The August self-portrait never got done, but here’s one for September. Perfectly boring, but that was the intention: to practice the basics of lighting, exposure and focus. I am a much more cooperative subject than the kids and much easier to practice on, despite the added effort of running back and forth between the camera and my position.

Speaking of which, the second photo shows my “studio” for this session: a messy bedroom with an unmade bed, the window opened wide and the curtain bunched up to let in more light, the lamp cord tucked away to leave the wall bare and clean. The window ledge acted as tripod. (For next month maybe I’ll finally get myself a real one.)