Anderson Ranch - Self - Portrait Challenge + A Dog and His Girl

We spent the afternoon in Aspen on Tuesday. Each of us were issued a challenge to move beyond "beyond the photograph that you would have taken yesterday and step out of our comfort zones." My specific challenge was to include people, especially myself, in my photographs. It was a bit uncomfortable, and a bit fun. Here's what I came up with:

And then there was this wonderful girl playing with her dog in the doorway of an art gallery. I wanted to capture a candid image of that playful scene, but I asked the girl for permission out of respect for her. She, and the dog, were happy to comply. I think they are both just so beautiful.

I don't know that I would want to print any of these images, but it does feel good to step outside of my usual self-imposed box. That ability to step out of our comfort zones, risking failure, but also knowing that you do it with support, is part of what The Ranch is about. After all, if you do not make mistakes, how will you move forward and find your own way?

What risks have you challenged yourself to take lately?