The Good, Bad and Ugly Details of a 365 Photo Project

First off, I should be completely honest and upfront with you. I flaked on mine. My 365 photo project, that is. So take everything I say with a grain of salt. But since you’re already five sentences into this post, let’s just call it a mulligan and you can save your judgments for the end.

Let’s begin with a bit of a refresher. What is a 365 project? It’s the process of documenting your life through the entirety of a year with a camera. There are plenty of variations within the theme, but taking a photo a day is the foundation of the project.

Arguably, the catalyst for such an undertaking is to share your project with friends, family and contacts through photo sharing sites such as Flickr. I undertook my 365 project a few years ago in what turned out to be one of the most tumultuous years of my life. But, as it turned out, those 12 months were a hot-bed of creative inspiration.

My own 365 project transformed photography from pure hobby to genuine passion. That’s not to say it was peachy along the way. But, luckily, I hit most of the bumps so you don’t have to. You’re welcome.

The Good

A 365 project will pay dividends if you have a genuine interest in photography, even if only as a hobbyist. It can jump-start a creative spark and forces you to think in a photographer’s mindset. If you’re taking a photo a day, you start to see life through a mental viewfinder (Oh, that would make a good picture/ I have to get a shot of myself in front of that Llama, etc.) So, in terms of creative motivation, I highly recommend it.

The Bad

It can be a hot pain in the ass. When I was in the middle of my project, I was trying to take the picture, edit it, and upload to Flickr all in the same 24-hour period. I was devoting at least two hours a day to the project and was also trying to creatively surpass the previous day’s posting.

Before I knew it, a project about documenting my life became my life. Hence the ass pain.

There’s no sense in becoming a slave to something that should be enjoyable. So, keep it in check. Figure out how much time you’re willing to devote to the project in advance and then hold yourself to it.

Also, decide on a theme for your project. It will be easier to build on a linear theme than to scramble for an idea on the spot. And don't kill yourself by trying to upload each new picture every night. Bulk upload your photos once a week, or every few days. And breathe for goodness sake.

The Ugly

Photography is an expensive racket. And it can be addictive for the newly initiated. If you’re not committed to a year long stint as a shutter jockey, you can grow to resent the change you dropped on that 15 megapixel digital marvel. Then, instead of fostering a creative spirit it can squash your motivation. Sooner than you can snap your fingers [or the shutter] your camera will be on the shelf collecting dust.

Now, back to my personal experience. I called an audible in the fourth quarter of the year and turned my 365 project into a ’52 weeks’ endeavor. What started as one-a-day turned in to one-a-week. For me, that was a more comfortable pace.

Before I got burned out I relaxed the rules and hit my stride. I didn’t get to the point where I couldn’t stand to look at my camera anymore and it reinvigorated me. To this day, I rarely travel without a camera in my bag; a side effect of the project that’s benefited my own growth as a photographer exponentially.

So, whether it’s a 365 project, a 52 weeks venture, or something of the sort which tickles your fancy, set some mental rules and pace yourself. And keep it fun. Someday you’ll appreciate having a year’s worth of your life on record. Just keep it fun and you’ll be clicking the shutter long after you’ve put the project to bed.

Check out some more of Jon's work on our past post 20 Inspiring Western Americana Photographs by J.R.Ball.

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