When I started Project 365 again this year I made a promise to myself… that was to be easy on myself. If I didn’t get the “perfect” shot or couldn’t come up with something creative I was going to just let it go. I would still try my best to post something, but this time around it could be just a shot of something I had done that day. I was going to do a lot less comparing myself to the others in the group. This is not an easy thing to do when the rest of the group seems to be so talented and a lot of times I think I’m just a hack.

This feeling came on strong the other day. The day was racing along without any inspiration whatsoever for a shot. I was in the car on the way home from class with Jeffery and we both noticed the sunset. It was stunning. I really wanted a photo of it. It pretty much was screaming “take my picture”! The whole time, however, I found I was arguing with myself. Things like, “Everyone else is going to get a picture of this,” and “You know, their shots will be much better so why even try.” Jeffery insisted we get out of the car so I could get the shot. I start framing and realize, of course, I have the “wrong” lens. It wasn’t wide enough to get what I wanted. It wouldn’t capture the full sunset. It wouldn’t be good enough. I took a few anyway, but got back in the car wondering what I should use for my photo for the day because these certainly wouldn’t work. Well, I got home, put the photos onto my computer, and found one that I wasn’t too ashamed of. My tapes were playing overtime that night.

After posting it I realized what an idiot I had been. I was going back to that old me that worries so much about what other people think, that I’ll never measure up. It’s not worth it. I may not be the best photographer in the world, but I am good enough. I can put my work up online and be proud that I did it. I don’t have to look at other people’s work in order to compare and pick myself apart. The point of this whole project is to just share… share who we are and what we do. So that is my goal and it should be yours as well. Just share who you are and don’t worry so much about what others think. Some people will like you and some won’t – that’s up to them, not you.

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.
~ Judy Garland

I spent the day yesterday at a fantastic lighting workshop in LA taught by Joe McNally. If you haven’t heard of him you definitely need to go check out his site. I will post tomorrow about how great it was to just sit and learn from one of the greats, but the highlight of my day came after the workshop. A bunch of us decided to go to Philippes for french dip and wait out the traffic.

As we were sitting there eating a woman walked past headed to the restroom. She had on this wonderful hat and had such a great face. I thought about asking her for a photograph, but then told myself how dumb I would sound. I mean, what an embarrassing thing to do, asking a complete stranger to take their picture. I sat there for a couple of minutes debating and then, without thinking too much more about it, jumped up, camera in hand, and went into the bathroom.

She was just washing her hands. I told her how beautiful I thought her hat was. She said, “Thank you so much! I’ve been out celebrating a special occasion today and decided to get dressed up. It’s my birthday.” I wished her a happy birthday and told her she looked so pretty. As she had her hand on the doorknob ready to walk out I said, “Would you mind if I took your picture?” She didn’t even hesitate. “Really? Of course!”

I had her stand against the wall in the restroom and fired off a couple of shots. She had the best smile on her face. She asked if I would send her a copy and gave me her address. I thanked her and she said, “No, thank you! You made my day!” She definitely made mine. Taking someone’s photo really does make a difference. It’s all about noticing people and just making them feel beautiful even if it’s just for a few minutes. It was a personal mini Help-Portrait project. I cannot wait for December 12 for the real thing.

Beauty is an experience, nothing else. It is not a fixed pattern or an arrangement of features. It is something felt, a glow or a communicated sense of fineness. What ails us is that our sense of beauty is so bruised and blunted, we miss all the best.
~ D. H. Lawrence

Tags: beauty, help-portrait, Los Angeles, photograph, portrait