Project 365...What have you learned so far?

[KarenC]

Can you believe we've half way there?!

So what have you learned so far? How has your project changed? What's your favorite part?

For me...

I've learned so much about my camera and what it can and can't do.

Mine as evolved to more of a project 52. I don't really worry if I miss days taking photos...I just try for two or three days and take the best 5-7 photos from the bunch.

I've decided that I'm not trying to make a exact documentary of our year. Just little snippets and trying to have fun with my camera.

And, I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying the project and can't believe I've made it this far!

How are you all doing? I'd love to hear how it's going for you.

[justmp]

This is actually my third year doing it and I really can't imagine not doing it! My photography has really improved. I shoot manual 90% of the time, and I am not worried about having a photo be less than perfect. For the past 2 years, I've used my photo of the day as a journal...I try to photograph whatever is most significant about the day. I love doing it!

[lizj]

What I've learned, as one who has not done one of these yet, is that what seems mundane to me now might be very fun to look at later. I am totally inspired by and in awe of these lo's. I will really be interested in what people add to this thread and hope to take your suggestions to do this myself in the coming year.

[ValerieP]

I have only 6 pics places on my template for each week, so that has really helped this year. It has given me permission to have days off-which I think has really taken a lot of pressure off this project. I struggle during the school year with pics to fill, even though I have plenty to journal. This summer has been packed with adventure, so I find I have to pick the pic I like the best or feel depicts the experience the best. It is a fun project and the closest I have ever come to keeping a journal. One of these days, I will go off auto and really learn my camera, but for now, what I am doing is working well for me.

[home in ottawa]

I am enjoying the documentation of my day to day. I occasionally struggle for a daily photo, but I, um, have, um, cheated...once or twice. I'd like to be able to provide a clearer picture of my work day, but I have to respect patient privacy. That said, I have become better at accepting representational photos of an empty lab or a piece of equipment. I sometimes drag my feet, but I am always happy to have the 365 LO finished. I think that I'd like to do more to reference world events too, but I have mostly kept things at a friends and family level. I will absolutely do this again.

[esther_a]

Yes, I learned a lot about my camera. I have learned to appreciate seemingly insignificant things - because I love to look back on those photos from previous years. Now that I have a new camera, the learning has become so much more important (I had no idea how many buttons and menu options this camera would have!).

[maureenreynolds]

Well, I'm the one who finally realized she was perfectly happy with her iPhone photos. Period. I've enjoyed finding templates that allow me to have the 7 pictures and some journaling for each day. Looking at my supplies has been good too since I can have some of the work done and then play with the background and elements.

Since I decided to include trips right in the 365 pages, I made the decision to print them all and put them in a D ring binder. No waiting til the end of the year and have to get a big book. Plus when I find the inevitable mistake, or should I say He does, I can just print one duplicate page and fix it.

Will I do it next year? Probably, but I do find it cuts into one off layouts that are just for the fun of it. Of course I do have a lot of trips to scrap...and I will still consider that a blessing.

[anxela]

I fell off when my life took a sharp turn in late february... So I guess my lesson is that I have to keep going no matter what happens. I think I will start in August, and do a year from then. But again - I'm thinking about turning it into a "monthly" thing instead. To take the pressure of the everyday photos.

[Blossom]

I did it only for 2009 and when I got my 2009 photobook now in June I have decided I have to do it again. It is such a good reminder of what we did during that year. And I am thinking, maybe maybe I will do something to end of the year from august 1st. But still thinking about it.

[esther_a]

I just don't stress about it. If I miss a day I don't worry. Sometimes I'll miss a couple of days. Sometimes I cheat with a photo from another day or a newspaper item or screen shot. The memories that I capture make it special.

[Janet1949]

I KNEW that I wouldnt be able to keep up with a weekly page, so decided at the start of my project, I would do a monthly double page.. some months I might have 2 or 3 double pages, some months might only have 1 double page.. not stressing about keeping it even at this late stage, but I do wish I took more photos, Im not one for taking shots of 'things' but my husband is a bit fedup of me taking pics of him, my 16yr old grand daughter wont let me take shots at the moment, my daughter is also a bit fedup, the only saving grace at the moment, is my new great grandson, who I see every week, then I go mad with the camera, but because he is still very small, all the pics look the same.. Im going a little bit stir crazy at the moment, not being able to take people shots.. (which are my fav's)...

[maureenreynolds]

Janet, uh..Janet is people.

[carollee]

Errr well some people are half way through, LOL. I have the photos, just still catching up with layouts, and I'm only doing P52! Yikes.

Am already thinking of a way of simplifying it further next year, ha.

[Jen D]

I ditto what Jodi said... I use my 365 as a visual journal. If I miss a day no big deal. I focus on the bigger picture I skipped it last year and regretted it. It is very enjoyable to me and I love the final product!

[Standifg]

I have learned A LOT about myself, my camera and PSE.

I decided to go with pictures of the week on a double page spread. I have a folder on my desktop titled "Weekly Photos" with a separate folder for each week that I load my photos to each day that I take photos and I immediately weed out the bad and edit/resize the good. I try to finish my weekly spread no later than Sunday. When the weekly pages are done I move that weeks photo folder to my EHD. It has been inspiring to watch that list of 52 folders decrease over the weeks.

DH and I don't have children therefore no grands so it is all about things/stuff/places for me. My 19 year old nephew is an aspiring photograper so he and I try to take a "photo trip" on Friday afternoons...some weeks we miss it depending on what else is going on. Not sure what I will do when all the flowers stop blooming and high school football begins which will account for my Fridays (other nephew plays ball). But I'm sure I will find other interesting things to photograph and maybe plan another day of the week for our "photo trip". It is great bonding time with my nephew and he teaches me loads if camera/photography things :-).

I already enjoy looking back at my pages and I know I will really enjoy having a book in my hands at the end of the year. Will I do it next year? Mostly likely yes...really no diffeent than when I used film, had it processed, and put in an album...but this way, I don't have to try to recall who/what/when/where/why 10 years from now.

[krystav]

I've fallen so far behind with my layouts (actually doing a completely new layout design now again) only reached week 12 I think >.< Did take the photos though.

I learned that my photos dont need to be perfect technically as long as they are iconic for the moment they represent. I'm doing a double page spread with 6 small and 1 big photo each week. I sometimes use a photo from the year before or a screenshot when I forgot or just dont have a good photo for that day.

Loving dragging my camera along with me every day and learning how to use it to its full potential. Also so very inspireing to see everyone else's photos over at captureyour365 too, given me some great ideas.

[KarenC]

Thank you all for responding. I've really enjoyed hearing how your project is going.

[dugarner]

I think in light of getting my new camera, I've decided to give P365 another shot. I started August 1, which was convenient because it was a Monday, so my weeks will run Monday---Sunday. Hopefully the incentive of a newer, smaller, lighter camera (it's about 1/2 the weight my other one was with the long lens on) will keep me motivated. I've really missed the project---that and I've run out of photos to scrap. So here I go, I'm giving it another try!