Looking for a photography challenge? Need something to shake you out of your doldrums? Or are you just the type of person who needs to have a concrete project in mind to get you going?
If any of those applies, here’s an idea for you: a 365 project. In short, you take one photograph every day, for an entire year, no matter what. (And yes, I give you permission to use the phone in your camera if you need to.)
I haven’t tried one myself, but here’s what I imagine: some days, you’d travel a bit to capture a subject you’ve always admired, some days you’d finally set up the studio for that idea that’s been brewing in the back of your mind, but some days – maybe most days – you would probably end up saying, “Oh crap, it’s 10pm and I haven’t done my 365 photo yet.” And THEN what would happen? That’s what I’m most curious about. You’d be sitting at your desk, or out for the evening, maybe in a completely unphotogenic location, maybe in a very difficult lighting situation, and you’d pull out the camera, and try your damnedest to make a great shot of it. That’s where I think the exercise could really start to expand your preconceptions, call on your skills as a photographer, and force you to see things in a new way. You might end up discovering that you love taking photos of clowns, or that you have a talent for abstraction, or that there are amazing things you can do with long exposures. And even if these new ideas have little to do with your bread and butter, they can’t help but expand your creativity. And who knows, maybe your portfolio too.
For inspiration, visit Mark Seton’s 365 Project 2012.
Mark Seton
336/366 Down My Street
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