by Linda
It's Thursday. It's the 3rd day of April in the year 2014. It is the 14th week of the year. Today is the 93rd day of the year.
93/365
So what? Why am I all numerical today?
Well, if you are doing a 365 project and if you started on January 1, 2014, all these numbers make sense. And if you started on January 1, 2014 then next Thursday, April 10, is a mini-milestone for you. Day 100.
(if you need a little help keeping up with all these numbers, go here)
yep
Even if you didn't start on January 1, you will still be 100 days through this year. Pat yourself on the back! High five! Way to go! You're awesome!
Wait, what?
You started a 365 but, you know, you missed a day then another day then, well, maybe a 365 isn't for you.
Maybe you wanted to start a 365 on January 1 but, well, you know, life gets busy and you never got started, maybe next year.
You started a 365 but it's just so hard to come up with things to take pictures of, you know, it's hard to find inspiration, motivation and mostly time!
I hear ya.
It's ok.
You can start today. You can restart today. It doesn't have to be a perfect 365 and it doesn't have to start on January 1.
Inspiration and motivation can be tough. Take a look around flickr and the FOL 365 group for a little help, see what others are taking pictures of.
If you want a little more help, FOL has a monthly focus, April's Focus is "Earth Day", you can use that for inspiration, or if you need a little more, Prompt Addicts (also on flickr) has a weekly prompt to get you shooting, or if you need a little more, try "Capture your 365" blog.
But, you don't have to rely on prompts if you don't want to.
Why not challenge yourself to try something new with your camera, a new setting, manual mode, f11, pan with your camera, use a different camera, use your phone camera. Put a different lens on your camera and keep it there for a week or more then switch it out for another, rent a lens you've been dreaming of and take it for a spin!
Try some new or different processing on your pictures, B&W, HDR, a vintage/matte look, make your picture look like a painting or drawing, try a texture, put some words on your picture.
Try some different subjects like selfies, street scenes, nature, flowers, fences, benches, sunrises/sunsets, still-life, landscapes, architecture, old buildings, old barns, windows, doors. Try taking some macro shots.
Really endless possibilities. Even if you think it's already been photographed, that may be true but it has never been photographed by you!
If you group your 365 pictures together by month into a mosaic and take a look at it, you will be so pleased! It may just give you a little more motivation to continue! I find it so much fun to take a look at what I have seen and where I have been. I also enjoy taking that 365th picture and looking back at the entire year!
It doesn't matter what camera you use, just be sure to have one with you in case something catches your eye!
Where do you get your inspiration? Share it with us! We'd love to hear it! We're in this together!
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365: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the intrepid photographer. The year long mission: to explore strange new places, to seek out new light and new perspectives, to boldly see what no man has seen before!
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Live long and click on.
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9 comments:
Resistance is futile.
So fun, and just what I needed. I am in my 3rd year of 365 and this time, I have consciously been easy on myself . If I miss a day I do berate myself. So. I've missed all of last week, and now have hit my guilt limit meaning I feel badly . I just decided I must get going. This is optimistic and fun and I love the way it's written! Thanks!
That was a Borg collective quote, re Star Trek. Good morning, FOLers.
I needed this Linda! I'm with Carol on this. Last week I missed a day. This week, M,T,W. Oh well. (I'm pretending it doesn't bother me!) But onward - today I get going again! (And love your photos!)
yep linda...i hear ya. a year-long committment can seem daunting. i have certainly had the 'what in hte world am i going to take a picture of today' quandry. i've taken photos of my kitchen sink more than once! :) but it's all good. it's the daily practice of photography. taking a picture everday that is the benefit. it's consistency that develops our photographic muscle memory. awesome post today linda!
Love your 'everyday photos', Linda! I think the thing we should remember when doing a 365 is that it's not so much about creating 'art' {although we should when we can}, it's about capturing our everyday, even if it's mundane. I started my 365 on July 1 and that proved to be fortuitous because it meant that when the winter slump got here, I was too deeply invested to give up now. I've kept my string going but some of them are admittedly, pretty mundane. Excellent post and full of great encouragement for all of us. Thank you, Linda!
Yes, shooting a photo a day can be a big commitment but as you said, at the end of the year you're so glad you did it! And as Kelly said, there is nothing that can improve your photography more than shooting and shooting often. Checking out the Flickr pools can give you some fun ideas of things to shoot when you see what others are doing. I find it easier to keep up if I never leave home without my camera or iPhone so I can shoot at a moment's notice. And I can't stress this enough . . . make sure to DO SOMETHING with those photos like a Project Life album, a collage of them framed on the wall, etc. Seeing all of your shots from the year displayed together in some way makes it all worthwhile!
I started my 365 on September 1, 2013. A much better time of year for me to start. I am doing Pretty Handy Girl's April Waterlogue challenge. So using some of those for my 365 and hopefully it will get the app. out of my system.
I'm behind on editing and posting. I've surprised myself though, with being able to 'get' a photo every day.
It is hard some days...when it's cloudy or busy.
Thanks for the encouragement.
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