This isn't the first time I have taken pictures with my kiddo's toys. When you have a deadline and there isn't time to go out you try to find Joy in what's around you. In my case, that means toys.
Nothing looks more joyful than this mischievous elf, sitting in the hot tub with Barbie, enjoying some fresh eggnog and a soak.
I'll admit this is not one of my most technically proficient photos. I think I captured the moment well enough, but I think the light was a bit too harsh. In the end this shot was mildly interesting, but the joy was in the making.
On Taking Assignments
I frequently listen to the On Taking Pictures (OTP) podcast, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for good conversation about creativity, especially as it related to photography. In January 2014 the hosts, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris, began a new segment of weekly assignments that they gave to listeners. Results of the assignments are posted on the OTP Google Plus group. I decided that I would commit myself to the assignments for a year without interruption, and that I would complete each one before the next assignment was announced on the show each Tuesday morning. My 'On Taking Assignments' blog posts are the culmination of my year-long focus on these assignments.