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Almost two years ago I began my journey of learning how to use manual mode on my camera. For me this was a very intimating obstacle to overcome. My camera had all these extra buttons and settings that baffled me. I ended up taking an intro class to photography that helped clarify the basics of manual mode. ISO, shutter speed and aperture. I understood what each of them could accomplish individually but was having a hard time trying to sync them up correctly to work as a group. While researching on the internet I came across the idea of a 365 project which I had never heard of. Basically, a 365 is a photography project in which you take one photo every day for a year. I continued to read articles about this project and every photographer that had finished the project said it was the best thing they had done for their photography. So I decided come January 1, 2015 that I would tackle this project and see what happens.
I am happy to say that I did complete the 365 project last year and what an accomplishment it was. I wanted to share with you why the project was so beneficial for me and tips to help you complete your own.
WHAT I GAINED BY COMPLETING THE PROJECT
1. YOU WILL LEARN HOW TO USE YOUR CAMERA
My main purpose for pursuing the 365 was to push myself to learn all my camera’s capabilities, which meant learning how to use manual mode. I am a hands on type of person. Meaning I have to actually do the task at hand before I start to really understand it. It’s called practice. I can read books all day every day about how to use my camera in manual mode but if I’m not practicing how to change my settings to achieve proper exposure for a photo then it’s a waste of time for me. Taking a photo every day forced me to learn how ISO, shutter speed and aperture work together to create a beautiful photo.
2. YOU WILL SEE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS GROW THRU YOUR PHOTOS
One of the most rewarding things about participating in a 365 project is the growth you will see in your photos. Some of my first photos looked more like snapshots than photos. But gradually, from month to month I could see myself improving because my photos were getting better. Seeing this growth gave me the confidence to continue day after day to reach my goal of 365 photos.
3. YOU WILL CHALLENGE YOURSELF
In the beginning of my project I didn’t really put a lot of thought into my ‘photo of the day’. I was just taking a photo for the sole purpose of “I need to take a photo”. I started noticing I was staying in a very narrow comfort zone and was not challenging myself. One thing that I started to do was put more thought into my photos for each day and sometimes planning them out. This started snowballing into trying new perspectives and leading to creativity when photographing something. For example, taking a photo from above or getting down low will result in a more appealing photo than if you had just took a shot straight on.
4. YOU WILL HAVE IRREPLACEABLE PHOTOS
Picking up my camera every day to capture something about my every day gave me photos I would never of had had it not been for the 365 project. Some of my photos were out of the ordinary that included subjects I never would have considered photographing. My eyes were open to new possibilities of how to create a memorable photo.
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL 365 COMPLETION
1. MAKE IT PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
Taking a photo every day was not easy. At times I got caught up in my daily routines and it wouldn’t hit me until I went to bed that I had forgot to take a photo that day. I would get back up and take a photo for the purpose of taking a photo and go back to bed. I got tired of this real quick. So I started to push myself into taking a photo in the morning or the afternoon so I wouldn’t forget. This soon turned into a habit that led to being part of my daily routine. Just like brushing my teeth. I know it’s something I need to do so I just do it.
2. JOIN A 365 GROUP
I’ve read that a lot of people join a 365 group which is just a group of people completing the project just like you are trying to do. Joining a group where everyone has the same goal holds you accountable and gives you the motivation for taking your photos. It’s the same principle as having a buddy to work out with. It gives you the push you need to accomplish your goal.
3. REWARD YOURSELF
This was my favorite motivation for completing my 365 project, rewarding myself at the end. I started my project as a New Year’s Resolution and I told myself that if I took a photo everyday and didn’t miss a single day that I would treat myself by creating a printed album of my photos. I wanted to be able to hold all my hard work and dedication in my hands instead of just viewing my photos on a screen.
Pursuing a 365 project is not just for professional photographers. It’s for anyone that has a love for photos. Hobbyists who want to challenge themselves, moms wanting to document their child’s everyday life, or anyone who just wants to improve there photo taking skills. And you don’t have to have a professional camera to complete the project either. Use your phone if you don’t have a camera. As long as you are capturing something every day you will accomplish your goal. But most importantly, have fun with it.
