Genius Hour Post #2: Exploratory Experience

This week, I dabbled with a few of my Genius Hour topics. My three potential topics - learning to use my camera, learning to surf, and learning to cook - came directly from my 2020 bucket list and are all things I've been wanting to tackle for years now!

I took my camera to my niece's 1st birthday party to try to capture some special moments and I did the best I could with what little photography knowledge I remember from the one 6-hour class I took two years ago. My results were mediocre at best, and it certainly didn't help that my adorable 12-month old subject absolutely never. sits. still. However, the feeling I get with a camera in my hand is magical. I love trying to find just the right angle and capture just the right moment or expression.  I was laying on my stomach on the floor in the middle of the party at one point just to "get the shot." Unfortunately, it is disappointing when I look at the tiny screen on the camera to see that the vision I had for a given shot absolutely did not translate to the photo. I included what I considered to be some of the better shots from the day below. (Isn't my niece to die for?!)

 

Needless to say, I wasn't able to get in much surfing this week, as it is January. In Chicago. Le sigh. The surfing I did in my daydreams while I was out most of the week with the flu was pretty gnarly though. My mom always did tell me to dream big. 

My other dabbling this week was in the kitchen. I really got out of the box and attempted to cook teriyaki chicken and vegetables using the air fryer my sister in law convinced me to buy this past fall. The chicken came out a little dry, but the veggies were a crispy masterpiece. I only had to text my sister in law about eight times to make sure I was air frying correctly. I also looked at Pinterest for a yummy vegetable soup recipe, since it is the dead of winter and soup is pretty much the only thing I'm eating lately in hopes of remembering what it feels like to be warm. It only took about two hours to chop all of the vegetables and another hour or so to let my concoction simmer on the stove, but the results were pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Overall, I enjoyed spending time digging into a few of my passions this week. However, photography definitely stands out to me as something I really am interested in learning how to do better, particularly with a trip to New Zealand coming up in March. New Zealand's gorgeous landscape is just screaming to be photographed and somebody has to do it! I definitely feel like I am in my "flow" when I'm shooting with my camera, and I want more of that feeling. Thus, I am dedicating my next eight weeks to honing in my photography skills. Here we go!