thus begins a project

so... i started this on my 38th birthday; one photographic portrait a day for one year. there are few rules, if any... few expectations. i am following the Guide. after ten years painting interiors, i have come to a point where i feel done with that career. i need something more challenging, exciting, rewarding. i have been a photographer for years at the hobbyist level, and i have realized that i need to move on to the next level with this talent. painting interiors left me alone inside people's homes for 7-8 hours a day, 5 days a week... a lot of being alone. well, this project is about meeting people... seeing beauty in the everyday faces that i run across out in the world. we are a beautiful lot of folks. on the second day of this project i left town to visit new york city for the first time; a wonderful place to see people... maybe, a frightening place to approach strangers and ask if i can take their portrait for a project that i have just begun (and then proceed to ask them if they would fill out a small form that grants me "rights," to publish their image.) to my surprise, the people that i photographed were all more than willing to oblige. after my self portrait, the first person that i photographed was in new york by herself to see a jazz vocalist come out of retirement with a big show near washington square park... the shot was taken just before she went to the show; she was excited, friendly, and wide open, even though her eyes were not. i concluded that she mostly sees with her heart.