Here’s a little assignment for you. It’s an easy one, trust me.
Set your camera down.
Literally — set your camera on the table. On the kitchen counter. On the bathroom counter. On your nightstand or dresser. On your desk at work. Where you eat. Where you create. Where the homework happens. Where life happens. Set your camera down and take a picture from that angle. Try all of the mentioned surfaces or choose just one. That’s up to however you feel inspired.
Suggestion: Resist the urge to tidy up. Just take the picture as your surface looks right now. That way the story that you’re capturing is more genuine, more truthful, more real.
I took this at (on) our kitchen table.
I see a couple pair of kid scissors and papers from the current projects. I see box top sheets that the kids are filling up for school. I see our yellow lazy susan that is the best addition ever to our table. I see the pen caddy that we’ve had for years and it still tools for creativity. I see a small glimpse of some yellow pears from this past weekend’s Fall decorating. I see way back into our family room niches that still need some Fall decorating. I see the pair of topiaries that I re-potted this summer. Such happy little pots.
History: When we were visiting my parents in Finland back in June I took this picture because it was sooo-my-mom to see all of these knick-knacks on their table. I didn’t move a thing. I didn’t tell her what I was doing. I just set the camera down and took the picture. I love what I see and how it tells of my mom’s personality, of my parents’ experience there, and our own memories being there.
So are you gonna do it? Are you going to set your camera down & capture a story? (Makes for a terrific POTD, by the way.) If you’re interested in sharing your picture, email it to projectlife@beckyhiggins.com by this Friday 9/3. I’ll put together a collection of these pictures and share them here on my blog. I can’t wait to be inspired!
And … I’ll choose one of my favorite shots and send that person Project Life! How’s that for motivation? Now … go set your camera down.
Tags: camera, set it down, table
oh yes ill do it i love a good challenge and i quite often do this haha shows how much stuff is lying around on the table, i think i might do the scrapbooking creating table though, will email you soon hehe….love your photo Becky
Oh awesome. Totally one of my favorite ways to shoot.
Love this idea ~ even better as a back up POTD for those random days. Can’t wait to see all the different POV!!
Oh I shall go and grab my camera now.Thanks Becky for the inspiration.
LOL You and I were on the same page today Becky! Literally! I had taken a POTD of me working on my Project Life album this morning! Thanks for the contest and the inspiration! Project Life has become a great source of encouragement for me as I see the little bits of life (that don’t usually get scrapbooked) adding up to an album full of validation and explanation of where exactly my time goes! I love holding one year in my hands!!!
I took a similar picture just the other day of our coffee table, although I didn’t actually set the camera on the table, it was fairly close to that angle.
Your Mother was with you in 2007 CKC in Seattle. I thought she lived in Federal Way. Have they moved to Finland? I love your challenge and will try it in My Studio. Love your blog
Sorry, I thought I was on Ali Edwards blog. But love yours too. I am behind. Are you from Finland? All mixed up.
No worries Judy. I love Ali’s blog too. : )
I’m from Maryland. My parents are just living in Finland at the moment while they serve a mission there.
That Ali E. comment is too funny.
Love this idea — am going to do it. Reminds me how I love to scroll through my pics on my iPhone and see the little scenarios my kids have shot without my knowledge. It always makes me smile!
OH – I love this! Fortunately, I just finished tidying my kitchen but my office will capture a snippet of my life to share. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks for the idea….going to try to my kitchen table right now….always seems to be clutter on it!! Also, I would love to know where you got your lazy susan….I have googled and can’t find anything similar.
So far today I’ve taken one at my desk at work and one from my dashboard of the car. Excited to see what everyone else does!
I love your shot of your mom’s… if you think about it this photo challenge is also a great way to capture the point of view of our little ones’ memories too. Plus it captures the texture & colors of rooms without being a boring wide-angle shot of the entire room.
What is really sad is that your “un-tidy” kitchen table is still far neater than mine ever is!
I hope to participate! I’ve done this before, too…just put the camera on the table and pushed the button. I especially like the shots I got while on vacation in St. Maarten’s, sitting at a beach restaurant (and there, the restaurant is actually on the beach…you chair is in sand or on a small picnic-type area!).
Let me see what shows up. This sounds like fun!
Just did this it was fun, will start doing this a couple times a month.
what a great challenge…I spotted this last night, and took a photo this morning while the family were still asleep…smiles from Central Queensland, Australia
I’m up for it! Just took the photos on my cell phone and will be emailing them to you shortly!
Great idea…I will have to try it…which surface?? Hmmm…
One big (off subject) question:
I just went and downloaded ALL your school pages…I am going to do it with my daughter’s 1st grade class this year. But the final post for the April and May pages (that were all in pdf) are not coming up at all. When I click on them, they send me to the comment form. Very strange. Please HELP!! I need to get all the pages to the teacher for copying so we can get started. Thank you SO much for making these available to us all! My daughter’s teacher is ecstatic about the project!
Great idea!
… Will do anything to try and get myself a kit
x.
Totally did it!
http://rhondasteed.blogspot.com/2010/09/look-into-my-tuesday.html
Such a great idea Becky!
Thanks again for the inspiration.
I took a picture from yesterday on my phone of my scrapping area. It needs to be cleaned off.
here is my photo …
http://maninelaboriose.blogspot.com/2010/09/bel-mezzo-della-notte-mentre-aspetto.html
I love this idea! I have taken several kitchen shots and a couple of school shots. Thanks for much for the inspiration.
becky i love the corral that i see in this picture…you posted a different one that was orange a little while back. where did you buy them? LOVE the look!
I sent you an email, caught the dog sitting in my chair!
love this challenge! i’m traveling, but still crafting. just sent you a pic. thanks so much!
I love this challenge. I will do it now.
[...] Here is Becky’s example and the link to the post for the challenge is HERE [...]
I am not sure if my camera would be safe on my scrapbook table….It is pretty scary right now!