There, I’ve caught up on sleep for 2011.
The house is full of kids, a few extras just for fun, and we’re spending the day doing NOTHING, whatever that means to each of us. For me, that means sleeping in, not cooking a thing, and playing with my brand new portrait lens. It was a surprise Christmas gift from Kevin and this morning was the first opportunity I’ve had to open it. Well, there were opportunities earlier, of course, but not an expanse of hours to do nothing but take photos. Which is how I’ve spent this morning and early afternoon.
Ideas for new photo projects bound into my brain. I’m so excited to have a lens that allows me to photograph food properly. I love my other lens, but it is meant for panoramas, lovely sweeps of moments, and not for close-ups. All I need now is a good flash and I’m set.
So here are my spontaneous probably over-the-top ambitious plans for photo projects, 2012:
1. Sunday self: a weekly self portrait. Daily is too onerous given the other projects (not just photo related) I’d like to complete this year.
2. 365 days of food: Photographing food is a special art, and not easily accomplished as anyone who’s tried can tell you. It’s difficult to make food look as appetizing as it tastes. There is no better way to learn a new skill than daily practice. Ergo, a daily food photo. I use them on my blog, so it’s practical too. And I’m rolling around the idea for a cookbook project which would tie in very nicely.
3. Portraits of strangers; portraits of friends. Or husbands, as the case may be. This makes me nervous, but is definitely something I’m interested in working on. My friend Nancy would like to attempt, with me, a combined project that would involve photographing our mutual Facebook friends (we have about 34 in common, living as we do in the same ‘hood). More on this to come, if anything comes of it.
Okay, about four hours just slipped away there as I organized my photo files and played with post-processing. Good grief, digital comes with some drawbacks. But I’m good now. I’m ready for the new year, and for the pile of new photos to come–with places for every one. Exciting.
Now to order take-out Chinese for supper. It’s been an excellent, chip-eating, stormy weather, movie-watching, Just-Dance-playing, nothing-doing first day of the new year here at our house. Hope yours has been just as fine.
I look forward to seeing your photo projects for this year. I’m going on my fourth year of taking a picture a day. There are times when it seems a difficult task, but the end product is priceless.
What lens did you get? I’m dreaming of a new lens too.
It’s a 55-200 VR Nikon zoom lens. Got it on sale at Bent’s, which just closed in uptown. Wish I could have afforded the flash too, since it was also on sale. I love natural lighting but want something subtle for low light settings.
Do you take a self-portrait a day? Or a photo a day? Do you work with a theme?
Photo a day to capture the everyday moments of my family.
I’m a natural light junkie too. I own a great Canon flash but never use it. I’ve used it once all year. (I bought it for photographing weddings.) I’d be happy to share some tips on low light photography sometime. If you know a few basics and have a fast lens (one with a low f-stop number) you don’t need a flash. Email me.
That would be really helpful. But I don’t have your email! Mine is carrieannesnyder and I’m on gmail.
Carrie,
Any idea why I can see your Festive Suppers post on my blogroll, but can’t actually look at it when I click on it?
It says: Sorry, the page you were looking for in the blog Obscure CanLit Mama does not exist.
Strange.
I am looking forward to seeing/hearing about your projects this year, too. Especially your athletic ones. Let me know if you sign up for the half….gulp! Half Iron, that is!
Hope to see you soon!
T
Sorry, Tricia, that entry accidentally published a day earlier than I meant it to, so I took it down. Where are you seeing it? It’s scheduled to publish tomorrow instead.
What do you think about the half? Do you have any interest? I’m still not sure, but it’s in the back of my mind. I’d like to bump up my swimming to twice weekly over the winter and increased my distance and speed. I definitely plan to do a regular-length triathlon though.