we went on a lunch date

a day in the life (wednesday)

On Wednesday, I played along with Ali and her "day in the life" prompt. 

I decided to make it a day where I would use my (very much underutilized) 50mm macro lens all day long. My 17-70mm is my everyday lens, but it is seeing its last days (it is somehow chipped inside the lens, which I seem to only notice when I use video, but then Millie knocked my camera on the floor a few weeks ago and the lens now won't "close" all the way). I know I will replace it when I can since I love it so much but...I have this gorgeous 50mm lens and for some reason I have been telling myself that I don't know how to use it because I had trouble taking macro photos with it when I first bought it. And I am not one who likes learning curves when I am just trying to capture this everyday, which is how I usually use my camera.

But I honestly haven't used it since Viv has been teaching me one new thing about my camera each time I see her, so it was about time I tried it again. (I talked more about this in my interview over at 52 Photos Project...see the first question...)

And after I took this photo of me and Ellie just holding the camera with my arm extended, I fell in love with this 50mm lens for real this time.

Because we were both still under the weather Wednesday (and I still am...let this weekend please be about rest), I just tried to capture the nuances of our day together. I kind of love how it was just a quiet day...

By spending the day with this lens, I learned that it isn't hard to use at all. The one piece I was missing when i tried to take macro photos when I first bought this lens was that I could tell my camera where to focus. This simple piece was why I was so frustrated with the lens at first and why I haven't used it. (Wow. Isn't it amazing how we get in our own way so simply sometimes?) 

I am so so happy to have it in my bag of tricks now and will be using it as my daily lens for a while I think...

Also, I plan to use Ali's "day in the life" template to put these photos (and a few others) on one page to insert into Project Life. So thankful for the videos and other info Ali has on her blog so I can really learn how this weekend...

Here's to moments of ease and rest for you (for me) this weekend...

Blessings,

Liz

PS Those delightful hearts are available as a free download at my post over at Roots of She this week.

saturday sky on egg and i road

when the rain rain rain drips steadily upon us this fall, i want to remember that you turned down egg and i road instead of driving by like always.

i want to remember that you stopped the car in the middle of this quiet road so i could take photos of pink and sky and the miles leading up to mountains.

i want to remember how we talked about my big dream and how we need to explore more roads like this in case it is just waiting for us around the corner.

i want to remember all those flowers quietly growing together along the road as so many birds called to one another while paul simon sang about graceland through the car window.

i want to remember that you really always do give me the space to be me.

*****

"Scenes from This Day" is a prompt in my book Inner Excavation. It's about taking your camera with you on your day-to-day moments and capturing what it is to be in your corner of the world. It's about letting go of the need for the perfect photo from the perfect day and instead using the camera to document the small moments that make up your life. It's about telling the story, your story, in the way that will help you remember the textures and rhythms and sacredness.

scenes from this day (july 2)

i want to remember her inquisitive nature and how she reaches for the camera whenever she sees me behind it

i want to remember choosing to be out in the world and exploring together even when it means taking turns holding her and dancing in doorways while the other eats alone at the table

i want to remember the brightness, the warmth, the moments that seemed to await our arrival

i want to remember how we settled into a rhythm of summer, of family, of being

i want to remember how we decided to push through all of it to choose love

i want to remember how she laughs all the time and finds joy is the simplest moments of together

i want to remember pushing through imperfections and deciding to just be right here capturing what it is to deeply live

*****

"Scenes from This Day" is a prompt in my book Inner Excavation. It's about taking your camera with you on your day-to-day moments and capturing what it is to be in your corner of the world. It's about letting go of the need for the perfect photo from the perfect day and instead using the camera to document the small moments that make up your life. It's about telling the story, your story, in the way that will help you to remember the textures and rhythms and sacredness.