Facing Myself - December linky

Rarely, rarely do I ever shoot blind without looking through my lens. Well, I guess I do it sometimes on a tripod after setting everything up, but hand-holding it just feels a little more wild and out of control. It makes me look like I'm letting the camera choose all the settings, but believe me, I never ever allow it to do that. Exactly where the focus would land was the only thing up for debate.

We were visiting a Great Grandpa. It was late because someone had accidentally locked the keys in the car earlier that afternoon. Our schedule had been reorganized.

The little Bean was tired.

She was done being entertained by the little birds (whatever kind they were), and was unimpressed with the Golden Retriever. She stole her brother's shoes and ran off down the hall of the Care Center. Being restrained in my arms was barely tolerable. Barely.

She was getting loud and obnoxious. More than usual. To be perfectly honest, I'm certain I had also been a pain in the rear all day myself.

And then?

We found this amazing mirror (something about circles gets me every time). And I got a oops shot that I adore. I cannot throw it away.



Have you ever seen a missed focus that was so perfect?

The photo that I intended to get, I would toss it. I swear I would, if the Bean were any less adorable, or if I were any more of a dork. It's a close call really.

But I think...



I think I'll probably keep this one too.

The linky is open for the rest of the month. Rules HERE. Have fun!

Facing Myself - November Linky

Well my friends, I've got nothing for you today. Nothing.



I happened to make Cinnamon Bread today, which I thought perhaps might give me an interesting shot. It was interesting alright. The only thing I had to show for that attempt was a very greasy remote. Greasy, greasy, greasy.

Well, that and the bread which always turns out so amazing that I can immediately eat an entire loaf. And sometimes I do, but I never guilty about it. Never. Because it makes me happy.



Even better, the soaped-up remote still works.



I would certainly expect nothing less from a five dollar piece of plastic made in China. And thank goodness because how else could I bring you these fabulous self portraits?

I really outdid myself this time.

The linky is open for the rest of the month. Rules HERE.

Facing Myself - October Linky

The Bean was down for a nap. The clock was ticking...

I decided it was time to do this three months ago, but it's the sort of thing that doesn't actually happen until I've had enough. Honestly, I can't remember the last time. It's been awhile. Before the Bean was born, probably.

Scissors? Check.



Wet hair? Check.

And this time... camera on the tripod and a five-dollar remote in my hand? Check.

Yes. Why yes I did.



Snip. Snip. Snip.

Pay someone to do this? Ummm... let me think. No.



There comes a point when I have to force myself to put the scissors down. For my own good. I tend to get a little out of control. I snip faster and faster as I go. I'm pretty sure it freaks my husband out.

He likes my hair long.

But it's my hair, and I'll snip it until I'm satisfied.



I always feel like such an airhead afterwards, as if I cut off five pounds of hair or something. What does it even cost for a real haircut anymore? For someone with plain old long hair, it costs way too much, I'll bet.

If you're wanting to link up, you don't have to cut your own hair. But you do have to take your own picture. Man, I'm a double threat this time aren't I?

Take a few minutes to head back over to the September linky and check out all the creative entries. Urban Muser's iphone shot just blew me away. I'm enjoying not just your self-portraits, but very much also the emotions that many of you are sharing. It's not easy, I know that much.

The Facing Myself linky will be open through the end of the month.

Edited to add: I've been chastised by a couple of hairdressers now, because "that thing" will "eat up the ends" of my "poor hair" (even though I never have split ends and go a year and a half between doing this). FYI, kids, please don't try this at home.

Facing Myself - September linky

Kids finally in bed, and a million things on my "to do" list.

You know this kind of light makes me twitch if I can't grab my camera and run out the door.

Obsessed? No. "Golden hour" light owns me. I have no defense. You see how much work I'm getting done.



Twenty minutes, I told myself. Just for me.

Got any idea what I found? There are more in my other hand.



A little bit of heaven. In my garden.



They look good, but they taste even better. I can't even begin to describe it.




Okay guys, the linky is open through the end of September. I cannot wait to see the self portraits you all come up with this time! I would encourage you to go back HERE and check out last month's entries. Some awesome stuff in there!

Oh yeah, and HERE are the rules.

Facing Myself - August linky

Every time this happens, I am filled with wonder. I might as well be a four year old clutching my Christmas present, the biggest and most brightly wrapped gift that was underneath the tree. Except, this one is decorated with poop, but really that doesn't matter.

I sit in the barn and stare at it, completely in awe of what has taken place. Of what is taking place.



It's already loud, but I can't help myself. I have to hold it to my ear.



It quivers and quakes in my hands, the strong shell that close to splitting in two as the chick struggles against it, fighting for it's life.



Unbelievable!




For details on the Facing Myself Challenge, click HERE. The linky is open through the end of August. I had a grand plan for my self-portrait this time around, but got distracted by these new babies of ours.

Facing Myself - July linky

I'm not sure exactly what possessed me.

In the nearly three years that we've lived here, I swear I have never before climbed the windmill even once. And certainly not at one o'clock in the morning.



Although my husband has done it. When we first moved here, climbing the windmill was the only way we he could get reception on our cell phone. Our only phone. Yes, for real.

Perfectly civilized, don't you think?

That shot was way harder to get than I imagined it would be. Of course, having never previously climbed the windmill, maybe I just didn't know what I was getting myself into. My timer is all of ten seconds. The bottom of the windmill ladder is five and a half feet off the ground. The shutter speed I decided on was half a second.

In the howling wind at one o'clock in the morning with our dog thoroughly enjoying the show.

So once I had the camera all set up and found a step-stool, it went something like this: push shutter button, run, climb, freeze at the exact half-second moment it mattered, climb back down, tell the dog how much I love her, peek at the photo and it's histogram... wash, rinse, repeat nineteen times.

You don't even have to do the math to know I was a sweaty little monkey by the time I gave up.

And yet I think this shot worked.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, go have a great holiday weekend with family and friends. I wish you awesome food, cold beverages, sunny days and mosquito-free evenings. You have all week to come back here and link up with your self-portrait. For details click here and also here.

The next Facing Myself linky will be here the first Saturday of August. Those of you who are intrigued and also terrified by the thought of a self-portrait, you have an entire month to think about it. I expect my head might explode with all the self-portrait ideas I have. Now, wouldn't that be something to get a picture of?

Facing myself

Pushing onward from this post.

I have this super-cool framed mirror that I bought at an antique store, eleven years ago or something like that. It's not even really an antique, but it's just so fancy and classy, I love it so much.

Opposites attract, you know.

I had this idea to prop it up against a tree.

I had to take the Bean with because it was nearly supper time and that is one task which she has declared cannot be completed without her in my arms. {sigh} I try, people, I really do try.

So here is me, the momtographer.



I like that she's out of focus, and I am forcing myself to be the subject. It's usually all about the kids.

Please also link back to me in your post so others can join in too! Also, the few of you who want to play, I would love to continue this self-portrait adventure in a community setting. Maybe weekly is too much. Let me know what you think. Monthly?

A self-discovery journey

Something I have been wanting to do for awhile now is a self-portrait.

I am the one always behind the camera. Photos of me with my kiddos are few and far between, but I have only myself to blame for that. I only need to throw the camera at someone and ask. And really, I must do that more.

The other day I realized I can use the timer on my camera, and still shoot in full manual mode. Oh, joy! The possibilities began to swarm around in my head, crashing into one another, joining together and breaking apart again. What to do? What to do!

So I did.

And in doing so, I had a profound realization, and it shook me hard. Hiding behind the camera as photographer is one thing, but looking into the lens as the shutter opens and closes is something else entirely. It left me vulnerable and exposed. It was me, not having showered for two days, with all my emotions and confusion and passion. It was me, the real me that is still there underneath the weight of laundry and dirty dishes that will never be done, underneath the fog of nights with children who do not sleep, the me that was left after pulling the baby off my hip and removing the preschoolers that attach themselves to my legs like Velcro.

I hate pictures of myself.

But there I was, and I actually loved it!

Then, I happened across the post Hello You at Shutter Sisters, and I wanted to jump up and down and scream "YES!".

Suddenly it all came crashing down on me like a flood.

There is no limit to the ways a creative self-portrait could show who I really am, no end to the fantasy an artful self-portrait could evoke or show the dreams that I hope for. The angle, the light, the focus, other subjects or items included in the shot... Me as mom. Me as writer/friend/photographer/lover/gardener. Me as simply Jess, a child of God, forgiven just as I am.

I want to take a self-portrait every day!

Well, not every day. I just don't have time for that, no matter how amazing the journey of self-discovery may be. I am a mom, you know.

I want to invite you to join me on this journey. I have no doubt it will change the way I see myself. I want to start a weekly self-portrait adventure.

The rules will be simple (in as much as there are always rules, my three-year old is becoming painfully aware of that fact).
1. You must be in the photograph in some way.
2. You must be the one to snap the shot.
3. Include a link back here to The Old Nichols Farm. (I'll try to get a grab button assembled.)

I will get the first {Not Absolutely Sure of the Name Yet} linky up on Saturday.

Find a camera. Any camera. Hold it out at arm's length, or point it at a mirror, or if it has a timer figure out how it works and find a tripod or throw it on top of a pile of laundry or a tree stump. Just do it!

My friends who think you cannot take a decent photo to save your life, guess what, you can. Just show me you. A real you, a fantasy you, a laughing you, a frustrated you, a dreaming you. You can do it. If you don't have a blog, get yourself a free flickr account and link your picture up through there.

I AM EXCITED about this, and I sincerely hope some of you will come out to play!