Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Arm's Length Studio

Sunset on the evening of the Venus Transit across the Sun ~ 6/5/12.


Back in 2006, when I started taking photography more seriously, I began using some of my shots to create photo greeting cards.  I had seen others market and make money in this simple yet powerful way, and found myself saying, "I can do that!"

Wanting to come up with a catchy brand name for my work, my husband brilliantly suggested "Arm's Length Studio".  It fit perfectly!  Since most of what I was capturing was indeed, just a mere camera extension of what could be photographed within my arm's reach, this new mindset provided a refreshing perspective from which to intention my artful hobby.

Amazingly, I sold many of my greeting cards ~ and gave away probably an equal number to friends and family.  It was an exciting time of creating something uniquely mine and sharing it with the world.

As the wheel of Life has turned and the years have passed, this branch of my entrepreneurship has waned, in light of more pressing demands on my time and energy.  However, in the past week, my kinship with and fondness for Arm's Length Studio has been rekindled.  When my blogging friend, Rebekah, suggested a 365 photo project (in honor of her birthday!), I again found myself thinking, "Hey, I could do that!"

The timing seems right, as my creativity has been all but absent in recent months.  I need to get back out  into the world, so to speak, and see with new eyes what stories and pictures my trusty little camera has to share.

So...in honor of this month's New Moon ~ and the day of two birthdays of family members (my sister and uncle) ~ I will launch my very own 365 days of Arm's Length Studio photo project this Thursday, July 19th!

In order to give myself some structure, it is my plan to have a weekly theme.  Tomorrow, while waiting for new brakes on my car, I will cut up 52 small pieces of paper, each marked with a theme word.  They will be folded nicely and then placed in a shoebox (which might even need its own decoration!) to serve as my version of a weekly drawing 'magic hat'.  :)

It seems funny to be starting on a Thursday.  (Of course, you KNOW I toyed with the whole Sunday/Monday starting day approach!)  But, given the unpredictability and massive-transformation quotient of my life these days, it seems rather fitting.   I need to continue to challenge myself and shake things up a bit!

(Oh yeah, you're invited to join in if you're so inclined!)

See you back here on Thursday!!!

3 comments:

  1. THIS IS EXCITING!! I AM SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS! :)

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  2. I really like your theme idea. I may try that if I run out of inspiration. I eagerly await July 19th.

    As for Arm's Length Studio, I love that name! I've stuck pretty close to home in my photography journey, too. Of my 365 Project photos so far, only one has been taken outside my neighborhood, and the only one that I've had a prop for is the first. I had to go out and get the cupcake.

    I can only speak for myself, but I'm glad I decided to do this. Having a daily creative practice is getting all kinds of juices flowing. May it do the same for you.

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  3. Thank you both for your excitement and encouragement! :)

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