Happy Monday!  It’s the second Monday of the month, and this month’s SOAR! Photography Exercise is going to push your comfort zone EVEN MORE!!  We are taking our cameras and hitting the streets!

A couple weeks ago, Ariane Hunter, emailed me with a FABULOUS idea!  For those of you who don’t know Ariane, she applied for the SOAR! Scholarship in 2009.  Even though she didn’t win the scholarship, she followed along the SOAR! journey, and she set her mind to fly with her photography dreams.  I am crazy proud of her!  Just check out her website and blog, and you’ll see the BEAUTIFUL work she’s doing these days.

Her SOAR! Video Submission stuck with her the last two years.  Creating the video had such an impact on her life that she wants to expand it for others to experience!  She emailed me her idea of doing a national “Street Portrait Challenge”!  I LOVED IT!!!  Before I go any farther, watch her video from 2009 to get a taste for where we are headed!

Wasn’t that video AWESOME!  Your turn!  Below is Ariane’s photo challenge that we are taking on for this month’s SOAR! Photography Exercise!

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STREET PORTRAIT CHALLENGE!  by Ariane Hunter

Objective

So much of our success comes from pushing past our fears and proving our own capabilities.

This challenge will be an opportunity for photographers to push themselves past their comfort zone by approaching strangers to take their portraits.

This challenge will develop our strength, increase confidence, and expand our creativity.

When/Where

Saturday, June 18^th @ 3pm

Your hometown OR meet me, Ariane, in Union Square Park, NYC

Rules

– All portraits taken must have a model release  (Ariane has a sample release to use, or you can find one in our Portrait 101 Kit that our attorney put together)

– All participating photographers are free to post their images online (as long as a model release is signed by subject)

– Goal is to get at least 10 portraits

– Allowed one (1) hour to get portraits

– Portraits must be of someone you DO NOT know; has to be a complete stranger

– SIGN UP to participate (Ariane asks you some GREAT reflective questions on the sign up doc, and then she has your contact info to connect with you directly about how it went.  But you don’t have to sign up to do this exercise–reflection and contact with Ariane is just a fun benefit if you’d like.  We’ll also regroup on the SOAR! forum, keep reading!)

Aftermath

– Mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 22nd, 5pm-7pm PST, on the SOARORITY forum to regroup with Ariane in a guided discussion on how your experiences went (i.e. how you felt before, during, and after the exercise)

– Or, if you are in NYC for the shoot, have drinks at a nearby bar with Ariane!  (She will send you details on the in person, gathering, once you’ve signed up!)

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When I told our SOAR! Recipients we were doing this for June’s photography exercise, all three went “GULP!”  Scary?  YES!  BUT, they DID IT!  They are going to lead the way this week on the SOAR! Blog!!  In the meantime, call your girlfriends and mark June 18th on your calendar.  Make this your Photo Challenge date!

Whether you are shooting in Auto mode or Manual, it doesn’t matter.  There is a gift you are giving that transcends our technology know-how.  The best part is the gift giving goes both ways because of what you’ll receive doing it!

June 18th, make it YOUR Artist Date, your Photo Challenge Date!  CLICK HERE to share your experience on the SOARORITY forum and talk with Ariane on June 21st!

Who is in?!

xoxo,

m

p.s.  Ariane is also going to video their experience in NYC on 6/18, so we can all watch it this summer!!  Thank you Ariane for continuing to work at your dream and inspiring all of us along the way.  You are a STAR!