365 and breaking patterns (warning: rambling!)

[Teresa Devine]

I'm on Day 28 of my first 365. First of all, join a support group. No, seriously...there are numerous 365 groups on Flickr that can provide a sense of community. Being able to bounce ideas off others in your same situation as well as draw inspiration from them is invaluable. Not to mention support when you think you simply can't do it another day!

I recently discovered DailyShoot.com (@dailyshoot). Each day at 9am EST, a tweet is sent out suggesting a photo assignment for the day. If you wish, you may tweet a link to your DailyShoot photo and it will be posted on their website. Might take some of the pressure off and give you a topic that you can interpret in whatever way you wish.

[Stroodle88]

I also just started a year-long daily-photo project aptly called Project 2010. For me, the impetus to kick off a new project for the new year was helped knowing that I would be in a different place for New Year's Eve than at home, and also knowing that the first couple of weeks in January would be spent on a cruise

Since coming back from the cruise, I've found that I tend to be that 11th hour shooter scrambling to find something to capture before the clock strikes midnight - scrambling is too frantic a word maybe, but I'm definitely looking around and am more cognizant of interesting angles to shoot photos of my pets for example.

Staying on task for me was helped by having a goal - Project 2010 is a goal in and of itself, yes, but my ultimate goal was to make a year-long photo journal of what my life has been like in 2010 and to chronicle that into a book. I've made books using blurb.com in the past with great success and plan to do so again with my Project 2010 photos.

I also post them to a photo-sharing site, so I have at least some immediate gratification while I wait for 2010 to finish to complete my book!

Photos can be found here if interested: Zenfolio | Bertrand Hui

[Sandy W]

Hi Everyone.I suppose you could say I have covered this project for ten consecitive years!
My project began 1st January 2001. I have photographed EVERY sunrise & EVERY sunset since then.I have NEVER missed one! Although every days sunrise & sunset are very different,even from moment to moment, it can still be a challenge to change a dull sunrise,like today's rainy one,into one that can still be interesting.The days there are no clouds at all,& just a very glaring sun can be interesting! I am always pleased with the results in those times.Same as rainy days.....they are more challenging than no sun at all.
Today is 3348 consectitive days,not bad for someone at 64 years,have no intention of stopping!! I also look for other things to shoot while I'm waiting. Spiders & their dew laden webs,leaves with sunlit water droplets,birds,low flying 2 winged aircraft( I shoot sometimes over a small country private airfield) grandchildren that accompany me,animals ,& the list is very long!! Although I went digital only 6 months ago,I still prefer film.Digital has made things a lot easier though,& cheaper!!
I,ve been following you project,good luck to you all...have a great day everyone! Sunrises to Sunsets - landscape photographer, brisbane
regards Sandy

[kelticsol]

Originally Posted by Sandy W

Hi Everyone.I suppose you could say I have covered this project for ten consecitive years!
My project began 1st January 2001. I have photographed EVERY sunrise & EVERY sunset since then.I have NEVER missed one! Although every days sunrise & sunset are very different,even from moment to moment, it can still be a challenge to change a dull sunrise,like today's rainy one,into one that can still be interesting.The days there are no clouds at all,& just a very glaring sun can be interesting! I am always pleased with the results in those times.Same as rainy days.....they are more challenging than no sun at all.
Today is 3348 consectitive days,not bad for someone at 64 years,have no intention of stopping!!

Wow. That is impressive.

[Sandy W]

Thank you Kelticsol! I also did nearly every day in 1999 & 2000,but because I missed a few rainy days,can't claim them as being consectitive!!
Cheers,Sandy

Sunrises to Sunsets - landscape photographer, brisbane

[dcclark]

Originally Posted by kelticsol

Wow. That is impressive.

I second that!

Also, I'm impressed at the number of new members who are posting here. Thanks so much for all of the stories!

[sunmallia]

Looks like we are all in the same boat. I am thinking it is just bad weather and does not give me much inspiration to go out and photograph. I bought a book though and the author suggested picking themes, like the "Lensbaby" theme mention earlier. i.e. photograph the color blue, try to photograph people for a week, wildlife. I am not complaing about photograph things around the house as I am looking at things differently, and sometimes I just wind up taking photos of the same subject but looking at it in a different light each time you would be surprised what you come up with.

Anyway good luck to all of us!

[cleamon]

Ok, so I'm starting to get interested in doing either a 365 or a 52. Being semi-retired has given me plenty of time to work on this. BUT here's my question:

Is the point of this exercise to TAKE a new photo every day/week, or CREATE a new image each day/week?

In other words, if I have an old photo and create something new from it by cropping, OOB, HDR or applying another dark/light room technique, would one count that as a qualifying "photo" for that day/week? Or perhaps, creating alternate "photos" from the same shot - different crop, different treatment, etc..
I'm thinking "yes". I'm improving my skills as a photographer whether I'm clicking the shutter or working with any of the other "tools" of the trade.

Of course I realize that it's up to each individual to get out of it, what they want. What do y'all think?

Chuck

[Nicole]

Yep, like you said, it's up to the individual. I've seen at least person doing a 365-edit project where they edit a photo every day. Not necessarily new and also not even necessarily theirs (though they do ask permission first).

Some people use it just to take any old picture any day, some people take more planned or elaborate shots. I probably wouldn't be happy just posting a general snapshot too often, just because I want to use the project as a chance to grow my skills. So my theory, I guess, is that it's a chance to grow your skills. If the skill you want to grow is editing, well, then I guess that's your answer

[dcclark]

I agree -- it's your choice what to do. I'd choose something that you want to work on. If you want to create images (work on post-processing, for example), then just post one each day. If you want to work on seeing photos where you don't usually, then try taking a photo each day. That's what I've been doing for this 365 -- working on seeing things that I'm not used to seeing, in different ways.