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!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 5

Week 5  of the 365 Day People Picture Project - finished! One benefit of this project is that it is forcing me to break out of my rigid routine and play tourist, even if it's for only a few moments at a time.  Venturing outside of my comfortable little bubble has left me feeling re-charged and like I've had a little mini-vacation.

 Day 29 - Juno and her Human

I ran into Juno and her human on one such mini-vacation.   They were strolling along the walkway on the Columbia River.  Juno had just gone for a swim when she and her human stopped to be day 29.  Check out how intently Juno is staring at her human mama!

It was such a beautiful afternoon/evening, so I decided to stay a little longer and take a walk on the beach.  This picture is looking at the I5 Bridge which crosses from Vancouver, WA, and into Portland, OR.

Day 30 - "Guy on Bench"

This guy has the bluest eyes I've ever seen!  He was hanging out in the park, waiting to meet someone for dinner.

 Day 31 - "Guy Walking by my Work"

Our interaction was short and sweet!  He also had a friend with him but she was a little camera shy.

 Day 32 - Garza

Garza and I were both picking up our cars from the mechanic at the same time.   The shop had parked our cars next to each other.  I was ready to leave, but my car was blocked so I had the perfect opportunity to ask Garza if he'd be day 32.  He agreed, but I had to "work" for it.

Garza heads the NEU Soccer Club so he had a car full of soccer balls, gear, and empty boxes that once contained soccer gear.  He had to transfer the gear from one car to another and in return for him being the subject for day 32, he asked if I could help him move a big box.  I would happily help all of my subjects move boxes!  I feel so indebted to each of them for allowing me to take their picture and share it with you!

Day 33 - Steve the Swan and Mike

I first saw Steve the Swan about a month ago as I was driving down a fairly busy street in Portland.  I thought he was in distress and in need of rescuing!  After slamming on my brakes and inching past, I realized he was "stuffed".  I was so relieved after I realized that he was taxidermy.  I'm getting quite proficient at rescuing lost dogs and I can now fashion a leash out of pretty much anything, but I didn't know how in the world I was going to rescue a swan!

Since that day, I've learned that Steve is quite the party animal.  I drive by his house nearly every day.  Steve, Mike and the other roommates are often hanging outside in the sun. Steve the Swan is an attention-grabber and people often stop by to visit with the bunch.  Mike and his roommates have met a lot of new friends because of Steve the Swan. Talk about a wingman!

Mike told me the story of Steve.  Steve, when he was alive, was actually the pet of their neighbor-lady across the street.  Poor Steve was killed in a car accident and his owner had him taxidermied.  She gave the taxidermied Steve to Mike and the other roommates and Steve now looks over the neighborhood and across the street to his previous human mama.

Steve the Swan is so popular, don't be surprised if someday he has his very own beer named after him!

In the short time that I was hanging out with Mike and Steve, another woman stopped by and asked to take her picture with Steve.  The guys living at the house welcome all of the visitors and new friends!  I guess you can't set out a nearly 4 foot tall taxidermy swan in your front yard and not expect to meet new friends.

Mike was such a nice guy and encouraging of my project.  Mike wants to be a photographer. I explained that I'm not a photographer, but he was pretty insistent that if someone takes a picture every day for a year, then they are a photographer.  Maybe not a skilled photographer, but they are indeed a photographer.  We both laughed, as that's the category I fall into!  With Steve the Swan as his buddy, Mike would have no problem finding subjects.

Day 34 - RV

I ventured to a little park near my house and was surprised to see there were three volleyball games happening!  I LOVE VOLLEYBALL!  What I was most surprised to see, was that all of the players were men! I stopped at one of the courts, where RV was the referee, and asked if women could play. He assured me that women were welcome.  He actually invited me to play right then and there, but I was wearing a dress and heels. Although I wasn't able to play that day, RV was nice enough to be day 34.   I'm not sure if I'll make it back this season, but I'm definitely going back next summer!

Day 35 - David and Meghaan

I was having a bit of an off day today and unable to find any subjects.  My day was so off, I didn't even find a subject at Portland Saturday Market.  If you've ever been to the Saturday Market, you understand just how unbelievable that is! One would think it impossible to go to Saturday Market and not be able to find at least a couple dozen interesting and/or beautiful subjects.

I decided to head across the river and over to Downtown Vancouver.  I spotted David and Meghaan as soon as I entered the park because of their cute matching Ducks t-shirts.  I wandered the park for a while but got the feeling that my best hope for the day was going to be the cute couple in the Ducks T's.

I approached them to ask if they'd be willing to be day 35 and they agreed.   As I was asking their names and if there's anything I could promote, we discovered that we have a lot in common!

David is a screen printer and owns his own company, Moreland Print.  (I also work for a company that does screen print and embroidery.)  Meghaan works for one of our vendors who sells screen printing supplies, and one of my former co-workers now works with Meghaan!   I enjoyed visiting with them both and now I'm glad I didn't find a subject at Saturday Market because I wouldn't have been able to meet David and Meghaan, who are both just as nice as could be.

I could have easily stayed and talked screen printing with them for hours!  That is the beauty of screen printing…we're all pretty friendly competitors and our shared love of screen printing is an instant connection.

Meghaan and David were such a sweet couple and I wish them lots of luck and success!

Week 5 felt less like a photography project and more like a go-out-and-meet-potential-new-friends-project!

I do have a happy thing to report to you! One of my friends, who is actually a real photographer, has been inspired by my little project and wants to start one of her own!  She's not sure about the specifics yet, but just hearing that I've contributed inspiration to her in some small way, has been a huge compliment and is one of my main objectives with this entire project.

If there's something you want to do - don't wait any longer!  Whether it be a photography project, completing a marathon, or some sort of life change - just take that first step and prepare for great things to happen!  It doesn't matter if conditions aren't perfect when you start, and you may have a long journey ahead, but that's ok!  Take that first step and you'll build momentum as you go along.

Thank you for checking in on week 5.  If you'd like to follow along during the week, I post the pictures daily to my Instagram.  My username is: missellanea and I'd love to follow you too!

Thank you!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 4

Week 4 of the 365 Day People Picture Project is complete! Day 22 - Robert

Robert is my neighbor and he was a lifesaver when he let me take his picture. Ok, "lifesaver" may be a bit dramatic, but he was definitely a project-saver!  I did 24 miles that day.  After finishing, it was my intention to go home, clean-up,  and then go downtown to shoot.  Well, you remember how badly I was hurting after just 21 miles…add 3 more miles of pain on top of that and the result was that I was in no condition to go back out to find a subject.  As luck would have it, my neighbor was outside in his garage when I pulled into my driveway.  I had the strength to hobble across the street, explain the project and my need for a subject, and Robert obliged.

We've lived across the street from Robert for 15 years and sadly, we're still basically strangers.  I do know enough about him to know that he's a pretty awesome guy and we're very lucky to have him as our neighbor.  My husband was seriously injured in a work accident several years ago. He had to miss work for several weeks and he really couldn't do hardly anything in order to recover.   Right before his injury, our lawn-mower died and purchasing a new one just wasn't on the top of the priority list. (But our lawn had gone to hell and it was getting embarrassing!)   We came home one day and Robert had mowed our lawn for us!   That was just about the nicest thing that anyone could have done for us during that tough time.  I feel a little safer knowing Robert is just right across the street.

Day 23 -  My Step-Brother-In-Law

My in-laws hosted a lovely barbecue on Labor Day and although there were over 20 people there,  I didn't have any "volunteers" to be the subject for day 23.  My poor Step-Brother-In-Law let me take his picture for the project, simply because he is just too nice of a guy to say no.

 Day 24 - Richard & Margie

Richard and Margie are from New Jersey and were visiting Mt. Tabor Park.  They asked me how to get to the top and I explained the most direct route was up the 265 stairs, which is a bit of a killer, but the view of Portland from the top of Mt. Tabor Park is worth each step. Watching the sunset from the top of Mt. Tabor is one of my greatest simple pleasures and I hope these two were able to enjoy a beautiful sunset.

 Day 25 - Ian

Ian was playing tennis with his little daughter.  Ian was injured several years ago and because of his injury, sometimes his back will go out and knock him out of commission for a few days or even weeks.  That day was the first day he had really been active since the 4th of July.  After several trips to a chiropractor, he finally felt well enough to play a little tennis with his daughter.  He explained that it's the good days, like the one he and his daughter were having that day, which help him to get through the not-so-good days.  He does his best to pull himself together so that he and his daughter can enjoy life and have fun together.

 Day 26 - Randy

Randy is a co-worker and friend.  He's also pretty inspiring to me.  In addition to working full time and being a husband and father, he also maintains Skate and Annoy, a skateboard blog, and owns a skateboard company.  I really don't know how he does it all!  Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed or like I can't do this, I think about Randy and realize just how much he's juggling and he still maintains his blog and posts almost daily.

Day 27 - Jan 

I met Jan in the parking lot of Costo on Friday evening.  She was pushing her cart to the return area when she offered it to me.  I took it, and took the opportunity to ask her if she'd like to be day #27.  Her personality was just about as bright as the colors in her jacket.  I was so impressed with Jan.  She looked like she may have been in a little pain and maybe had a little trouble walking but she had just conquered shopping at Costco on a Friday night and still managed to be the friendliest person there.

My brief interaction with Jan washed away the worries of my week and set the tone for me to have a very happy weekend.  Imagine if all of our interactions with strangers could be so positive.  We really do have the power to shape our experiences if we just put in a little effort to be a little more kind with one another.  Even if we're not in the best of mood, if we can manage to at least share a smile and a friendly word with a stranger, both people leave the interaction feeling happier.

Day 28 - Arron

I decided to head down to the Vancouver Farmers Market in order to find a fun subject to close week 4.  I had been wandering around the market for a while when I turned around and found Arron's, Absolutely Juicy booth.  We printed t-shirts for Absolutely Juicy, so it was fun to run into a customer there!

Arron is another inspiration in that he turned his passion for eating and living healthy, into a full-time business.  When you're able to work doing that which you love, that is success!  Next time you're at the Vancouver Farmers Market, keep an eye out for Absolutely Juicy and give them a try!

Thank you so much for following along.  I feel I have a lot of work to do, but it would be my hope that somehow, these pictures will touch you in some way. Even better, perhaps these pictures and my experiences will inspire you to open up, a little more than usual, to the people you encounter in a day. Most of these interactions have been quite brief but the impact I've felt will last a lifetime.

I Instagram these pictures daily and if you'd like to follow along, my Instagram and Twitter username is missellanea.

Thank you!

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 3

Week 3 is a wrap! In case you're checking out the 365 Day People Picture Project for the first time, I've been taking a photograph of a person (or people) every day for the past three weeks.   A few of the pictures are of people I know, but the majority of my subjects have been strangers.  I post the pictures daily on Instagram and will post the weekly recap here on Sundays.  My goal is to take a picture, daily, for an entire year!

Day 15 - Mario

I met Mario on my favorite trail.  He had just run 4 miles and was stretching, and I had just aborted my 14 mile walk - only 3.5 miles into it. I  had been stung by a wasp, and as you can probably guess from this picture, we were caught in a total downpour!

Mario told me that he runs a race nearly every weekend.  It's no wonder he was such a trooper and let me take his picture in the pouring rain.  A few raindrops mean nothing to a person who races nearly every week!

Day 16 - "Creighton"

I didn't realize it until later, but Mario and "Creighton" look like they could be related!  "Creighton" was at the stairs of one of Portland's best "outdoor gyms."  It's not really a gym, it's a park.  The park is so popular with runners, walkers, cyclists and skateboarders, I think we could actually call it a fitness park.  "Creighton" was waiting for the rest of his group to arrive when I approached him to be day #16. I could tell he was a little unsure of me at first, but once he decided to let me take his picture, he went above and beyond the duties of being a subject!  He actually did a stair climb down the stairs.  This takes so much strength that I would be too embarrassed to even try it.  He did it with less effort than it takes me to walk up the stairs on my own two feet.  After taking his picture, my friend and I continued with our workout and ran into him and his group a few more times as they were alternating between running the stairs and doing these brutal climbs.

Day 17 - Christina

Christina is a manager/cashier at the grocery store near my work.  Don't worry, we weren't holding up the express line!  Christina's friendliness is just what I needed, at just the right time.

Although Mario and "Creighton" were both excellent subjects, I had been stressed on both of those days and quite worried about finding subjects.  When it started to pour on Sunday, I was struck with the reality that winter would soon be here and I am such a newbie, I don't even know how to take pictures in the rain. I mean, I'm sure that rain can't be good for a camera.  As I was contemplating the need for a waterproof housing, I then realized that it is going to be extremely challenging to find subjects once we change from daylight savings time.  When I stopped at the grocery store that morning and was met with Christina's cheerful smile, I just knew that everything will work out as long as I don't get too worked up about it.  There are friendly and willing people all over and when it gets dark and rainy, I'll just have to look for them a little harder and indoors.  It's going to be ok.

 Day 18 - Jacob

My co-worker and I were on our way back to the office when we spotted Jacob and his roofing crew, who were just wrapping up their lunch break.  I had to move quickly because the guys were just about to hop in their truck to drive away.  Had Jacob been alone when we approached him, I'm pretty sure he would have declined. Luckily, his co-workers basically ribbed him into being day 18.

Day 19 - Melissa

 

I had just parked my car and was contemplating on whether I should do my workout and then search for a subject, or vice versa, when somebody parked right in front of me.  I waited to see who would get out of the van, thinking maybe this person could be my day 19.  As soon as I saw the person exit the van, I just knew she would be it!  When she exited her van all I could see was this natural beauty carrying a giant bouquet of flowers.  I didn't know if she was making a floral delivery, or perhaps meeting someone for a picnic in the park.

I explained the project and she happily agreed to let me take her picture.  She was so sweet and she thought it was so cool that she was going to "be a part of an art project."  Wow, I hadn't ever thought of it like that!  As we were talking, I asked where she was headed with the flowers and she explained she was on her way to a memorial service in the park. Of course, I was completely shocked to hear she was there for such a sad occasion. I was little choked up as I gave her my condolences, but she assured me it was going to be a big celebration of life.  All the while, she had the most caring and genuine smile on her face.  If the person whose service she was attending had other friends as lovely as Melissa, then I'm certain that person had a wonderful life and was very much loved. And indeed, it was to be a celebration.

Later that evening, I was looking at the Instagram picture I had posted of Melissa and I had tears running down my cheeks. My husband asked if I was ok and what was the matter.  I explained I was fine but that I had been really affected by my subject that day.  I explained how Melissa was so nice and seemed so happy, she flashed the biggest smile, but she was dealing with some really sad stuff and people would never know. It just made me sad to know that every day, people are dealing with sad things and they give us a smile, and we just never know…

 Day 20 - Becky, Gina and Rindy

For the past two years, I've accidentally stumbled upon the Kumoricon Anime Convention in Downtown Vancouver.  Friday was such a beautiful day and I had already made up my mind to find a subject in downtown Vancouver after work.  I was just thinking there would be several people out enjoying one of our last sunny days and the likelihood that I could find a subject in the park would be quite high.   What I quickly realized, (after seeing a group of "vikings") is that I had struck people-watching gold and for the third year in a row, I had managed to be downtown during Kumoricon!

I can't even begin to describe how awesome this event is!  People from all over the country come to this convention and they go all out with their costuming!  Some of the attendees look like they spend the entire year planning their costumes.  The event site is actually the Hilton Hotel but the attendees often spill into the neighboring Esther Short Park.  For three days, you can see just about any anime character you could possibly imagine, just hanging out in the park.

I wandered around searching for just the right person to be day 20.  You're never going to guess who I found?! Waldo! Yep! I found Waldo!  I figured that Waldo had to be day 20!  There was just one problem.  Waldo was surrounded by a ton of people who were all just as excited to have found her as I had been. (This Waldo was actually a girl.)  Although the novelty of having Waldo as day 20 would have been awesome, I started thinking that there were tons of other people there who would also make for a great picture. So, I patiently searched until I found this beautiful Trio!  I could see their parasols and Gina and Rindy's purple locks coming from a mile away.  These young ladies are not actually specific characters, they're just their own beautiful creation.

Day 21 - Jen and Tony

I was on my way back to Downtown Vancouver to capture another Anime character but I decided to take a different exit and head toward the waterfront instead.  After I parked, I asked Tony directions to the walk-way but then decided to ask him if he'd be interested in being day 21.  He agreed and also volunteered his friend, Jen!

They had just run 3 miles in a very hot and humid 90 degrees!  Jen is training for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon and Tony is training for another Tough Mudder race.  Before I snapped this picture, we had just been laughing about the possibility of Tony dressing up as Tinkerbell and joining Jen for the Disney race.  I have a feeling they're both going to do great in their races. It was such a hot day and if they were able to tough it out in this heat, their training will pay off.

It's been another great week, even though it started with a little uncertainty.  I know that as winter approaches, I'll have to strategize to make sure I'll be able to meet the 365 day challenge.  That's good though, right?  It'll force me to get a little creative in order to push through the rainy months ahead.

I think each of these people has left an impression in my mind that is going to last a very long time. I'm grateful to each of them for reminding me just how kind people can be.

Thank you for checking in on week three!

If you'd like to follow along daily, my Instagram username is: missellanea.

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 2

Week 2 of the 365 Day People Picture Project is now complete!  Although I don't feel like I've made significant progress in my photography skills, yet, I've gained a great deal of confidence in my "pitch" and I'm experiencing more unexpected personal improvements. I wasn't  as nervous this week as I was last week when approaching strangers to ask if I could take their picture for the project.  I've also noticed I've become a little more outgoing even when I don't have the camera with me.

I really noticed a change in myself this morning on my walk/run. I'm always courteous on the trail as I pass other runners and walkers and I always give the obligatory "g'mornin," accompanied with a smile or a nod, but I've actually started to become talkative and inviting of conversation. (this is an accomplishment when you're pushing yourself and you're hot, tired and in pain.)  There are several "regulars" who I've been seeing on the trail for the past few years and today, I actually stopped and visited with a few of them. I left the trail this morning having experienced a true sense of "community" that I could have been feeling all along, had I not been so shy. This experience is bringing me out of my shy little shell.

 Day 8 - Mary

I stumbled upon a street faire happening in Downtown Vancouver. The event was winding down but there was one booth that was still quite the party.  There were kids and toys everywhere.  I glanced over and saw Mary. She owns Kazoodles Toys and when I noticed her, she looked like she was having just as much fun as all of the kids who were playing with her toys.

 Day 9 - Dog Walker

The photo that I posted on Instagram for day 9 was a better picture but it was just a headshot.   I couldn't really call her  "dog walker" unless I also showed her dog, Tater.   I don't think either of them really wanted the interruption in their walk but they stopped anyway.  I had to be quick so they could resume walking.  Seeing that Tater's bag was empty, I know that they had to get on their way because Tater needed to take care of his "business".

Day 10 - Donovan

Donovan is an amazing tattoo artist and I've known him for nearly 13 years.  We're both each other's client. He orders t-shirts from me, and he's done 2 of my tattoos.  I guess you could say that we sell ink to one another.  Although we've known each other for over a decade, we talked more (or more in depth) in the few short minutes that I was taking his picture, than we've ever talked before.  My focus these past two weeks has been on learning how to connect with each subject.  With strangers, I have just a few moments to try to make that connection, or to at least get some sort of read on them in order to find and capture their sparkle.  I took a few snaps of Donovan at work about a month ago and those pictures had a completely different feel than this one. Having just shared a few stories with one another, we connected differently than we had in the past and I think this picture was a result. I was able to see a different sparkle.

Day 11 - Charles 

I was stopped at a red light when I saw Charles waiting at the bus stop. I pulled my car over to park and then approached him.  He was clicking away on his cell phone but he didn't seem at all annoyed when I interrupted him to ask if I could take his picture.  When I first noticed him, Charles was concentrating on his phone and probably already thinking about work, but as soon as we started talking, it felt as though I was receiving his full attention.  It was interesting to watch him go from looking a little pre-occupied and possibly even anxious, to looking like he was completely present.  I asked him if he would like to share a quote and he replied, "oh, I'm not very quotable."

Day 12 - Kay (or possibly, Anne)

This was the fastest shot yet!  Again, I spotted Kay (or possibly, Anne) waiting at a bus stop.  I pulled over to the side of the road and got out of my car.  I realized I had just passed the bus a few moments ago so this was going to be tough.  I looked up and the bus was only a couple blocks away. I quickly asked Kay, "is that your bus?"  She confirmed, so I told her, "Ok, I'll be quick…"  I then explained the project and asked if she would be day #12.  I didn't think she would go for it. I could tell she was thinking that there wasn't enough time for this but she agreed so I started snapping away. However, I knew I wasn't getting any nice shots. The bus started moving toward us and all of the sudden, she looked up at me with the sweetest smile in the world, I caught it, thanked her, and then we went on our separate ways.  I think the whole interaction lasted just 45 seconds.  It happened so quickly that didn't even have time to write her name  in my journal. It was a one-syllable name and I thought it would be so easy to remember that I could just write it down as soon as I got to work.  Well, I was mistaken.  Although I slipped up on her name, her smile is totally unforgettable!

Day 13 - April

April is a cashier at a convenience store and she has to be one of the friendliest cashiers in Portland.  Talk about making a connection…you can't go into her store without leaving there in a better mood.  Her personality and fancy make-up makes you feel happy and festive. April explained that she started wearing fancy make-up so that her boss would keep her on the graveyard shift where there are fewer customers.  Her plan backfired.  April's customers love her and her make-up so much, her boss schedules her on one of the busiest shifts  and he all but insists she wear her fancy face.  I mentioned to April that she could have an excellent side business doing make-up and face painting at parties and events.    Talking to April feels like you're talking with an old friend, but the minute I pulled out the camera, I could feel she clammed up. I would do the very same thing if some stranger were taking my picture.  Although I was able to get a pretty shot of her make-up, this picture just doesn't accurately convey her pretty personality.

 Day 14 - Chandra and Alin

Chandra is a hair stylist and she also just started a beauty blog.  She is one of the most talented, passionate, and knowledgable stylists around.  She had just finished cutting my hair and we were visiting when her newlywed Husband, Alin, arrived to pick her up from work.  He didn't know he was walking right into being day 14.

In theory, this should have been the easiest day of the past two weeks. Aside from them each being very beautiful people, Chandra has done quite a bit of modeling and Alin is a professional photographer.  I had all the makings of a perfect photo: no time pressures, two very beautiful people who are also two very lovey newlyweds,  one subject is a model,  the other is a professional photographer, we had their adorable little yorkie terrier, and what I thought was going to make for a cool background which was the salon logo on the front of the window.

Although I had all of the ingredients to make a beautiful picture, I didn't follow the recipe. I was quite disappointed with myself.  I had taken over ten pictures and although I love this picture because of the look in Chandra's attentive eyes, I really expected that I had captured several more beautiful shots.  I learned something extremely important from this little shoot with Chandra and Alin.  It is possible to take less-than-perfect pictures of extremely beautiful people.  I didn't realize it at the time but I half-assed it, thinking I couldn't fail because Chandra and Alin are both very attractive.  With all but a few of the other subjects, I was under a great deal of time pressure and had to work hard to get in, find the right angle, find each subject's sparkle, and then capture that sparkle.  With Chandra and Alin, we had all the time in the world and those two have more sparkle than glitter but just because your subjects are pretty, doesn't mean you can let them do all of the work. You still have to work hard for your shot.  I do love this picture of Chandra and Alin because it touches my heart.  I just want to learn how to touch the hearts of others.   What I thought was going to make for a super cool background, the logo in the window, actually made for a distraction and I should have noticed that when I was taking the pictures.  Alin was so helpful and gave me a few excellent pointers to help with the project.  Afterward, I regretted that I hadn't taken the time and switched out to a different lens. Alin was patient and willing to share as much information as I could soak in.  I should have been a better sponge.  I've seen just a little of Alin's professional work and he's really good.  As it was, I did learn from my mistakes.  Alin and Chandra have so many lovely photographs of themselves, I'm sure they're just as happy that I was able to learn something from this experience than they would have been had I captured the most perfect photo ever.  Chandra and Alin, if you happen to read this - thank you both for being so awesome.

As time goes on, I'm sure my skills will improve. It just takes time and practice.  I'm feeling instant gratification on the changes that are occurring in my own head and heart. Learning how to open up to strangers, and to get them to reciprocate, has been a rewarding experience and I know I'm a better person for it.  I just need to learn how to capture and share that feeling with you.

Thanks for checking in on week 3!  If you'd like to follow along daily, I'm missellanea on Instagram, or you can search for #365daypeoplepictureproject.

365 Day People Picture Project - Week 1

Week 1 of my 365 Day People Picture Project is now complete! This has been one of the most interesting and happiest weeks in my life.  I knew when I started this project that I could possibly meet some interesting people, but I had no idea how profoundly I would be affected.  Guess what?  Every person we meet, every single day, is interesting and beautiful in their own way.

I was struck with the thought on Thursday, that "I'm happy. I feel really happy!"  I've been overwhelmed with emotions and I've been feeling grateful to be alive.  The pressure of peak season has eased a bit at work and combined with the start of this project, I'm feeling more like my old self again.  I'm happy.

It has been only 7 days but  I've already felt a huge impact from the people I've encountered this week. I have noticed one thing in these few short days.  I feel less nervous approaching a man than I do when approaching a woman. It can feel intimidating to approach a woman. I realize part of the reason that I'm a little nervous approaching women is because I don't want to startle or scare them.  Aside from that reason, I think we ladies can walk around looking completely un-approachable and we don't even realize it.  I think it is difficult for us to let go of our thoughts and while our minds are drifting elsewhere, our bodies and faces can project a look of "stay away."  I think another aspect to it could be that as women, we're always on guard. We have to be, for our own safety.  I'm going to have to figure out how to gain enough confidence to be able to approach more women, but balanced confidence so that I don't become intimidating or annoying.

These pictures are "fresh daily."  I'm not stockpiling photos. Part of the challenge for me is finding the courage to approach a stranger, and when I do find that nerve, it has been quite rewarding.  Five out of these first seven days have been pictures of strangers but I started out with an easy one.

Day 1 - My Husband

I was able to ease into the project knowing that I was going to have dinner with my in-laws on day one.  I knew I already had 4 potential subjects so I wasn't too stressed on day 1.  I was hoping to get a perfect picture of my husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law but I just didn't get the right snap.  It's ok. It was only appropriate to open the project with a photo of my husband. We've been married for 19 years and he's my best friend. He "gets me" and he still loves me anyway.

I have an extremely tight schedule with work and training for the Portland Marathon, so the majority of the pictures from Monday through Friday will be taken on my way to work in the morning.  I had made it all the way to work on day 2 and hadn't been able to summons the courage to stop and ask a stranger if I could take their picture. I was near-meltdown, thinking I was already a huge failure and I was only able to make it 1 day into the project when all of the sudden, just a few footsteps away from the front door to my office, a nice young man named Trenton just happened to be walking by.

Day 2 - Trenton

Trenton was wearing headphones and my repeated attempts to get his attention were ignored so I sort of had to run after him and tap him on the shoulder.  He removed one of his ear phones and I gave him the biggest smile I could muster and said "Hi!  Are you in a hurry?"  I was so nervous that I was actually shaking.  I know I totally stumbled over the words but somehow I was able to explain that I had challenged myself to a 365 day picture project and asked if he'd be my #2.  I was completely surprised, but he said yes without hesitation.

I asked if he wanted to share a quote and I could tell that he really wanted to say something meaningful but having caught him completely off-guard, he was stumped. Trenton was on his way to work when I stopped him, "another day another dollar,"  he said happily.  Trenton made my day!

Day 3 - Bailey

Bailey is day 3. She was loading up her car in the parking lot of a motel when I spotted her. I had actually first spotted a professional-looking young lady in a great pencil skirt and blouse as she was walking down the street. I pulled my car over to the side of the road to take her picture but  I could just tell that she didn't want to be bothered.  Feeling a little bummed, I turned around and noticed Bailey.  We were in sort of a bad neighborhood so I expected her to be extremely cautious of me but she was super friendly.  She was hurried, but friendly.  She and her friend were on their way to the coast.  I asked  if she had any dreams and she said she wants to be a Psychologist.  I wonder if she was analyzing me?

After I took this shot, I realized there had been a shadow on her face.  I explained there was a shadow and asked her to step to the side for another try.  It was my first time giving direction to a subject! Wow! I was feeling like a photographer!  Bailey is stunning. It doesn't look like she's wearing one bit of make-up and she still just radiates beauty.  Although I did end up getting a better shot without the shadow, I was drawn to this photo and chose it over the others.  Bailey wants to be a psychologist some day so the shadow seems appropriate. Psychology is about shedding light on the shadows of our minds.

Day 4 - Anna

Anna is day 4.  I pulled into a park-and-ride bus stop on my way to work just knowing there had to be someone there willing to let me take a picture.  It was peak rush hour time so I figured I had really good odds.  I immediately spotted an older bearded gentleman who looked like a gnome incarnate.  He rejected me. My first rejection…from a gnome.  I was crushed.  I thought I had been friendly but he still said no.  I felt so defeated that I was just going to leave. I was walking back to my car when I saw Anna as she was waiting for a bus.   Anna is a DJ and you can check her out on sound cloud.  I loved her colorful hair and she was just such a sweetie!

 Day 5 - "Anonymous Heroes"

"Anonymous Heroes" are day 5.  I named them "Anonymous Heroes" because they're EMT's and, well, they save lives!  Talk about bashful!  I felt nervous approaching them. They have intense jobs and I didn't want to get in the way if they got a call or anything.  But I really wanted to get a cool picture of them in their uniforms and looking through their window.   I didn't exactly capture the look I wanted but that's because I'm inexperienced…things like this will improve with time.  The passenger was so embarrassed.  Before this shot, he was bright red and they weren't going to do it.  I explained that, technically, I was a person in need and they would really be helping me.  When I presented it that way, they couldn't refuse. It is in their nature to help people.  For a couple of guys who are normally on the giving end of help, the quote I did manage to get from the passenger as I was taking his picture was "HELP ME!"

Day 6 - Joey

Joey is day 6.  Joey had invited me to tag along to a concert/movie in the park to watch a Cure cover band. I arrived pretty early and I was glad I did. It was the best people-watching ever! If I hadn't imposed a rule on myself against stockpiling photos - I could have taken enough pictures to last for the whole year! I should have known that a Cure cover band would attract some of Portland's most interesting and beautiful people.

Joey is an artist, drummer, vegan, and he actually sewed a shark outfit for his little dog to wear. He just wrapped up a show in LA and he currently has a few of his paintings of Sharon Tate hanging in the former home she shared with Roman Polanski, the home where she was murdered. I won't tell you about the intense experience he had there, in the hopes he'll write about it on his blog. Let's just say, if you didn't believe in ghosts before, you certainly would if you heard his story.  (Joey's wife is a constant source of inspiration and is basically the spark that helped ignite my little Miss Ellanea flame.)

Day 7 - "Bruce"

"Bruce" is day 7.  I'm really stumped on this one. I'm at a loss and don't know what I can and should share.  It's a fun story, but I just don't want to get the guy in trouble and I feel like I owe my subjects a certain level of confidentiality/privilege.  Bruce, if you ever read this, I'm sorry if I've over-shared.

I had just completed 21 brutal miles on my favorite trail at the lake.  It was the slowest, ugliest, 21 miles in all of my training. I was having a horribly off day.  It was another one of those times where the only reason I was able to finish is because there was absolutely no other way around it. I had to get back to my car.  I was exhausted and stressed knowing that I still had to find a subject for the day.  I had made up my mind that I was just going to ask Chase, a guy who does Kayak Rentals at the end of the trail, to be my subject. If Chase wasn't there, I was just going to ask whoever was working that day.  I dragged myself across the pretend finish line (the kayak rental station) and they were absolutely swamped. I could hardly even stand at that point. I was dizzy and torn up.  There was no way I could wait for them to finish checking in all of the soon-to-be-kayakers.  Just then, I saw a beautiful older woman.  She had beautiful eyes and I thought she would make for a striking black and white photo,given her dark hair, beautiful eyes, and beautiful complexion.  I made it back to my car to collect my camera when I realized…I couldn't move another step.  Although she was only about 50 yards away, that was 49 more than I could walk at that point.  Did i mention, those 21 miles tore me up?

Plan B.  Knowing that I didn't even have the strength to walk back to the woman, I decided that I was going to ask one of the people in the SUV parked right next to me. They looked like they were ready to leave so I had to act quickly.  I quickly blurted out the question to the person standing closest to me, asking if he had time to let me take a picture? I briefly explained my picture project and he actually seemed genuinely interested. He said he didn't have time.  They had to leave because they had to get to the airport.  I was listening to the almost-rejection but still readying my camera. I explained it would only take a second…I could just take the picture right there in the parking lot. Here's the part where I don't know if I'm breaking our "privilege."  His next question stuck me as odd. He said, "do I have to give you my real name? I can give you my fake name, but not my real name."  I expect that many people throughout this project will give me "a" fake name but he specifically said, "my fake name" as though he has practice with a pseudonym. He was super nice and actually sort of encouraging and interested in the project. He explained that he can't use his real name because he would get in trouble with his job.    He told me his name is "Bruce."  By then, the family he was with noticed that poor "Bruce" was about to become my subject #7 and they started to check things out.  A very nice lady came around the SUV to where we were standing and said "he's famous."  "Bruce" minimized her statement and said, "well, almost-famous."  I apologized and said I didn't recognize him. They had just finished Kayaking on the lake and were going to have dinner before heading to the airport to send "Bruce" back home to the east coast.

Trying to put Bruce at ease, I  attempted to make friendly chit-chat (even though I felt like I could collapse at any moment) and I learned they were first going to have steamer clams for dinner before taking Bruce to the airport.  Bruce specified, "steamers and oreos."  I asked if he would like to be quoted, or if he could be quoted, and he said, "I love this dog, June."  I thought he was making fun of me at that point, but then when I saw June, she was quite a pretty little pup and she was definitely a dog worthy of being praised by the  famous or near-famous "Bruce."

I had a lot of fun with "Bruce" and his family/friends.  They were all super friendly and and I even gave them my card.  I was surprised by how patient they were considering they were under time constraints to leave.  I was even more surprised and struck by how nice they were to me and how much genuine interest they seemed to have taken in the project.  I was sweaty, smelly, dirty and gross. I tried not to get too close and at one point, I apologized, explaining I had just finished 21 miles. Not only were they encouraging of the project, but then they encouraged me for that accomplishment. Wow, talk about nice folks!

I left that interaction thinking about the cliche, "strangers are just friends we haven't met yet."  My entire week has felt a little like this.  We pass people by each day and if we took even just a moment to learn their story, how differently we may feel about others and ourselves.  There are really good people out there. They are kind and patient, they are heroes in disguise, or even in a hero's uniform.  The people I've met this week (and the two subjects I already knew) have given me the best week I've ever had.  51 more weeks of this?  I'm in!

If you were one of my subjects from this week and happen to be reading this. Thank you. Thank you for your time, and for being willing to open yourself up to me.  I'm wishing you the best!

NOTE: If you'd like to follow along on instagram, i'm "missellanea" and I'll post pictures daily. Thank you for coming along on week #1!

365 Day People Picture Project

I've had an idea floating around in my head for a few months and, by now, the thought should have subsided if it was just another one of my passing ideas. Since the thought has not diminished, but rather, has elevated into a burning desire, then I know I need to implement my little idea. The thought that has been gnawing at my mind is a photography challenge. I want to challenge myself to take a picture of a person, every single day, for 1 year. I will instagram the photo daily and then post a recap of the collection of photos from the week, here, on Saturday or Sunday.

There are just a few major hurdles in my way:

1. I'm not a photographer!
2. I'm not ready!
3. I don't have the right lenses.
4. I don't know how to use my camera properly.
5. I'm scared nobody will look at my pictures.
6.  I'm more terrified that somebody will look at my pictures!
7. I'm afraid I'll be horrible.
8. I don't have photoshop or aperture.
9. Did I mention, I'm not a photographer?
10. I'm afraid I might not make progress as a photographer.
11. I'm afraid I'll do it for a few days or weeks and then decide I made a mistake or lose interest.
12. I'm scared circumstances could cause me to miss a day.
13. My blog/website isn't ready - it looks so amateur!
14.  I'm afraid people won't let me take their picture.
15. My time is limited and I'm afraid I won't find anyone to photograph. I'm a loner who works hard all day and when I'm not at work, I'm walking/hiking (usually alone) in a forested park. I see more trees and animals, than I see actual people!
16. I don't know how to even start a project like this and how to efficiently instagram and blog the recap of the week's collection of photographs.

There - that's 16 really good reasons why I "shouldn't" challenge myself to this project. When I evaluate my list of hurdles, it forces me to realize two things; If I don't challenge myself to this project, I will have let my fears paralyze me and I will have let my self-imposed desire for perfection prevent me from starting what could turn into a very fun and rewarding experience.

I remember the message from Shauna, Kat, and Gala of The Blogcademy; "Perfectionism is a form of procrastination." I think a lot of us have this flawed M.O. in that we only want to do that at which we're good and we want to be good immediately. (sometimes we want to be good, even before we'll try something.) We want things to be perfect right out of the gate but we ignore the fact that most of the time, things need to simmer and evolve. I didn't just declare one day that I was going to do a marathon and then do a marathon the next day. I had to start. I had to start right where I was at that moment, and I had to train. I had to start at nearly 300 lbs and my first "training" was the decision to walk to Starbucks instead of drive there. It took a lot of time and a lot of training before I evolved from the 300 pounder who walked to Starbucks one day, to someone who had finished a marathon.

Think of the works and people you admire. They didn't start out being perfect. They just started. This video is long but well worth the watch. This is a video of Darren Rowse (of problogger and digital photography school) and his presentation at the World Domination Summit. Darren Rowse wasn't "ready" when he started. He just started.

http://vimeo.com/70159694

THE REASON: Why am I challenging myself to this 365 day project? What a perfect way to learn photography! I'm skipping the part where I stick my toes in the shallow end and instead, I'll just dive right in. I'll get to learn from my errors as I go along, while I'm learning from online resources and I'll enlist some help with either private or group lessons after the Portland Marathon in October.

There's another reason I want to challenge myself to this project and it's a little deeper than just learning how to use my camera. In the few short months that I've had my camera and in the few photos that I've snapped, I've realized that for the first time in my life, I'm really truly seeing beauty in all people and all things. I'm seeing things I would have never seen before. It took looking at the world through a lens to really see beauty. We all know a pretty face when we see one, but when I'm looking through the lens, it shows me beauty in everything around me. It is there. Always. Sometimes I may not see it at first but what I've realized in my limited experience with photography, is that if you can't see the beauty, then try changing your perspective. I've learned that if I don't see a good shot, then I need to get a little closer, or perhaps take a step back. I need to view things from a different angle, or perhaps in a different light. The beauty is there, it's just up to me to see it. It's just like life…if you don't like how things are looking, change your perspective. This challenge is going to train and reinforce in me the trait to first look for the beauty in the people I encounter in a day instead of noticing their flaws.

Another reason for this project - I need to put an end to my lone wolf ways. Over the years, I've noticed I'm really allowing myself to become a loner. Right now, I think I spend a healthy amount of time alone with myself but any more "me time" and I think the balance between time spent with others and time spent alone would be off and tipped in the wrong direction. This project is going to force me to get out in the world and interact with people and put myself in environments other than work, my favorite trails, and the mall.

THE RULES: I've given myself a few rules or guidelines but since this is my own self-imposed project, I'm going to let myself re-define the rules at any time, should I decide it is critical to the survival of the 365 day challenge.

The challenge starts today: Sunday, August 11, 2013.

• Pictures will be fresh daily. I will not stockpile images for use at a future time.
• I will maintain a balance between pictures of strangers and pictures of friends and family. Initially, I was planning to do only strangers (or non-friends/family) but I've realized I have some very special people in my life and I'd just love to take their picture.
• I will instagram the photos daily, at no set time, and post the week's collection of photos on either Saturday or Sunday.
• The upside of not having Photoshop or Aperture, is that my pictures will start out fairly organic. I know how to use a few editing tools in iPhoto and I'm definitely going to have fun with the filters in instagram and the other photo editing apps, but other than experimenting and having fun with those filters, I don't know how to do any true retouching.
• The daily picture isn't limited to just one single person. The daily photo might have more than just one subject.
• If I miss a day, the project and the year starts over. This challenge is for a streak of 365 daily photos.

So, while I may have 16 really good reasons why I shouldn't start this project, I have 3 really good reasons why I should.

1. I have a camera.
2. I have a burning desire.
3. I have to start somewhere.

If you'd like to follow along with the project, check in here on the blog or you can also follow me on Instagram. I'm missellanea and I will tag the pictures from this project as: #365daypeoplepictureproject

If you follow me or check in on me from time to time, thank you! I think we're going to have some fun together.

What do you think? Would you like to challenge yourself to a 365 day photo challenge, or any other type of year-long challenge?