Self-reflection AND photo skill development? Yes please!
Photo Projects. What the heck does that even mean? Why do I care? Well let me tell you…
Photo or personal projects are something a photographer works on for their own personal or social reasons. It can be for skill development, personal development, to highlight a particular situation or cause... I’ve done several, but really only one that was structured and I was actually accountable for. At the time I was working with a mentor to improve my skills and part of the program was a personal project.
When asked to do a personal project, my first instinct was to panic, as it often is. But she had us go through a writing exercise. OK, now this is getting crazy. Personal projects? Writing? I just want to make better travel photos! Be patient, grasshopper.
The writing exercise was to find what was inspiring, what the topic of our project might be. I recommend the same. Write a list of the top 10 things that are important to you. Write a list of 10 things that make you smile. Write a list of 10 things that over your lifetime have brought you the most joy. Write a list of 10 things you are grateful for. Any overlap on these lists? That could be a topic for your project.
Now let’s get to the why exactly would you do a project? For me, it was something that gave me focus. Something that gave my work vision and purpose. My project was on the Sacramento SPCA volunteer program. It was truly life-changing on so many levels. I connected with people and the cause in a way I never would have otherwise. It gave me incredible satisfaction to give back to such a fantastic organization. AND it dramatically improved my photography skills.
One of the photos from my Sacramento SPCA project. My goal was to highlight the dedication, hard work, and love that the volunteers put in every day.
Topics can include anything from supporting social causes, documenting your daughter’s first year in school, your mom’s battle with Parkinson’s... There are unlimited options here. It’s all about what is important and inspiring to you. Some of the other projects in my group mentor program were: the story of a beekeeper (fascinating and amazing photos!), the story of daily challenges of a quadriplegic brother-in-law, the connection of twins. Again, infinite options.
A photo project can also be anything you want it to be in terms of content, design, and purpose. Our projects were meant to tell a story. So our results were a series of photos that did just that. But you are the creator here. You are in charge. So you can design your project to last for a day, a week, a year. The content is all up to you. Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas…
TELL A STORY
This is similar to what my class did. We picked a subject area and then over the course of several months or a year, we created photos that we curated down into a single series that told the story.
If this sounds intriguing but a little overwhelming? No worries. Reach out and I’m happy to help you get started.
One project I worked on in France, was to tell the story of the Canal du Midi. Sometimes it was lovely…
And sometimes not so much…
A SINGLE SUBJECT
Pick a subject - a flower, your dog, your 3-year old, your husband, mom, a building. And make photos of nothing but that for your project. Different angles, times of day, lighting, color and black and white. All different perspectives of one subject.
I would recommend picking your subject and then setting a timeframe. A little structure gives you a beginning, an end, and some guidelines on what you want to accomplish. Otherwise you’re just wandering around taking photos of your dog. See where I’m going?
One subject could be murals, like this one in Jersey City.
One subject could be public transportation. I personally find it fascinating, and could ride the NYC subway all day long!
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Follow one subject around for an entire day. Your family. Your work colleagues. Start very first thing in the morning and end at the end of the day. So at work, you could be there in the dark office before anyone gets in. And then photograph people as they arrive, and then throughout the day - capture the energy (or lull) of the office, the people, the building… And then when everyone is leaving at the end of the day until the office is dark again.
For a family? When everyone wakes up, has breakfast, gets ready for school or work. And then dinner, baths, nighttime ritual. I did this for Maggie. Not super exciting as she sleeps a LOT. But I do love the results.
The exciting life of Princess Maggie Mae.
ABSTRACTS
Really challenge yourself to make a series of abstract photos. By abstract I mean that you can’t really tell what the subject is. Blurred motion, close-up or macro shots, angles/perspectives can all lead to abstract photos.
I would like to experiment more with this one myself. I think it’s fun, artistic, and just makes you think outside of your normal parameters.
I HAVE to do more abstracts!
PASSION PROJECT
Choose a subject you are passionate about. Like eco-travel, pet rescue, women’s rights, eating healthy. This one might take a little research, and some conversations for getting access. But trust me, it’s definitely worth it.
Now if your passion project is something you do on a regular basis, then a self-portrait kind of project would also be fun. I’ve seen some amazing examples of those too. Have you seen Cindy Sherman’s work? THAT should get your creative juices flowing!
Your passion could be art, museums, people…
Your passion could be food…I think you see where I’m going here. There’s a plethora of options!
If doing a photography project is something that interests you, here are my recommendations.
Do a little soul-searching, journaling, meditating. Figure out why you are interested, what you might want your project to look like in general. Is it to make a point, tell a story, dive into something you’re struggling with or excited about sharing?
Establish a timeframe: 1 day, 1 week, once a week for a year, etc.
Determine your desired outcome: slideshow, photo series, photo book, etc.
Hold yourself accountable. Put the dates on your calendar for beginning, shoot dates, final deliverable. Tell a friend, join a Facebook Group, post in the Be PhotoFluent Community. If you don’t hold yourself accountable (experience speaking here), you will get all gung-ho to start and then fizzle out, with nothing to show for it. And there’s nothing more frustrating than putting all that effort and excitement into something, only to stop half-way through.
I’ve been thinking lately about what my next personal project should be. I actually keep a list of topics on a Trello board. WHAT?? You’ve never heard of Trello?? You, my friend, are completely missing out. If you are organized obsessed like me (you know, love a good checklist or a 100 of them) then you will LOVE Trello. Check it out.
Now what was I saying? Oh yeah, anytime I run across a topic that I think is interesting, or when I’m journaling, or on Instagram and see something inspiring...I jot the topic down on a Trello board. That way when I’m ready to start my planning, I have some ideas all lined up. Maybe this Spring is a good time for my next project. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it as soon as I know the details.