Goodbye, green grass, green trees and flowers. Hello, stark landscape of winter. You have arrived. I shall pretend to get along with you for a few weeks and then I might not like you at all by February. Sorrynotsorry.

Light fixture in the waiting room this evening.

I waited for other clients to leave, then knelt on the floor after considering laying down on it. The floor was cold, for anyone who was wondering.

For that matter, all of Nebraska is cold. Brrr.

My challenge for the DPP this year is to, well, challenge myself. Instead of taking a shot of a Christmas wreath in my own house (ain’t nothin’ wrong with that!) I might try taking a shot of a wreath hanging at the mall because I’m a little more cautious about shooting at the mall. Instead of photographing Livia on our front porch I might try my hand at street photography—something I have always wanted to do but lacked the boldness in approaching people.

Today I put my camera around my neck as I walked into Le Quartier to pick up lunch for a friend. I felt awkward walking into the bakery with a camera, but I also knew I couldn’t take a picture if I didn’t have it. While waiting for their fabulous tomato soup and chicken sandwich I spotted a profile in the back office that looked familiar. My friend Keri apparently now works at this particular location! I flagged her down and got her to pose for me. It was pretty great. Seeing Keri, my fellow artist and all-around encourager, gave me the boldness to grab today’s DPP shot.

And then things got even better. Keri introduced me to the chef who runs the shop (her name is escaping me, argh!) and I got to walk into the kitchen and snap a few more pictures of her decorating a cake. (I also heard of this incredible cake she made for the new senior pastor at Grace Chapel, Ben Loos. Congrats, Ben!)

Keri’s shot wins the day, but it was such a learning moment for me, such a moment of opening the door to opportunity and being prepared to walk through it. This is why the DPP excites me. I’m hearing story after story of people looking for beauty and taking the time to capture it this December. Thanks for joining me, friends. It means a lot.

I did it. I asked the guys at Valvoline if I could take their picture.

As it turns out, the owner of the store was there and was a little [ahem] stern, but after I assured him this was for private purposes, he let me snap away.

Outside of my comfort zone? Yes and yes. Merely driving into Valvoline is going outside my comfort zone, though I’ll admit I’ve gotten accustomed to taking the car in for an oil change from time to time. And since I know how to top off the oil myself I can nod along knowingly when they produce an oil-coated dipstick for client approval. The rest I just fake.

December 2.
Dear Diary,
Got the oil changed and snapped a pic for the DPP.
Yours ’til the kitchen sinks,
RT

Happy December 1st to you all!

I’ve decided to push myself with a challenge-on-top-of-a-challenge this year. It’s hazy, with unclear boundary lines, but I will be going outside my comfort zone for all 25 images this month. Wish me luck because I’m a photographer who enjoys her comfort zone, know what I’m sayin’?

Livia and I just got home from the mall where I toted my rather large Nikon D3 around my neck the entire time. Liv joined me on the project, so both of us were snapping away in Bed, Bath & Beyond wearing our best devil-may-care facial expressions.

December 1. A month of celebrations. A month of images. 2013, let’s see whatcha got.