52 on Fridays | 1 - Be You {tiful}

This is the start of a 52 week project I'm participating in with a group of photographers from near & far. Each Friday, we will post an image representing our weekly theme & then link to the next photographer to complete a blog circle. The purpose of this project is to challenge ourselves, to learn, experiment, & grow in the art of photography. I hope you come back often to check on our progress. It should be a fun year!

WEEK 1 - SELF-PORTRAIT

I was amazed at how difficult it was to take a self-portrait this week. First of all, I felt kind of ridiculous in front of the camera, especially being the only one in the frame. I felt even more ridiculous having to constantly play around with focus, set the timer, run & jump into my bathtub so I could stand in the correct place in front of my window, & then pretend like I wasn't a total dork for smiling at the wall since I had no one to interact with (at least someone who was eye-level with me). I'm telling you, it was awkward . . .

But at the same time, it was fun & empowering. I felt a lot more comfortable with me by the time I was finished. My inhibitions melted a bit, & I realized that this was something I could do. Maybe not perfectly, but that's not always the point. Do I wish I had more pictures to choose from that were in perfect focus &/or had great composition? Yes! But that doesn't really matter. What matters is that I had the courage to try something new. That I was able to put myself out there & risk making a fool of myself. There is a quote from one of my favorite movies, Strictly Ballroom, that says, "A life lived in fear is a life half-lived." I don't want to look back on my life regretting that I didn't take more chances, that I didn't share more of myself with others, that I feared failure too much to even give myself a chance at success.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

~ Marianne Williamson

Make sure to continue the blog circle with photographer, Jackie Petersen.