Single Photo Friday:: Safety in Numbers

In honor of Celiac Awareness month, I am posting a photo that brings someone like me great comfort.

I took this photo at one of my favorite gluten-free establishments - Wildflours in Brunswick, Maine. The first time I went into her store and turned to see this shelf I remember feeling overwhelmed and then comforted in a matter of seconds. For someone navigating the gluten-free life, seeing all of these products reminded me there were still plenty of options.

When a common food ingredient makes you sick, and you find a place where EVERYTHING is safe for you to eat, the word comfort doesn't even come close to how you really feel. It's much more than that. And, Bob's Red Mill is one of those companies making safe things for so many of us to eat. Big shout out to companies like Bob's and Wildflours for making life better.

I made this yummy thing yesterday, and feel the need to share. I think I have found a favorite new snack!


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SoFoBoMo: Done Deal. Almost

The Book is complete and uploaded to Blurb. Just. In. Time. For. Lunch.



Which is good since I somehow missed breakfast, not to mention a mid-morning snack. Unsurprisingly, I made a handful of adjustments at the last minute, adding more photos and rearranging pages. I created more work for myself, without a doubt, but am much happier with the book I just uploaded to BLURB then I was with the book I stared at for hours last night.

Yay for me!




Of course, there is a little glitch. I need to upload a PDF file of the book to the SoFoBoMo site. I have saved a PDF, but the maximum size is 15 MB, and mine just happens to be 36 MB. Hmmmm... that seems like a pretty big difference. Anyway, I will need to figure out how to make it small enough to upload. I mean, it's done and the book has been ordered so I know I completed the challenge. I will not wear myself out too much with the PDF detail. There are some other tasks to tackle today.

Still, the rule follower in me probably won't rest until it's all done the way it should be.

PDF glitch aside, I am so glad I took part in this. Getting out of the house in the morning with my camera and photographing in new places was a perfect way to spend a month. Not to mention the great people I met along the way. There is also a piece I didn't really foresee: I like photographing food! I have spent years claiming to be a people photographer, and yet this past year has proven to me that I can do a decent job of capturing mother nature's beauty and/or some yummy goody just begging to be eaten. This challenge has opened my eyes to the shifts happening in my work. And I think it's safe to say I like it.





My approach to this project was one that I hoped would challenge me (it did) and educate me (it definitely did) and get me to finally make a book (I did). There was also the hope that I would create a body of work to show others. I scoped out both locations ahead of time, shopping and eating and then asking to speak to the owner. I pitched my idea and came away victorious. Then there were phone calls and emails and schedules to work out. Time spent in each location was not just about capturing images and telling a story, but also about revealing some of my own story. Gluten-free is my life, as well as theirs, and each person was able to share with me different pieces of their journey. Most of that info is up in my brain and not on the pages of the book, as this was a photo challenge, not a journalistic one.



On the technical side of things I shot entirely with a Nikon D300 (2, actually, since the first one malfunctioned and was traded in for another) using available light. Images were edited in Lightroom and the book was built in Blurb' software, Booksmart. Here are some fun stats for the last month:

Camera malfunctions - 2
Computer meltdowns - 1
Miles on car - 736
Tolls paid - $24
Sandwiches enjoyed - 4
Baked goods eaten - 16 (roughly)
Hours spent making book - countless

Now to go take care of that final detail......

SoFoBoMo: The Final Stretch

Bread fresh out of the oven @ Anello's. Gluten-free never tasted so good!

So, here it is. The final days of the SoFoBoMo experience. I am editing and laying out this week and happy with the way things are coming together. I only need 35 images for this challenge, and I shot 532 (which doesn't include the several that were lost when my camera had its second melt down last week), so I should be all set. In fact, I am more than all set and find myself with almost too many decisions to make!

Twinkle filling mixes at Wildflours.

My entire book is being built on Blurb, which may not be exactly how I'm supposed to be doing things. But I do not currently have Photoshop (Lightroom does everything I need... well except when I need to layout a book!) or any other software to do layout, I'm just using Blurb so I can order my book as soon as I'm done. YAY!

The fabulous Raspberry-Coconut muffins @ Wildflours. I'll drive miles for these.

I feel like on this chilly and somewhat dreary Wednesday I am not full of many wise words or loads of wit to share right now. I will post more before the end of the challenge, I promise. It has been an unbelievably rewarding experience so far, I'm just feeling a little 'computered out' right now. In fact, I'm on my way out the door to give myself a much needed computer break.

Besides, editing all these food photos is making me unbelievably HUNGRY!

The dipslay case @ Wildlours.

SoFoBoMo: End of Week 2

Because I just can't get enough.... of FLUFF!!

GF Baking ingredients at Wildflours Bakery.

And because I haven't updated my life in SoFoBoMo world for a while and figured I should. Since I love this photo, this is the one I chose to share. These are the items that make up the life of gluten-free baking.

I have not photographed for the project since last week. There have been photos to edit and ideas to hash out. I know I have more than 35 photos (one of the few requirements for the challenge), but do I have everything I need? Maybe. I also decided how I want to break the book down, more or less. And today I started to lay it out. I feel like I'm right on track, but every once in awhile I think of details I still need to tend to, and hope I can get it all done in time and to my liking.

Cake decorating at Anello's Cafe.

So, perhaps I will get in another day of shooting at each place next week. There are a few things I still want to capture. Until then, it's back to editing photos and laying out pages...

But maybe for now it's time to turn off the photo brain and just curl up with a good book!

Happy Friday everyone!

SoFoBoMo: Tools of Your Trade

Just another day at the office. Or in the kitchen. And just another day taking pictures of the Gluten-free goodness that comes out of Wildflours in Brunswick, Maine. I am happy to report no camera glitches today....



Today's shoot went well, I will edit the photos later. I just wanted to post these two since I kind of dig them. Tomorrow it's back to Anello's with fingers crossed and all equipment double checked.


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SoFoBoMo: Day 1

Dry ingredients stacked in the small baking area at Wildflours Gluten-free Bakery.

Guess what I learned today? FLUFF is gluten-free!! I'm not sure why, but that little piece of information brought me great happiness. It's been years since I've eaten fluff, but now I know I could have a fluffernutter if I wanted. And I think I just might want.

On today's baking schedule - Twinkles.

Well, I did it. I officially kicked off the SoFoBoMo today. I know I hoped to kick it off a few days ago, but things didn't really come together. Some things just take longer than planned. As long as I don't take more than 31 days to get the book done! The adventure started at Wildflours where I watched Jess, the baker, make Twinkles (GF Twinkies). Something tells me this project isn't going to be good for my sweet tooth...

Shopping list. Note that FLUFF is on the list :)

Jess answers the phone while I browse through the grocery area.

Time to fill the Twinkles.

Ta-da! Yum.

The first day was, in my opinion, a success. I brought my brand new camera, fresh out of the box, and so I didn't realize that I was shooting in Jpeg for awhile. Not the end of the world, but if given the choice I always prefer a RAW file mainly because there is so much you can do with it later on. And if the goal is to print something (rather than just view it on the web), than RAW is always the way to go. So, a minor bump with no major impact.

Next shoot is Monday at Anello's. I'm already looking forward to my BLT with spicy mayo!

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.