So this is my motivation, my accountability, & my practice... I am dedicating a portion of my day for 73 days to shed my shyness, delve into my discomfort zone, and capture portraits of the people around me. Yesterday, Day One, I waded into the waters by snapping some quick shots of a good friend while we ate lunch. Today, I swallowed my fear and did not walk past the amazing face I saw behind the flower stand on the corner of Castro & Market... Well, I did walk past, but I made myself take a deep breath and turn back around. I said "hello..." and, I met Josef. I asked to take his picture and he smiled shyly and commented how he wouldn't want to break my camera. We had a nice conversation about our origins, each other's eyes, and his flower stand. I walked away not only with a beautiful face to post here, but a thrill in my soul for making contact with another human, someone that I would have walked right past if it weren't for this project. I was scared before, but now I am excited to see who I'll meet in the next 72 days... Why 73 days? Oddly enough, I was trying to think of a number... 100 seemed too daunting, 30 seemed too little. The thought crossed my mind to make it the number of my birth year, '73. Then I decided to count the days till New Year's, and wouldn't you guess. There are 73. Please give feedback if you so desire, this is a learning process that I hope to gain insight from. I feel very vulnerable, but that's where the growth comes in...

Thank you!

~Shelly