It's taken me a while this year to absorb the huge step of having finished the 365 Project.
Last year on Dec 31st, I ran across an article about someone who had the idea to take a picture every day during the year, and some kind of light switch went off for me. I desperately wanted to do it, too. So, I did. And the first half of the year came pretty easy. I took a photography class and it helped focus my energy on my pictures. I took little road trips so I could take pictures. And the pictures were plentiful.
But sometime along the mid-way point, the "stuff" to photograph became harder to conceive of, and the project started to feel like a chore. I took another photography class, which re-energized me but I began to stumble again after it was over.
I made it all through the year...365 photos, 1 photo per day. What did it mean? Well, I think what I've learned is this...
-I'm proud of the accomplishment. I'm not sure I've ever actually completed a New Year's resolution, and this was definitely the first time I can recall ever completing a resolution. I don't think I've ever done something so consistently, and I do feel like it reaffirmed my ability to accomplish a task if I really want to.
-I do a lot more than I think I do. Looking at many of my photos, I saw tons of days filled with events, parties, festivals, family get-togethers and more. I thought I led a fairly quiet life, but a lot happened in 2010!
-My photography quality is directly related to how much time I want to put into it. All my best photos are ones where I have the time to think clearly about the subject. Sometimes I have been in places where I am just too embarrassed to haul out my big camera and take a photo. But it's worth my while if I want a really good picture.
The next project for the year is coming up. I am excited to get started but, be aware, the stress levels on this next project will be low. I've got a lot of stuff on tap this year....let's get to it!
BEST OF THE 365 PROJECT
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