Schmootography Photography- powered by SmugMug

365 self portraits. Can I actually do it? Inspired by many others, I decided to give my creativity a kick in the pants with a Daily Photo project. With life happening too fast, quite often I lose the spark that drives me to pick up the camera. Hopefully I can maintain not only this project, but the ability to develop more as a photographer. Ideally, the majority of these will be self-portraits to help me get over my image complex and to document the most important, memorable moments of each day.

My rules:
1. At least part of myself in each shot. Every 24 hours.
2. EXIF data pulls rank. I travel and can't always upload on a timely matter, but the timestamp is as the timestamp does...
3. Try to document the dominant activity/event of the day. This is a journal-type project for me, too.
4. Having help is OK. While I always set up the shot myself, occasionally the location requires having someone else hit the shutter for me.

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schmoo > June 11, 2008
No story. Just me.

schmoo > June 10, 2008
I have a lot of reading to do this week. This particular textbook, however, is quite humorous and it goes very quickly. It was brought to my attention that I should also re-read my college copy of Elements of Style. Not only is it something I have been meaning to do ever since I started writing again, but it has come up in conversation AND has been mentioned in Chapter 30 of the Day/Gastel book. That totals to three times this week -- and it's only Tuesday! I can take a hint.

FWIW I really do want to become a better, stronger, more effective writer. I manage to squeak through by doing what feels right in my gut but for tricky grammatical issues that just doesn't work.

(But I'm a bio major....)

schmoo > June 9, 2008
I was a little late to work this morning because I was busy icing my coconut lime cupcakes.

Today they threw a goodbye party for me at work. I was sad, even though my last day is actually Friday. But it was fun and my cupcakes went over very, very well. Over the years I've indulged in my love of baking and feeding by bringing in all kinds of exotic experiments and my coworkers have done very well by making me feel loved and talented. Soon I won't have coworkers who will eat my projects, so I wanted to make sure I was able to do this one last time. These were vegan but tasted so much better than "normal" cupcakes.

Funny story about the pan: Over the years I baked so many cupcakes I eventually went all out and bought a schmancy cupcake caddy because I was tired of having icing get all messy when they slid around in a baking pan. When I renounced sugar 6 months ago I never thought I'd bake again and threw it away. Hindsight is 20/20! So last night I had to go to the supermarket and buy one of these cheap, $3 disposable lasagna trays. Oh how we backslide in life.

schmoo > June 8, 2008
Today we took a trip to Century 21. An exciting day! We'd actually gotten there 5 minutes before it opened, which meant that this was the first time that I have ever waited in line for a store to open. Heh! Unintentional but funny.

This shot was shortly after Trav taught me how to stun someone (whack them on that spot on the side of the neck) and shortly before I realized that he was teaching me how to win.

... in a fight.

... as we were preparing to go into a clothing store.

I literally took a 5-minute trip into Hee-Hee Land right after I took this photo - he literally had to hold me up because I was laughing so hard.

(For those of you who don't know or have forgotten like me, C21 stores have the slogan "Fashion Worth Fighting For" because, well, you do...)

schmoo > June 7, 2008
Today is our 4-year anniversary, although I didn't remember it until I was prompted with a "Do you know what day it is?" I'm not really that kind of girl and Trav knows this (and appreciates it!)

We are not "celebrating" our anniversary in a way that most people would think to, but after all the fear and anxiety I had about today it's turned out to be, all in all, the best anniversary I have ever had. I have my family, my husband, and everything is going to be OK.

I also know that I have an incredible group of friends who have followed the saga of my life, which at times could have been a Lifetime movie.

Much more than diamonds, flowers, chocolate or a romantic dinner I am grateful that no matter who or what I face, I have my husband to be at my side, holding my hand and propping me up when I need it. There is nothing more important to me than that.

That said, this is us at my parents' house: he's running updates and I'm doing homework. :D

schmoo > June 5, 2008
My SP for today turned out really horribly even though I had a preconceived idea and even a location in mind. Instead of being depressed about that one, I'm just pulling an older shot from a couple of weeks ago. When I was in Scotland I did take some SPs, even though I never got the chance to process and post them. This one was from May 18 (I think!) when we were shooting all afternoon along one of the perfect blue and white beaches along the coast. There were some big cliffs there, and I had to have some fun with my shadow.

I miss it. The weather, the country, the carefree attitude and no obligations.

schmoo > June 5, 2008
Trav and I both work downtown, but we hardly ever take advantage of this by meeting for lunch. Since I have only a week left at my job* before I start working from home, today was one of the few.

I know that I was greatly enjoying my iced tea. I also know that I have a very grim future as a portrait photographer because I suddenly wanted to include him, but had no creative prompt for him as a model. "Do... math and stuff!" popped out of my mouth. WTF? But being the nice guy he is, he obliged.

I'm surprised the shot is only slightly tilted because we were laughing so hard.

No one makes me laugh as much he does, that's for sure!

(* I just moved into a new office when I got back from Scotland. Corner office! With a window! I'm going to miss it but it's nice while it lasts.)

schmoo > June 4 2008

For over 20 years I despised the term "cute." It was the best adjective I ever got to describe me and it was a little frustrating. Most women don't want to be called cute. Cute is puppies, kittens or baby hamsters. A snarky retort. Or your little sister when she sticks M&Ms up her nose and cries.

Women want to be beautiful, sexy or gorgeous. Who doesn't want to have the power to turn heads by walking past or entering a room? "Cute" just doesn't cut it.

Then a couple of years ago I went and saw Demetri Martin.* And he really has a thing for cute girls. And I thought that someone like him (very cute, very funny, very acerbic) liking the cute can't all be bad. Right?

And overnight I had learned to embrace the Cute.

* My artwork is obviously not as good as his

schmoo > June 2, 2008
I just mentioned this morning that I've been feeling a bit too negative lately to put on a good face for my daily self-portraits, but I received a package from Amazon today that I thought was my textbook... but was a much-desired book randomly gifted to me by a faraway friend!

My jaw should be tired of falling on the floor at this point. I know that friendship is not about getting Stuff or giving Stuff, but it's about the thought. And lately (like, the last 10 years) I have been wrung out and completely out of Thoughts and I feel like a bad friend. But it makes me feel so wonderful inside - wonderful and humble - to have such loving, caring, intelligent people in my life. I feel as though I don't deserve them but of course I'm not going to make any one of them go away. ;)

Thank you, Beth. So much. For everything. For always being you.

schmoo > May 31, 2008
Pillow fight at Linda's! Saturday night: another date night with the girls. We had a great time stuffing our faces and watching Ab Fab on DVD. I am bloated on veggies and even a scoop of delicious homemade mac 'n cheese as a cheat.

We've all known each other for a long time now, and in a way I don't even know how it happened. Sure we've all grown and changed through the years but we are all so constant. Like Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte we are such different people but have shared and gone through so much.

I'm not great at group portraits but I know I want a good one of us. This one will do for now, but I'll noodle over it...

schmoo > May 30, 2008
Friday night. I had a date tonight: with my girls, to see the new movie Sex and the City. I am not very girly in general so admitting this is hard. But it was fun, a very different kind of fun than the solitary, male-based company I'm used to.

It was a late showing and driving home in 70 degree weather with the windows down, listening to De Phazz "No Jive" at full volume with city lights whizzing by made me morose. The movie was largely fluff, yes, but the writers always make me think about people, friendships, trust, and relationships of all types, between everyone we know, find and touch. To what (and whom) do we crawl in our lives? And why? How we answer those questions weighs so heavily on our choices. I thought I had these questions answered so many times but I am always proved wrong when I ask myself again.

I had every intent to take a happy, crazy photo of the four of us this evening but we just didn't have the time or the light. When I got home I was in a completely different mood. And how I wish I could once more walk the quiet streets of Charles Village at midnight with a smoke....

schmoo > May 29, 2008
I try to meditate twice a day every day, but I admit that since my trip I have been not so good about it. I have noticed a great change in my natural rhythms and my abilities to focus and deal with life since I started. It has, in short, been a key point in my life and I feel bad that somehow I have gotten derailed.

Especially with all the changes coming up ahead, I need to find the discipline to get back into it. Like anything else it's easy to shirk when you get too busy... (and boy, has it been busy!)

schmoo > May 27, 2008
Today I formally accepted a position working for SmugMug, Inc! A very exciting day - and one that has me a little terrified as well. I'm very sad to be leaving my current position in a world-class cancer research facility with all of my wonderful coworkers, but I feel this is just something I have to do.

No leap in life is ever easy, that's for sure. No great decision was ever simple.

I'm so happy to be included as part of the family. Better hang on tight. I know they're a fun ride!

schmoo > May 26, 2008
This weekend has been all about catching up. Today my mom-in-law is in town so we had brunch at the Paper Moon Diner, an absolute staple for anyone in the Baltimore area. I have more memories from the Paper Moon than almost anywhere else in the world. So many late nights, so many overpriced, weak cups of coffee drank here when I should be asleep, in class, studying in my room, wearing more clothes, less makeup, in more polite company, etc etc.

But I wouldn't trade a moment of those times for the world. I learned so much in and around this place, as did thousands of other students and Baltimore residents like myself.

The place has undergone many transformations over the years. When I first came to Baltimore visiting my sister when she was an undergraduate, the biggest worry was food poisoning and roaches. These days the Moon is quite trashy chic and tragically artsy. The prices reflect it, too, but their hummus and sprouts are still good.

I kind of miss the old place. And I kind of miss those old friends. I know they're still around but we're all part of completely different worlds. Maybe it's better not to talk.

How far we've all come. As they say 'round these parts: "See U @ the Moon"

June 3, 2008
I love my boots. I enjoy a comfy pair of waterproof hiking boots any time I'm going to be slogging through bogs and beaches, but I couldn't bring my favorite, everyday, beat-up, sloppy pair with me to Scotland and I missed them like a right leg. It's trivial, but I disliked my hiking boots also because they're a funny color. What matches sage? But black goes with everything. Most people I shoot with see me wearing outdoorsy clothes, but every other hour of my life I look like this (except when I'm wearing a dress...)

Nonetheless I am a Big Black Boots kinda girl. Always have been, always will. I got this particular pair about 4-5 years ago (maybe more?) from a friend who sold them to me brand new for $15! Buckles, zippers, rivets, grommets, soles thick enough to kick an enemy when they're down...

I also bought this pair of jeans on Saturday and am amazed at how comfortable they are. I used to avoid jeans like the plague but there's just something to be said about a pair that you can practically live in. I guess there's a definite benefit from working from home? Now I can go jeans and boots-crazy. :D

Finally, I used my freshly-delivered-from-Amazon firewire CF card reader to download my photos today. This is so much faster than anything else I've ever seen! Woop. Thank you to those who recommended it to me.

Camera: Canon (Canon Eos 30d) |

more details: exif |

original size: 2976px x 2259px |

Current: 593px x 450px |

Other sizes: S · Medium · L |

Gallery pages: << < 3 4 5 6 7 8 > >>

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