Like I said. I'm bad at this, so it's been a few weeks. I've been up to some good stuff, like naming this weekly series, trying my hand at architecture photography, meeting with new people, and having some adventures in copywriting (because when you proofread for an engineer, it's usually an adventure of sorts). Let's get started, shall we?

CAIRN
I have committed to doing a casual weekly post of what I've been up to, what's inspiring me, and just general updates. It's an effort to produce more original content, and also to introduce a more consistent way to connect with the people who value my work. I hate naming things. I'm so indecisive. It's going to take me like a week to name my first kid. Anyway, I've decided to name this weekly update Cairn. A cairn is a stack of rocks (think stock photos) that mark hiking trails that directs the hikers and lets them know they're not lost. Likewise, this weekly update is a way to let people know that I'm not lost or dead or out of business and what I'm up to.

EXPLORING SPACE
This week, I took time to shoot people-less portraits. I know. You're thinking, "That's not a thing. Stop making things up." I assure you, it's a thing. This week, I made it a thing.

I love shooting portraits, and I love architecture. Not to mention, Des Moines has some killer cityscapes. This week, I was looking through some older photos and noticed something: I don't pay a lot of attention to the space around me. I pay attention to things that will impact the photo, like a busy background or a brightly colored object, but I don't pay attention to what my surroundings offer me in terms of what would work well in a photo. As a larger scale form of design, architecture offers this in abundance, so I decided to go explore. I sought out leading lines, repetitive patterns, and colors that would help my subject stand out. Then I composed the photo as I would if there was a human subject. It was also my first time taking a shot at architecture.

Also, in the realm of architecture is my new friend Nate, a local architect with Invision, a local architecture firm. I met him at 1 Million Cups and I'm looking forward to meeting for coffee and picking his brain. I've never met an architect I didn't like, and I've got a good streak going.

COPYWRITING
It's been a heavy few weeks for proofreading and copywriting. I spoke with a marketing agency today about possibly taking on some copywriting and social media work for them. I hope it works out because it would be such a great opportunity to learn as well as serve.

I have also been doing a lot of proofreading for Tallawah Works, a local product design company that does everything from concept development to working with manufacturers to bring products to life. Kurt, the owner, has been a good friend of mine for a few years. I'm grateful to have friends and clients like him, and I'm always excited to look over his written work.

That's all for this week! Stay tuned for part three of The Vulnerability of Being a Subject, and I'll catch you next week!

happy trails,

—emma