Project 365 — DONE!

Day 365 -- My final image
Day 365 -- My final image

This project started out as simply something fun to do. A friend had recently done a 365, and it intrigued me so much that I felt compelled to start my own.

I read up on the history of Project 365, and I read countless blogs about the project. A few things that stuck out for me about the project were:

1) It would show you through the course of a year the things that are most important to you, because it’ll be the thing(s) you photograph most. If this were the case then I could be called an alcoholic who loves cats. As many pictures of various alcoholic beverages and my cats appeared time and time again.

2) It would make you a better photographer. YES! This is most definitely did. I am amazed by how my skills in photography advanced through the year, and beyond that, how my thirst to learn more about photography also grew. Yes, I am ending my Project 365, but I am in no way ending my interest and education into photography. I want better cameras. I want more opportunities. I will continue on this path that Project 365 took me on.

3) Its a quick glance at the last year. This is so true.

My Project 365 started on my 28th birthday, and I ultimately documented my 29th year of life. I can look back on this project and see precisely where I was on any given day. Some of my photos are simply artistic and truly don’t tell any sort of a story. But a vast majority of them tell me where I was and what I was doing that day. Trips to Texas, Christmas in Oregon. Every single holiday. They are all there in those photos.

As I’ve said, I’m not going into another Project 365 at this time. I will eventually pick up the project again in the future. Perhaps when my first child is born I’ll document their first year. Or something of that nature.

For now, I plan to begin participating in Sarcastic Mom’s Weekly Winners. Should she end that at any time, I will continue on with that plan of action for awhile. So instead of taking a photo every day, I will take pictures throughout the week, and every Sunday (or as close as possible!) Iwill post in this blog my “weekly winners.” In effect, it’ll be a Project 365, only without the pressure of photographing EVERY day, and without the pressure of choosing only one photo each day. It’ll be a week at a time.

Another discovery I made was that I tended to do self portraits on Saturdays. So for my own self, I plan to do a year-long “Self Portrait Saturday” project. 52 photos of myself to document how my looks change over a year. THAT should be fun and scary.

Without further adeau, though, I present to you, My Project 365.