remember i said i was going to start a new little project?

well, i did not know when or where i would start it. but i do know i did not wake up today and think, "today is the day i'm going to start my project."

so this is how it happened... a friend of mine {who i have known since circa 1996 } met me this morning at starbucks -- one of the things we like to do when we get together, even though neither of us drinks coffee. she gets her steamed milk drink and i get my green tea latte.

well, i'm sure it is no surprise to you... i brought my camera along. {i don't think she was surprised either.} as we sat by the window and laughed and chatted the way good friends do, i found myself so taken with the colors in her scarf, so i took the lens cap off my camera and started to take pictures of it and the way the light was playing with it so beautifully.

i was just trying to be creative with it, while still carrying on a conversation. then i found that she seemed comfortable with me taking pictures, so i felt at liberty to take some photos of her, too. isn't she pretty? {i think she looks like michelle pfieffer.}

one of my favorite things about sandy is her eyes. i think they are really pretty, and i've always wanted to try to photograph them. so i did. that's when it hit me! "oh, yeah! my project idea!"

so i decided right there on the spot... she would be the first subject of my new project. and now you are probably wondering what that new project is, aren't you? well, i will not keep you in suspense any longer. just go here and you'll see what it is. then come back to this post to read the rest of my explanation.

...

so it's like this... i think a person's eyes are so telling about them. so much of one's personality lies visibly in their peepers... at least in my opinion. for that reason, i've always thought it would be fun to do a series of photos on eyes.

also... three years ago, i went to the wedding of one of my best friends. the wedding photographer was taking photos during the reception of people in mid-air who were jumping up in quirky, fun fashions at the direction of the photographer. they were so enjoyable... both to be in and to watch. i was not yet taking pictures at that point. but when i eventually did get a camera and started getting into photography, it was something i wanted to try right away, and have tried here and there.

i have thought in the past that it would be so much fun to do several jump shots as a series as well. so one day at work {about a month or two ago } i thought, "hey, why not combine these two series ideas? i could call it lookers and leapers!" and thus the idea was born.

but as i said earlier, i did not know when or where {or should i say "with whom"} it would start. it just sort of happened that today was the day. i did not set out for today to be the day nor for sandy to be my first "model". but that is how it happened. and now that i have done my first, i absolutely can not wait to do more!!!

well, when we were done with our drinks, sandy and i left starbucks and went to the nearby alley to take the jumping shot. {which was gracious for her to oblige me with, as she has recently had a sore hip.}

anywho... it will be my little ongoing project. i decided to create a whole separate blog for it, rather than post the photos here and tag them. {although, i'm sure i'll post here from time to time about what is going on over there.}

thank you, sandy, for being my first subject {or victim... however you want to look at it.} your willingness, enthusiasm and beautiful eyes made you the perfect person with which to launch my new project! {and i'll never forget the laughs we had doing it!}