74: A Few Milestones

It's always something of a relief when I come up with something for the project early in the day.

I took this shot, then suddenly realized I was running extremely late. So it was a  huge, pleasant surprise at the end of the day to discover it was not a bad shot! I think we can call this my first official Year in Blue self-portrait.

Finally got a chance to revisit these chairs. Much happier with the results. I'm working on fostering patience as a photographer. Many moments are ephemeral and you only get one chance to capture them. That is one of the primary lessons for me in photographing my children. But many other scenes, such as these chairs, last longer. If I don't get it on the first try, I can try again. If I don't like the lighting, I can come back another time. If my schedule is hectic, it will still be there tomorrow.

These flags are hanging at the Lamplighter Roasting Company. I was hoping to find some info online, but there's not much about the coffee roasters beyond one old article. I realized I was feeling more comfortable owning myself as a photographer out in the world when I parked my car at a funny angle (because there were no true available spots), walked right up to the coffee shop, and positioned myself near a couple enjoying their morning coffee at an outdoor table to take this photo. A few weeks ago, I would have been too intimidated by the idea that somebody, anybody might be watching me and wondering what I was doing to even stop the car. The image would have stayed with me, the photograph captured in my imagination, regret poisoning my mood and my self-confidence. I set out to learn some lessons about photography and myself, but I'll admit I expected it to take more time. What a very satisfying experience this has been, and I still have most of the year to go!