Author: alison@tinyblueorange.com

As I’ve mentioned previously, once upon a time I picked up my camera and decided to take a photo a day for an entire year. All was well and good when I started but eventually the passion for the project expired.  Instead of being excited to photograph I’d spend every evening with an impending sense of doom because I had no inspiration for a photo. The evening would end with me scrambling to take a photo of every random knick knack in my house. or my cats. or my dinner. rinse. repeat. It became redundant and boring. So I quit. And I hate being a quitter.

I wasn’t tired of taking pictures. I just didn’t feel like the photo a day project was serving its purpose anymore. So, last week I got online and looked for some new sources of inspiration. I wanted a regular photography assignment but preferably one that wasn’t going to give me an anxiety attack every night!

So I googled.

And I found some GREAT ideas at Photocritic.org – 10 ways to break photographer’s block.

(you totally need to check it out).

I’ve been itching to try a few of the ideas I discovered there.  Finally this morning I woke up and decided, “TODAY IS THE DAY!”  The project starts at home. At your front door. Here is mine. Welcome!

I am very excited to launch this new project, because it’s interesting.

And it’s interactive.

The more people who participate the more exciting it will be.

I promise.

I swear.

So you better play along!

The project is called “100 Steps” and the instructions are this:

1. Get a camera. Any camera will do just fine.  (film. digital. cell phone. point and shoot. DSLR).

2. Start walking. (can you guess how far you’ll be walking?)

3. After 100 steps stop. Right where you are.

4. Take a picture. Take 5. Take 100. But you must take a picture of something right where you are. (don’t cheat!)

5. Upload your photos to a photo sharing site. I enjoy Flickr.

6. Post your comments on the project and a link to your photo here.

My 100 steps today allowed me to start capturing fall. Here are 3 of my favs:

I will be taking my 100 steps weekly. Each time starting from my doorstep. And each time walking in a different direction and capturing something new. I am excited to see where this takes me. And the little intricacies I uncover. I am sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what you come up with. Go get out there. Take 100 steps. I hope you’ll step weekly with me and share here.

Ready.

Set.

Go!!

Last weekend The Calmer and I were in Tampa, FL. A former co-worker and close friend got married and much to our delight dismay decided to set up permanant residence in a prime vacation locale close to the beach. After Bella’s passing we were invited and encouraged to visit and relax. It didn’t take much convincing for us to book our ticket down South. We had a lovely time and can’t wait to go back.  Our hosts were wonderfully hospitable and something about being at the ocean, soaking in the sun, and sinking our feet in the sand aided in the healing process.  Here are some of the highlights from our trip.

Our homey accomodations for the weekend

Beach day. Bright sun peeking through. Beautiful.

A new friend in the sand.

Getting ready for sunset in Sarasota. Lido Beach, FL.

Ok, one more Lido Beach at sunset. A sunset this gorgeous derserves to be pictured twice.

Last day. At the Greek Sponge Docks. Tarpon Springs, FL.

For those of you who have stumbled upon my little section of cyberspace, welcome. Please excuse the dust, this is still a work in progress. But, I am really glad you’re here.

My purpose?

Entertain. Inspire. Share. Photograph.

My story?

In March 2009 I decided to pick up my Kodak Z650 point and shoot camera for the first time in months and start taking pictures. My goal? Take at least 1 photo a day and upload them for a year in the hopes that I could learn a little more about myself and photography. Little did I realize this was a passion in the making for me. The pictures began to consume my hours, my days, my life. I’d sit at work planning my photo shoot of the day. When the photos were done and processed I’d upload to flickr, facebook, twitter. I wanted an audience! I joined photography groups online, read photography blogs, did google searches and soaked in as much information as I could to improve my beginner skills.

I was a sponge.

I learned.

I grew.

About two months into my photo a day project I hit a wall. My little point and shoot camera was not enough anymore. It had limitations. I needed a fancy DSLR. I wanted better depth of field, larger zoom, more control! I started saving. and saving. and saving.  All the while I continued taking pictures with my Z650 and tried to hone in on my Photoshop editing skills instead of the technical ones.

Then in May 2009, about 3 months into my project, life took an interesting turn. My husband Brendan (who I will refer to from now on as “The Calmer” because he is the peaceful force in our home) and I got the exciting news that we were expecting our first child. We were ecstatic, and it made my desire for that DSLR even more important. I needed a fabulous camera to take fabulous family photos. As an early baby gift, my parents shockingly generously bought me my DSLR, a gorgeous Nikon D90.  At the same time, my morning sickness took full swing and I could barely function at my day job let alone take pictures.  The morning sickness whisked away my passion to photograph.

I dropped the photo a day project that same month.

I figured my passion would return once the baby arrived.

No worries.

Until September.

In September, after multiple abnormal ultrasounds we lost our baby, a girl, at 20weeks pregnant. It’s a long heartbreaking story and I won’t go into the details. We didn’t get to know her for long but we knew she was beautiful. Her name was Bella. Bella Rose. And it’s because of her that I have my passion back. After her passing I needed something to keep me going. Keep me alive. Keep me strong. I picked my D90 back up and started shooting. I want to capture it all. Every little detail. Every moment.

I hope to share my moments here. I am excited to start a new photography project or two in the coming weeks and tell you more about them.  I also want to start building a photography portfolio. I have my first mother/son photo shoot in a week and a half and I can not wait!  I would love to be able to one day turn this hobby into a side business capturing the moments of others. Friends. Acquaintances. Family.  I hope you’ll take the time to stop by, add me to your blog reader, leave lots of comments and tell me what I’m doing right or doing wrong.

I still have a lot to learn.

But I think I’m on my way.

And I have Bella to thank for that.