This is my first post as a regular contributor here at Viewfinders. I have done a handful of guest posts over the course of the last year. I find myself absolutely first day of school nervous- butterfly tummy, sweaty palms, a bit dizzy. I tend to think of first day of school nervous as the good kind of nervous. The kind of nervous that propels me to push myself beyond what I think I can do. I really am happy to be here among the amazing talent of this group ( this thought however also gives me the butterfly tummy).  I hope that being here works for both you and for me. My wish is that being here forces me to slow down, stop ( is this possible) , and think. I am such a movie fan, and I’m about to lay out a movie analogy- you know that scene in the end of the Matrix when Neo actually stops the bullets from the sentinel guys – He stops the bullets and then he picks one out and he looks at it? Every time I write, I think of that scene. I’m corny, I know. When I write I’m forced to to take a break and peer in to what I’m doing, what’s coming at me (or what I’m allowing to come at me) at what feels like 100mph. Does that make sense to anyone else? In that way, being a contributor will be good for me.

Here’s how I hope it works for you- think of someone that’s frazzled and unorganized however totally lovable. I’m imagining Professor Trelawney. While I look at many in this group as Dumbledores, or Mcgonagalls, I feel like Professor Trelawney. Maybe you feel like Professor Trelawney sometimes too? I’m a frazzly  anxiety filled mama bear , busy business owner, head in the clouds lady. I read kids books and self help books, hand in hand. I’m not ashamed to count Netflix and Rose’ as friends. I still daydream about a forest full of unicorns. I don’t know what I’m doing on any given day until I look at my calendar. I talk using big hand guestures. I wear red shoes….often. My hair is blue right now. It also has glittery strands of tinsel woven in. My kids are named after birds. More Trelawney, less Dumbledore. But here’s the deal. I love photography guys. It still just does it for me. I really like documenting it all. Whether it’s a beautiful little wedding in my hometown, or my wacky dog, or my red shoes. I don’t let anything stop me from making pictures. And neither should you if you love it. Maybe my wacky unorthodox way of seeing the world inspires you to pick up your camera and see in a new way.

I’m really happy to be here.

In preparing this post I thought about words that have been inspiring me. Last month on Instagram, Viewfinders talked about photography and words. When I was in Asheville last month I was inspired by a mural that I photographed.

Play Every Day. I love these words. How to work them in to my life and photography? Driving home from NC I listened to podcast about a man who does a different challenge every thirty days. I liked the concept of this. He biked to work for 30 days, He meditated for thirty days, he wrote a letter to someone for 30 days. He crosses off his challenge on his calendar for each day of the month. Tangible proof of his goal. I decided to try for it. I knew what my first month would be. Play with my camera every day. Every day pick some different aspect to play with. A lens I haven’t had time for. Double Exposure. Light Painting. I’m going to go through my camera and play. Every day this month. So on Monday I decided to play with my Lensbaby Composer. I purchased this a while ago. A year maybe? I’ve barely given it more than 10 minutes. And I didn’t think I really had the hang of it all which meant I wasn’t using it. I dusted it off on Monday. And guess what guys? After 15 minutes, I had a couple of images  I was liking. After 30 minutes? There was love.

All of the images below were made with my Nikon D700 camera, my Lensbaby composer, and the 35mm sweet optic for Lensbaby. And play. Lots and lots of play.

I will share more play this month, the things I’m playing with. Come follow me on Instagram if you’d like.

If you like this idea and want to play too, please feel free to comment and share here and on Instagram!

Play every day,

Audrey