Tuesday, January 20, 2009

SPT Challenge Jan 20



So, only recently, I discovered that two women I know locally have blogs. Very recently. As in, a week ago.

Of course, being the nosy friendly neighbor that I am, I started following along to poke my nose into their business encourage them in their writing. One of the first things I discovered is that they both are taking part in a yearly SPT challenge. "SPT" stands for Self-Portrait Tuesdays, and the challenge originated at yet another blog.

It took me about two.eight seconds to decide this was a challenge I wanted to take for myself as well. As someone who loves photography, I have dozens, hundreds, probably thousands or even TENS of thousands of photos of my family. And like most people who enjoy photography, I am reliably BEHIND the camera at all times, and rarely in a picture myself. Hopefully, this will change that.

For my scrapbook friends, I intend to print out every picture this year (I'm starting this challenge two weeks late but will make those up) and put them in a simple slip-sleeve album with a brief description of the challenge on the opposing page. By the end of the year, I should have a (hopefully unique) "Year at a Glance" album, without a lot of work or planning.

So, without further ado, let me introduce the first of a weekly series ......

SPT Challenge for January 20, 2009:



"Take more photos of me, doing something new."

The "new" thing I'm doing in this photo? Taking a pause while taking NEW pictures of the kids for their NEW passports.

PS. Ironically, this simple challenge might require a whole new camera for me. A self-portrait is almost impossible with the camera I have now. I realize I'm a weakling, but I can't hold the camera and heavy telephoto/zoom lens up, angle the camera appropriately, focus, and take the photo with only one hand. Apparently, one puny little butterfly princess hand. I think a simple point-and-shoot digital might be in my future.

13 comments:

kimybeee said...

The canon rebel has this amazing feature called a "timer". Just set your camera to an auto focus setting and place your camera on a table or my favorite a ladder. Then you just hit the button and jump in the shot.

Or maybe one of your three children, your husband, or your sister could take the shot.

I don't like to be photographed either, because it ruins the image I have of my 125lb self that exists only in my mind. When I see a photo of me I am not the thin chick I was 15 years ago - maybe I should say three chins ago. I figure I have to suffer occasionally for posterity sake - Our future grandchildren can look back and say that their parents did have a mom when they were growing up.

Good luck with the photo developing too. I just bought my third cf card since I got my camera in June. I would love to do the thingy you are talking about, but alas, time and money!!! When I have one, I never have the other.

By the way, at the luncheon, I would have probably spilled something, then peed my pants, then said a bad word while the cameras were rolling. You got off pretty easy!! Glad you had a good time.

kimybeee

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a good challenge, I to am always behind the camera. I have a grandson who is 10 months old and I probably have no more than 5 pictures of me with him. But...I probably have over 10000 of him:) There was one day alone when my daughter got a new camera that together we took over 900 pictures. We were trying to get the "perfect" photo of him and his twin cousins who are the same age. All three were perfect for at least three hours so we couldn't quit, we had so much fun. My daughter got a Nikon D40 and it is so much lighter than our camera. She has used it to take her own picture and it is a nice little camera. I think you need to commission your children to take the photos though, that should be interesting to see what they come up with.
As for getting a point and shoot, I thought the same thing for other reasons though. I wanted one so that when my husband and I both wanted a camera at the same time we would each have one. I got a point and shoot with video on it. I don't like the thing, after having a "real" camera the point and shoots don't cut it. I have used the video which has been nice for the crawling,cruising and a new puppy. To be honest the only time I have liked the p and s for outdoor photos was to photograph a bear in a tree and we didn't have the zoom on the Nikon. Anyway if you decide to get a point and shoot and like it let us know what you get maybe I just have the wrong one. I think I saw somewhere that Nikon has a DSLR that has video so I probably will look into that and may make that our second camera.
Kathy

Alisa said...

way to go for getting in front of the camera!!
SP's have really pushed me to think of things differently- sometimes my photos are a little more creative than others. Other times they are just pretty plain.
BUT- I am in the photos- and thats what matters. It really has given me a dose of reality- sometimes I look nothing like the image I have in my head!

Anonymous said...

Really important question here. How do you keep your teeth so white? Strips? Dental treatment? Super powers toothpaste?

Unknown said...

I prefer remembering myself as a skinny figment of my imagination instead of the real deal.

Anonymous said...

Kristi,
I am in no way a seasoned photographer (trying though) but my husband bought me a Kodak Easyshare camera last year and it is amazing! So small, so easy to take pictures, and very easy for self portraits. We went on a cruise and the pics that we took on formal night were portrait quality. So if you're going for a smaller point and shoot camera, I recommend the Easyshare.

Anne in GA

karen said...

wow Kendrie looks so grown up, guess I remember how she looks from Florida all those years ago.

I HATE how this fat body looks in pictures. I have one on my fridge from a few years ago when I had lost 50lbs. Ha to give me inspiration (never could spell) to lose it yet AGAIN.

Lorianne said...

I too have the rebel camera. I was just wondering if you have any tips on taking your own passport pictures. Is there anything I have to make sure I do/don't do in order for them to be acceptable?

Anonymous said...

OMIGOD Kristie--- Kendrie looks so stinking cute with those braces!!!! As for picture taking, we too have thousands. It's funny to see that before we had our daughter, my husband and I being silly in love took pictures of/with each other all the time. Since having the kid, there are very few pictures with us in the them. Though I don't blog, I think I may have to take up this challenge.

Anonymous said...

Do you have any idea of HOW MUCH Kendrie looks like you in that shot??!!! Wowser! And I'm 100% with all of the above comments on how much I prefer the picture of myself in my head to reality. For this reason, I luuuurve my Boeing badge picture (it's old!!) and the state of Washington for allowing me to renew my license last year online. They thought they were just saving me time and not inconveniencing me with a trip to a DMV - when the REAL GIFT was that they had to reuse my last drivers license photo!

Marysienka said...

Once you've worked with a DSLR camera, it's so hard to go back to a simple, point and shoot (compact) camera! But I agree it's easier for autoportrait ;) I have a Nikon D90 and I'm actually able to do autoportraits with my 50mm lens, as it is rather small and light.

Kathy, it is the D90 that has the video. It works ok, but you won't be impressed by the quality of the video. The photos, on the other hand, are totally different. I think even a monkey could take good pix with this DSLR :o)


Renee in Canada

Dacia said...

Welcome to SPT. Passports? Sounds like fun! I wish I had that type of camera instead of the point and shoot.

Missy said...

Whatever happened to that freakishly muscular painting arm that you used to have? Those muscles must have atrophied back to their usually butterfly-ish selves...like mine!