The Next Challenge

A salad.

I'm taking on a challenge. For years I have wanted to make a book of my photos. A sturdy, hard cover book showing the best of me and my photographic abilities, a sign that I have truly arrived. Then the internet started allowing all of us to make this dream come true by providing places and tools and know-how that would turn hope into reality. Sights like Blurb and Lulu opened many doors for the creative types with dreams of seeing their work in print.

But the kicker is one still has to make the time to make the book. How many of us have wanted to do this and still haven't? My hand is raised very high in the air right now (think: Horshack on Welcome Back Kotter).

And then I heard about a challenge set up to force photographers to stop talking and start working. It's called the Solo Photo Book in a Month Challenge, or SoFoBoMo, and it is exactly what it sounds like - a challenge to make a photo book in one month's time. No more excuses! Time to get crackin'!

Well, that is, if you choose to take on the challenge.

This concept appealed to me because of the word 'challenge' and the idea of having a restricted amount of days/time to make yourself just do it. Can you really get it all done in a month's time? Will it be what you were hoping? Will you accomplish what you set out to do? I don't know, but knowing I have only a month makes me want to accomplish it, makes me want to see what I can do under these circumstances, and definitely makes me want to finally do something I've wanted to do for years.

The goal is to have a finished product in book form (either PDF or actual book on Blurb, etc.) by the end of your 31 days. Pick a topic, pick up your camera, and just GO! So, I just signed up this week, even though I have been thinking about it for a little while. Originally I thought I would love to do a book all on photos in diners. Sure, it's been done but who doesn't love a good diner pic? And I for one love bringing my camera into any and all kinds of diners.

A good diner pic.

Then I started to think about details and remembered a major factor about my life: I can't tolerate gluten. Driving all over New England for some great shots that may result in zero food options didn't seem like a great way to spend my month. A diner book is something I can do slowly, compiling many years of images into one fabulous place. I can take my time for something like that. No, I knew I would need to eat and so I chose to document a small number of gluten-free eateries. Ideally, I would love 3, 4 at the most. I currently have two who are willing to open their doors and let me capture some of the day to day happenings. Their support of this little project has been tremendous, so I would like to give them each a shout out and encourage all of you (GF or not) to visit their businesses:

Wildflours is a new small Gluten-free bakery and grocery located in Brunswick, Maine. Try the raspberry coconut muffins or the GF TWINKIE (woohooo!!!), then be sure to browse for your favorite snacks, pastas, and baking mixes. I can't walk in there without leaving with a bag full of groceries and muffin mixes. Then I pawn them off on my friends and family and they rave.
Anello's is an established completely gluten-free eatery in Portsmouth, NH (though they used to reside in Wells, ME). You can go in there and order anything off the menu and it will be gluten-free! It's a place you meet friends for lunch and feel completely relaxed about what you are putting in your mouth (a rare feeling for those who live GF). And the food is so good you would never feel like you were compromising anything. People drive there from all over just to have that feeling.

So, if I can find one more place, then great. If I can't, then I'm pretty happy with this combo. This is not only a chance for me to be challenged, to finally make a book, but it's also the chance to promote local small businesses and hopefully give them some exposure. It's exciting to think where this project could lead me.

I will have my official start day on Monday May 11, and finish 31 days later. Again, the goal is to make a book by the end. I'm excited for the challenge that lies ahead, and even more excited for the reward at the end that comes from accomplishing something like this. I will post periodically as I make my way through the ups and downs and yummy GF goodies.