if you wear that velvet dress

I am actively pursuing spontaneity.

By nature I tend to be extremely careful in everything I do. I rarely speak up without seriously thinking about what I want to say. I'll plan out my day/week/month well in advance, to the point where very little of what I do is left to chance. This has served me pretty well; organized is a nice way to live, and my internal filter has kept me from saying things I probably would have regretted.

Of course, there are the drawbacks that come with it. Predictability. Over analysis to the point of paralysis.

Photography has been a really good exercise for me. The vast majority of my pictures have been impromptu rather than staged because, unless you really know what you are doing, staged pictures tend to look tacky and boring. And I hate tacky and boring.

The spontaneity is what I like about this picture. Instead of a boring picture where everyone is looking at the camera with forced smiles, there is genuine warmth and joy in the frame. I'm want that authenticity and genuineness to be a regular part of my life. Thus, I have made the conscious decision to begin trusting my instincts (which have served me well so far) and acting on their impulse.

We'll see how it turns out.

9.12.07. Cropped to 3X5.