At the beginning of the year I made one of my goals to do a 365 photo project. Back in 2010 I completed one (but for some silly reasons didn’t share it on the blog, just on flickr which I have since deleted. D’oh!) and since then I’ve been itching to do another but always made excuses until the beginning of this year. Even though I haven’t taken my photo for the day yet, I’m fine counting my chickens before they hatch and saying this year’s project 365 was a success!I’m so happy with my project 365 that I’d like to encourage others to take on a year long project as well! Project 365 is a super simple concept – one photo a day for the whole year. Lets first get it out of the way that you don’t need a fancy camera, the camera on your phone will work just fine. You don’t have to be good at photography, and you can’t use the excuse “my life isn’t that exciting!”
Here are some reasons you should do Project 365 in 2015…
- Everyone likes a challenge right? I like a project that I can do a little of each day for a long period of time. The feeling of accomplishment at the end of the year is great!
- You’ll get to know your camera better which in turn will make you a better photographer. You’ll learn more about lighting, composing, and how to use your camera in just about every situation.
- It’s a great way to help remember all the little special moments in your life! At the end of the year you’ll get to look back and see what you did that day, who your were with, what your hair looked like, what you were wearing, etc. It’s a lot of fun looking back through the pictures, especially when you can look back and see things that you would have otherwise forgotten! Photos are awesome little triggers to other memories alongside what is captured. The photo below, in the box, of mine and Elycia‘s feet doesn’t mean much to you but I can tell you so much about that day that I’m not really sure I would be able to remember otherwise. Nearly all of my photos spark lots of other little reminders about when it was taken.
- You’ll get less shy about taking pictures in public. This is something I’ve struggled with for a long time. I’m so weird about taking photos in public but forcing yourself to do it often is the only way to get over it. You’ll become more calm in public with your camera and not feel so strange about pulling out your camera to snap that perfect picture!
Tips for a successful 365 project…
- Take your camera everywhere! Did you read that..? E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E. Everywhere you look there is a photo opportunity! Have a really great meal at your favorite restaurant? Take a picture! Love the way the rain looks hitting your window? Take a picture! That squirrel that always hangs out in your yard? Take his picture!
- Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You’ll have awesome days, and you’ll have days you want to delete your photos. In my experience, I’ve found that even the photos I hate when I take them, I end up happy that I have them.
- Don’t quit if you miss a day (or three!), it’s not a huge deal in the long run!
- Tell your friends and family you’re doing it. It’s a much easier project to complete when you have others supporting you. They’ll be a great reminder especially in the beginning when forgetting you’re doing the project just might happen! Setting a timer on your phone to go off until you get into the swing of things will help too.
- Keep up on the project. Going to edit your photos? Do it the same day instead of letting them pile up. Staying on top of the project is one thing that I know helps me tremendously. I edit and add the photos to my 365 post every two or three days that way I never have a large backlog.
- Keep a list of things you might possibly want to photograph so you never have a day where you say “there’s nothing left to take pictures of!”
I like blogging about my 365 project weekly just so I can easily look back on them. But there is lots you could do with your project even if you don’t have a blog. Websites like Blurb, and Tiny Prints allow you to create your own photobooks! How awesome would it be to have years and years worth of these to look back on?! A 365 project means you’ll have something everyday to upload to instagram. There are tons of groups on flickr to connect with others doing the same thing. There are even websites such as 365 Project, and Blipfoto where you can upload your photos daily. Basically what I’m saying is there is no reason not to do one! So, what’s stopping you?
xoxo