Recently, my place of employment held a photography contest for employees. Being that I do enjoy taking a photo every now & then, I decided to enter some of my favorite photos for consideration. What the heck, right? The winning photos were slated to be used in a 2010 calendar, the proceeds of which would be donated to a local charity. Photography, AND donating to a good cause? Now that is something I can wrap my arms around. So I entered. Done.
Maybe also I was a little interested in the $100 prize. But that's beside the point.
I submitted a variety of different pics. Nature, people, artsy fartsy, wedding, food.... Last week, I received the call that one of my photos had, in fact been selected to be a part of the calendar. And so, without further adieu, I introduce you to my calendar baby...
Boy does that seem like a lifetime ago. This is one of the very FIRST pictures I ever snapped with my brand new NIKON camera, and most certainly one of the first photos that made me want to become a "photographer" even MORE. And still to this day, I laugh when I call myself a "photographer" because I am SO NOT A PHOTOGRAPHER. I just like taking pictures. I feel like "photographers" sip starbucks and wear berets and scarves, and that is just not me. I have the utmost respect for real photographers, but I will never be one, and that is ok with me. But, I digress...
SO I WON. It was very exciting to me! I may have even danced a little jig in my office, but I'm not telling! And, I wont lie to you - I was a little proud of me, that out of hundreds and hundreds of pics, mine was one of twelve that caught the eye of the judges. So just HOW is it possible for this story to become awkward, you ask? Well sit tight, because I'm about to tell you.
On the company website, an announcement was posted with all the names of the winners, and accompanying that list was a slide show of the winning photographs. I was elated to get to see the other winning pictures. I immediately clicked it, and scrolled through eleven GORGEOUS PHOTOGRAPHS from a group of colleagues that (now after seeing the pictures) I can't even believe I am a PART of!
I mean... STUNNING scenery, adorable raccoons peeking through windows, close up's of birds sitting in berry trees, pops of color, BREATHTAKING panoramic shots of nature, majestic mountains, unbelievable red rocks from the west, GORGEOUS Italian alley-ways... I mean, just photo after photo that took my breath away...
Aaaaaaaaand, a sleeping baby.
One. One sleeping baby.
Internet, my son is the only human in the calendar.
It is essentially, a 2010 nature calendar, and HEY if you order now we'll toss in a sleeping baby for shits & giggles!
It felt awkward in a "one of these things is not like the others" kind of way. Don't get me wrong, I am still absolutely elated to be part of this, but I couldn't help but hum that little Sesame Street tune as I closed the slide show window...
And so, yes... While I can cross "win a contest" off my bucket list I have also further proven the point that anything I touch turns to awkward, and maybe I should start thinking of THAT as my talent.
Carry on.
