concentrate on these areas and conciously strive toward making improvements.

Starting with the very first picture I snapped when I first got my camera, I noticed that I had a tendency to accidentally chop off the tops of people's heads.  This is a horrible habit and quite the beginner mistake.  Instead of improving on this tendency, the project has caused me to get worse!  It's just like my dad and my shot put coach used to tell me when I would practice throwing the shot put...we practice to improve good form, not to reinforce our mistakes.  If we half-ass our way through practice, we won't improve but instead, we strengthen our bad habits.

I've been reinforcing my bad habits!  Shooting under awkward circumstances and under extremely pressured time constraints (and the fact that I have no idea what I'm doing)  has exposed all of my flaws and mistakes. Moving forward, I'm going to make the conscious effort to improve in the area of not cropping off people's heads!  Let's see if I can make that improvement in week 8!

Thank you so much for being a part of this project and following along!  I'm exited as I enter this next stage.  I'll soon join a photography class or take private lessons and I hope to be able to show you everything I learn as I being to gain actual skills and improve the quality of my pictures.

Thank you!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 6

Week 6 of the 365 Day People Picture Project was filled with 9 beautiful people!  Day 36 - Chip and Marcello

Chip and Marcello are Hammerwise Construction and they were working, on a Sunday evening, on the new Doppelgänger Boutique which is scheduled to open in Downtown Vancouver on September 30th.

I spotted them out of the corner of my eye as I was about to drive away. They were standing just as they are in this photo, already "posed"!  I threw my car in reverse, hopped out of my car and quickly blurted out the nature of this project and asked if they would be day 36.  They asked what they would have to do and I told them they just needed to do exactly what they were doing…"just look cute!"  I don't think  construction workers really want to be instructed to "just look cute," but they did a great job at it!

 Day 37 - Cezanne

Wow!

Cezanne works at a convenience store where I sometimes stop on my way home from work.  She's as friendly as she is beautiful. Between Cezanne and Kristen from Day 38, I think we could call Tyra and tell her we've got two potential candidates for America's Next Top Model!

Day 38 - Kristen

I spotted Kristen snuggled up in a scarf and beanie and reading a book in the park.  I almost didn't approach her because she looked so perfectly content and peaceful!  I sat down at the picnic table with her and we visited for a few moments after I snapped this picture.  Again, I had stumbled upon another girl who is  just as sweet and lovely as she is beautiful.

 Day 39 - Gordon

Gordon was starting the trek up the stairs at Mt. Tabor Park when I stopped to ask him if he would be day 39.  On Wednesdays, Mt. Tabor closes the park to cars so the park fills with downhill longboard skaters.  I'm blown away by their fearlessness.  The hills are steep and not only do they FLY down the hills, but they also have to navigate a few turns as well.  It takes a special kind of nerve to be brave enough to do what they do!  It might be too late in the season now, but I'd love to catch Gordon again sometime when he's actually skating down the hill. I'll be sure to share it when I do.

 Day 40 - Casper & Rose

Rose and Casper were in one of my favorite spots in the entire city of Portland…sitting on a park bench at the top of  (you guessed it) Mt. Tabor Park and waiting for the sun to set.  Rose was visiting from out of town. Casper is a musician and you can check him out on SoundCloud.

I actually have a sightly "better" picture, but even though the quality is better, I decided to show you this picture because I just love Rose's expression as she's looking at Casper.  They both have a fun energy and I think this picture conveys it.

Day 41 - Joseph

If you've ever been to the Costco near the Portland Airport, you'll recognize Joseph!  He's pretty unforgettable! Joseph doesn't just whistle while he works, he full on sings!  When he's working the greeter/card check-in position, he welcomes you with a song and a smile.  I just love it when he's working!

Joseph belts out songs with the confidence of a Grammy-winning artist, but I'm pretty certain he actually started to get a little bashful as I was taking pictures. The other pictures I took just didn't capture his true nature. This was the very first snap, before he had the opportunity to get camera-shy, and it was taken mid-song. I caught him doing what he loves…singing!

Day 42 - Aaron

Aaron was another project-saver!   Just as I was heading out to shoot this afternoon, the rain started to pour.  Not having much daylight left, I just took off driving toward the bluest skies.  I had one last errand to run and I could tell that the blue skies were near the shopping center I needed to go to.   As I was heading into one of the shops, I spotted a cute young man sitting on the sidewalk, obviously on his break from work, and beside him was a giant barrel-sized container of orange cheese puffs.  It was a pretty funny and  unexpected "prop." He agreed to let me take his picture. I quickly composed my shot and then realized…no memory card!  AAGGG!!! I'm such an amateur!  I didn't even have a spare!

The sky was looking like it would start leaking again at any moment, so after saying goodbye to the cheese-puff guy, I proceeded to go purchase another memory card.

When I returned to my car, I saw Aaron parked right next to me and he was assembling a brand new baby-seat.  It was actually looking like an intense project and I was reluctant to interrupt, thinking that Mom and baby would be out any minute and baby needed someplace to sit!

When Aaron agreed to let me take his picture, he had no idea just how much pressure he had lifted from me.  I was really concerned I wasn't going to find a subject before it started to rain again.

Mom and baby (who was actually a toddler) came out just as I was taking Aaron's picture. We visited for just a few minutes and was able to learn that he has just started his own business, Apprize Demolition.

This has been another fun week and I've actually started to follow a few of my subjects on Instagram. It's odd, but so rewarding, to close a week with a few more friendly acquaintances than what I started with.  I'm seeing glimpses of them and their lives via what they share on Instagram and now my heart is a little more full.

I'm nervous heading into fall, not only because of the rain but because of the limited daylight hours. People just don't hang out in the rain! If you have any ideas on how to keep up with the project, I would love to hear from you!  Right now, my thought is to dedicate a week to a certain business. I might go hang out at a particular coffee shop or other business, and for an entire week, all pictures will be of people who were in that particular establishment.   I'm determined to meet this challenge!

If you were a subject this week, or any week, I'd like to give you my sincere thanks.  I can't thank you enough for helping me to make this happen.

If you'd like to see these pictures daily, you can follow me on Instagram. My username on both Twitter and Instagram is: missellanea.  I'd love to follow you, too!

Thank you for checking in on week 6!

Word Wednesday - Seminal Moment

Ok, get your mind out of the gutter…this isn't naughty!

Everyone knows the definition of "moment" so there's no need to define that part of today's Word Wednesday phrase.  Here is the actual definition of "seminal."

sem·i·nal

adjective

1. pertaining to, containing, or consisting of semen.

2. Botany. of or pertaining to seed.

3. having possibilities of future development.

4. highly original and influencing the development of future events: a seminal artist; seminal ideas.

A seminal moment is that brief lapse of time in which something happens that is potentially life changing, or changes the course of things. It is that instant when the seed is planted to develop into something bigger! We experience seminal moments every day but often, we're simply not aware that the seemingly insignificant experience is about to change the course of our entire lives.

My co-worker and I were just discussing one such event.  Several years ago, well over a decade, a customer called me to ask if we could help them with a rush order.  It was a super hot rush and if we were going to make it happen, we had to act quickly.  I called our supplier in California to see if they would be able to turn the job that quickly but our sales rep wasn't yet in the office. Given that it was such a hot rush, I was pretty persistent and asked if there was anyone else who could help me. I was transferred to Trudy,  a sales rep for a different territory.

Trudy (pictured above) wasn't even our sales rep for Oregon but she was a huge help and we worked it out that her company would be able to help us with our rush order.  At the time, this just seemed like another typical situation which we both experienced on a daily basis.  It didn't seem too significant at the time, but that phone call, that seminal moment, changed the course of our lives forever.

After I had placed our order and we buttoned up all of the details, we were able to spend a moment on the phone just visiting.  Trudy casually mentioned how much she loved Portland and somewhat-jokingly asked if we were hiring. That phone call, those few brief words, were the beginning to a pretty awesome change for us both.

Trudy flew into Portland to interview with our company. Given her quick and friendly response to our urgent needs, we already knew she was going to be fabulous.  Within just a few weeks, she moved to Portland and joined our team and has made a huge difference to the company where we work.  Since moving to Portland, she's married her husband and had many other awesome life changes.

Neither of us knew at that moment, the significance of that one single phone call. We both laughed today wondering what would have happened if I had been a little more patient and waited for our Oregon Sales Rep to call me back?  Because of that rush order and my need for a prompt answer,  Trudy's life and all of our lives,  have been forever changed.

It isn't always this easy to identify that single life-changing, seminal moment.  Seemingly insignificant events or interactions with others can actually have a huge impact on our lives. The smallest actions or decisions could actually set our lives on a completely different course.  This…this is what makes me happy and excited to be alive.  In nearly everything we do, we're planting seeds for the future and I'm just so excited to see what grows!