365 Project
For those who don’t know, a 365 project is when you take a picture each day for 365 days. Many many photographers do this each year, especially within the family photography community. As moms, we want to capture the lives of our children as they age and create memories for them to review later. As creatives, we are wanting an outlet to express ourselves and the ability to do so while still being with our children. It’s a perfect scenario and is probably why this community is so large.
The Social Media Element
I believe that social media has had a big impact on our work, both good and bad. For me, social media has been a place to connect, especially in those early years when I felt lonely. Conversely, it has put a lot of pressure on me to product a lot of content in order to stay relevant. Many times over the years, I have had to re-examine my relationship with social media and it’s influence on my work. In the early part of the year, it was helpful in keeping me accountable to my 365, but it became a hindrance as trying to keeping up with daily posting has been difficult. And to be 100% truthful, I haven’t gotten the return on the time investment. Often times, I feel like I am posting into a void and no one is even seeing my work. That isn’t the point, but if that isn’t the point, then why post at all?
Why do a 365 project?
I think this is probably one of the best ways to improve our skills as photographers. I have taken a bazillion classes and workshops, but I have to actually practice what I learn in order to improve. Pushing through the monotony of photographing the same scene every is helpful in breaking through creative barriers. We are family historians and want to capture the day to day activities in our children’s lives. Yes, getting pictures of trips are fun, but I think the images our kids will cherish the most are the ones that give insight into how they lived each day. When I put a series of pictures together of my children, you can see their personalities and the characteristics that make them unique. I am also convincing myself to keep going with this 365 project now.
And yet, I am abandoning it – why?
My personality is such that I will abandon something quickly if it isn’t bringing me pleasure. That isn’t a quality that is applauded in our society, yet I think it is something that has helped me learn about so many different things. As a creative, I do think it is important to reserve time each day for myself. The challenge for me is that I don’t always want it to be photography and with limited time as a homeschooling mom, I have to decide which is most important. Photography is my number 1 love, but I love to dabble in illustration, watercolor painting, baking etc. Giving myself the freedom to explore those other outlets has only helped my photography. I learn to create things and bring them to fruition, and I learn other elements that I can use in my photography work. I do need something to challenge myself to pick up my camera each week, though. Because of that, I am still going to work through a p52 project. This is simply taking an image once a week instead of each day. I think this will force me to continue to pick up my camera but give me space to explore some other genres of photography.
A Different Style
As a family historian, I loved the idea of documenting my family in an authentic way. Documentary was enticing as it showed both the joyful and difficult parts of parenting. I needed a space where all was allowed, a space where I didn’t have to feel shame about my messy house or my imperfect parenting. The first part of motherhood for me has been about letting go of idealistic standards for parenting and housekeeping. As I move into a part of my life where I feel more confident in myself, I am moving away from documentary and into a space where I can more creative. In the very beginning of my photography journey, I watched a lot of tutorials from Sue Bryce and Lara Jade. I was interested in fine art portraiture, but I was still learning so much about light that it felt overwhelming. In the past year, I have become more curious about fine art portraiture and have enjoyed learning about off camera flash and composite photography. This type of work requires a lot of more time for each photo. I have to plan the shot, collect any props I need, figure out the lighting, take the actual photo, and then spend a lot of time editing. I am sure once I become more familiar with light and editing, it won’t take as long, but for now, it’s not something I can easily put out each day.
Ultimately…
I may try to take daily pictures again, who knows. It is always enticing at the beginning of the year when everyone is getting prepared for their own 365 project. The thing I love most about it is the camaraderie that forms when sharing our images. The Click Community has been a fun place to connect and share our images. I want to continue doing that but take the pressure off of daily performing so that I can push myself creatively, as I mentioned above. If you need someone to give you permission to abandon your 365 project, here it is.
Feel free to connect with me here
