Friday Photo Challenge

Back in July, I was having trouble getting some self portraits together, and decided firmly on starting a 365 photo project on October 1st.

Looking ahead a few weeks, however, that's not going to be feasible. Not an excuse: here's why.

I work part-time with a portrait franchise called L'il Angels. Part-time means that starting next week, it'll be at least 3 days a week but more like 4 or 5 days a week, from approximately 7am to 2pm, through December. Plus weddings and portrait sessions on the weekends, and making time for editing, and for my children, and for Jeremy. Can you imagine getting home from work at 2pm after getting up at 5:30am, having 2 hours to edit tons of photos, run any personal errands, do your laundry, and then pick up your two kids from school (it's a 1/2 hour drive from here), cook dinner, clean up, help with homework, finish up the laundry, write blogs, edit more photos, play with children, bathe children, put children to bed, edit photos, then remember just before you fall asleep that you didn't get your daily photo project in?

I'm the type of girl who would get out of bed and do it, do it poorly because I was too tired, stay up way too late trying to get it right, and repeat the entire process the next day, and the next day, and the next, until I run myself into the ground. Just because I wouldn't want the disappointment of FAILING. Committing to a project is a serious thing for me, and if I didn't follow through, I would really kick myself in the pants for it. So looking at my very full calendar this morning, I decided to postpone the 365 project, to save my sanity and promote healthy sleeping habits.

Still wanting to challenge myself, however, I decided to start with Friday Photo Challenges! Fridays are typically the days I have the most free time, as I usually get everything wrapped up by Thursday. On Friday I usually clean and tie up any loose ends. And being me, never one to wait and prepare for anything, have given myself my first photo challenge on the same day I think up the idea (of course! I am a woman of action, hear my shutter rawwwrr!).

Today's challenge: make grass look good.

Yeah. It's raining, but the grass is still green so I'm heading out in a bit to see what I can do. 

I posed this challenge to myself because as a wedding photographer, I am regularly faced with similar challenges. We take small details, or simple details, and showcase them. Turn them into designer details, with just a click. If I can make grass, regular ol' grass into art? My hope is that I have a head start on thinking creatively on the fly.

On separate note, last night I met with a cool couple, Lauren and Ryan. They are in the process of interviewing photographers for their wedding next November. At one point, Lauren asked Ryan if he had any ideas for their Engagement Session location - and added quickly, "and NO, we're not doing it at the strip club!" But that set off a stream of ideas in my head, which I rambled off to them, and we all had a laugh because they were just... over-the-top. Big. All my conceptual, artistic, coffee-table book ideas are like that. But now I am itching to set that shoot up. Perhaps just for fun, and not for an actual engagement session, but... if you're a cool couple who thinks setting up a photo shoot at a strip club could be fun, please leave a comment with your email or email me through my website.
Strippers, a cigar, and a fedora - it's gonna be edgy. I'm pumped. But first: grass.

***Update*** Here are the photos from the very first Friday Photo Challenge!
The idea behind today's shoot was 'grass'. When I shoot weddings, I either shoot things the way they are presented (like the flower, clover and grass in the first few photos) or I find another area, backdrop or setting to stage them in (like the clover in the cork and seashell photos). Looking at the pictures now, and looking around my house, I may have chosen the most obvious staging locations. Next time I'll search out something more clever. But I do like the way that the photos turned out.