A photo a day for a month made me think
At the beginning of June this year, I was at something of a loose end photographically, and my wife suggested I undertake a project. I decided to make 30 photographs in in 30 days. The plan was to make one image a day, preferably using just a couple of shots - though that wasn't a hard and fast rule. There was no particular theme and no technical criteria - I was to simply try to make an interesting image each day.
Some days I was enthusiastic and on others, I did it because I "had to". However, in the end I did it and made at least one photo for 29 of the 30 days of June. (I was unwell one day and gave myself dispensation to catch up the following day.) The project certainly made me look at things photographically - and made me think - so that's no bad thing.
I picked out the images that appealed to me the most and compiled them (rather badly) into a single image:
Different images were made for different reasons. Some, like this image of the shadow from a shopping trolley were made because they were there in front of me - and I had my camera and I was looking.
Others, such as this image of a wall at the local shopping centre were made because I went out looking for something to photograph (and got some exercise in the process).
This self-portrait was made because I wanted to try using my newish Nikon Z6 II with Nikon's SnapBridge app to wirelessly frame and focus the image (always a challenge with a self-portrait) and to refresh my memory of using my Godox flash gear.
I think a project like this has a lot of potential as a development exercise for anyone interested in photography. In this particular case, I left the requirements quite open other than the need for making a shot a day for a month. The lack of criteria produces challenges of its own. (What to photograph, when and how challenged me every day.)
A similar project could be more closely defined by:
defining a location or locations (say within 1km of your home), or
gear (e.g.: only use a 50mm focal length), or
number of shots allowed (how about only being allowed 36 images (ie: a roll of 35mm film) over the month,
or subject. You may only photograph structures.
The sky's the limit.
I don't know what I'll do next. A friend reminded me of a project I did a few years ago where I tried for making 100 individual photographs in an hour. (From memory, I made 94.) The trick is to find a location where that would be possible.
Time will tell.
Stay safe
Shane Baker
