Happy October!
This month’s project is a bit of a departure for my blog: 31 days of taking meaningful photos, right where you are. (I’m using the phrase “in your backyard,” but of course plenty of readers don’t have a backyard. The idea is to continually practice looking for the beauty that surrounds us, wherever we are.)
What’s “31 Days”?
Every October, the blogging team over at 31 Days of Writing puts together a month-long blog link-up. It covers a number of categories, and participants write on their chosen topic throughout the month of October.
Here’s what I will be writing about this month:
On Mondays, “Taking Meaningful Portraits”;
On Tuesdays, “Documenting the Present”;
On Wednesdays, “Making Use of Unique Points of View”;
On Thursdays, “Capturing Light”;
On Fridays, “Moving on from Missed Opportunities”;
On Saturdays, “Using Childhood Memories to Add Resonance”;
On Sundays, “Celebrating the Rhythm of the Seasons.”
I’ll be delighted if you read along throughout the month. And I urge you the check out the other bloggers involved in 31 Days. People write about a wide range of topics in various categories. Some writers focus on offering helpful tips; others share inspiration or take readers through the steps of projects they’re working on.
My blog focuses on photography–specifically, I spend a lot of my time exploring New Topography (i.e., the human-altered landscape). To those who aren’t familiar with this phrase, this movement came into prominence through the work of photographers like William Eggleston, Robert Adams, and Stephen Shore. Lee Friedlander, though he wasn’t precisely aligned with the New Topographers, is another photography giant whose work has always fascinated me.
What I’ll Be Sharing in October
This month I’ll be sharing short essays, one each day, on the topics listed above, along with photos. I’ll also be doing my regular blog entries, including interviews with photographers whose work I admire.
I hope you’ll enjoy reading some of these posts. If you want to subscribe (click on the button over on my sidebar), you’ll receive updates automatically as they appear on the blog. And I’d love to hear your thoughts on anything posted here!
Sunday, October 1: Photographing Fall
Monday, October 2: Family Milestones
Tuesday, October 3: We Don’t Know the Future
Wednesday, October 4: Use a Window as a Frame
Thursday, October 5: The Light of Autumn
Friday, October 6: Film Used to Cost a Lot
Saturday, October 7: When I Was Young, Everything Was Black and White
Sunday, October 8: Annual Traditions Are Overrated
Monday, October 9: Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, October 10: With Information, Sometimes More is More
Wednesday, October 11: For a Change of Perspective, Stand on a Balcony or Climb a Tree
Thursday, October 12: For Golden Hour Light, Get up Early
Friday, October 13: The Moose Was a One-Time Thing
Saturday, October 14: Memory of Where They Used to Be
Sunday, October 15: Seasonal Chores Are Great Photo Opportunities
Monday, October 16: For Portraits, Look for Open Shade
Tuesday, October 17: The Best Camera Is the One You Have with You
Wednesday, October 18: Think of What is in the Foreground
Thursday, October 19: For Night Photos, Use Your Headlights
Friday October 20: Had My Camera; Saw a Deer
Saturday, October 21: Small Events Are Our Lives
Sunday, October 22: Photographing Snow Is Really Photographing Wind
Monday, October 23: With a Pet, Try for Candid Shots
Tuesday, October 24: Change Is a Funny Thing
Wednesday, October 25: Watch the Clouds and Sky
Thursday, October 26: Experiment with Your Flash
Friday, October 27: You Can Always Make a Note and Wait Till Next Year
Saturday, October 28: Photos Remind Me of Songs
Sunday, October 29: A Frosty Morning Can Be a Gift
Monday, October 30: Allow Your Shadow in Your Photo Sometimes
Tuesday, October 31: Holiday Decorations Make Great Photos