Week 4 - Home

It was about this time three years ago that I first walked into the house that would become mine. I knew it was old, 40 years old at the timer of seeing it. I knew who the owners were and they didn’t have a good reputation, there would be problems with this home and they would not be disclosed. Yet, when I walked into the entryway, with it’s 1970s green mosaic tile and textured wallpaper, an overwhelming feeling came over me. A deep feeling, inside my being. This would be my home. The living room was large with vaulted ceilings and beams, and yes, there was wood paneling on the walls, but it was warm and inviting and just what I wanted people to feel when they entered my home.

Week 3 - Regrets

If anyone tells you they have no regrets, don’t believe them. We ALL have regrets, every single one of us. This is one of mine. When I was young, my parents bought me this used player piano. I doubt the idea was for me to become some world-renowned pianist, but rather to learn some level of self-discipline. I did not discipline myself to learn this instrument. I wanted to be good right away and was not patient to learn at the pace required. It wasn’t until my late 20s that I realized the beginning is where you will fail the most, be frustrated the most, want to give up the most, and it is patience and maturity that says, “stay the course”. I still have that piano. If you pump the pedals it will play songs I will never learn. You may think this is an odd item to keep around, given its size and lack of use. Yet, it reminds me daily to be patient with myself, to be patient with the process of learning, growing and failing. It reminds me to stay the course. 

Week 2 - Railroad Tracks

Why are railroad tracks so photogenic? They run off into the distance, taking our imagination with them. Thoughts of mountains, forests, oceans, or simply somewhere other than here. An adventure longed for, but (for most of us) only realized in our dreams. A meandering journey along the coast of California, with the sound of the seagulls and crash of the ocean waves. Or perhaps you’d go to wild Alaska and bask in the majesty of those imposing mountain views, all the while watching for their elusive wildlife. So is it really the whisper of prospective adventure? Lands unseen and roads not taken? Or maybe they just look good in a nice frame from Target and we're a sucker for good marketing. Yeah, maybe that's it.

Week 1 - Getting Started

I don’t normally make New Year’s resolutions. Mainly because I end up failing around the end of January, mid-February if I’m particularly vigilant. I’m not planning on starting this year either, or at least I’m going to phrase it differently and pretend I didn’t make any resolutions :D I’ll call them challenges instead.

I had a few ideas about how I wanted to challenge myself this year but lacked the motivation to take that leap and get started. I did get that motivation though. It was the bitterly cold morning in the wake of freezing rain the day before. A thin layer of ice coated the ground. My hot cup of coffee was steaming, warming my hands. That brilliant orange ball of fire was just peaking up above the horizon, reflecting off all of the ice and bringing the hope of warmth and clear roads to a frozen city. Something about this new day gave me the motivation I needed. I had to take up the challenge that I had kept at the back of my mind, sharing it with only a few people should I decide not to do it. I'm putting it out there now, and I guess we'll see what happens!

The Challange...

• I would start a blog (and keep it going for longer than a month)
• The blog would consist of a photo taken with my nifty fifty (50mm) lens
• A small narrative of some kind (I’m leaving this portion wide open for creative purposes)
• I would post once a week for 50 weeks

I have very little confidence in my ability to write. I've literally rewritten this intro post a dozen times and made countless corrections and edits. In order to improve my writing, I must practice writing. Am I right?

Next, I rarely use my 50mm lens since my 18-200mm telephoto lens is more versatile. The 50mm, however, is a “fast lens” (More on that here), which will allow me to blur the background and bring your attention to what I think is important in the photo. I’m really excited about this challenge.

I hope you’ll join me on this adventure, I’d love to have you come along!