Photo-A-Day: What Next? - DPChallenge Forums

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Nikon

05/11/2005 11:57:59 PM · #1

Greetings...

My Photo-A-Day project will be wrapping up soon as my 365 days will be completed in about 40 days. I have gotten into this routine and I have enjoyed it for the most part. I have learned a LOT from this project, but I don't really know what I want to do when the year is up. I'm at a loss on where to go next.

I can simply stop, or I can keep shooting.

I love the aspect of shooting something everyday, even though it may be something mundane.

What would be a logical 'next step' in the photo a day project? I wonder how complicated it would be to choose a theme to work for 365 consecutive days? Has anyone else narrowed their perspective on the photo-a-day project? If so, what are you doing?

Apple iPhone

05/11/2005 11:58:55 PM · #2

So far for themes, I've seen wanda and a dog.. dunno what else there is out there

DefyTime

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/12/2005 12:00:35 AM · #3

I have decided to keep going once I reach my one year mark. It has become part of my life now...and not in a bad way.

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/12/2005 12:02:53 AM · #4

Originally posted by TomFoolery:

I have decided to keep going once I reach my one year mark. It has become part of my life now...and not in a bad way.

I would like to keep going also, but I don't know if I just want to shoot random images for it. My current project has mostly random images that come from my normal shooting, and then there are the 'forced' images that I have had to create on days where I would not normally shoot or didnt' feel like shooting.

I just believe that continuing the project beyond one year without some specific goal would be fruitless. I have 40 days to decide where to go with it.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

05/12/2005 12:03:03 AM · #5

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

...I don't really know what I want to do when the year is up. I'm at a loss on where to go next.

Ok, here is your next assignment...

Photo an Hour

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/12/2005 12:03:44 AM · #6

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

Originally posted by jmsetzler:
...I don't really know what I want to do when the year is up. I'm at a loss on where to go next.

Ok, here is your next assignment...

Photo an Hour

I would rather go for quality over quantity.

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

05/12/2005 12:05:28 AM · #7

That's what makes the assignment so difficult. Not up for the challenge? :)

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

05/12/2005 12:06:06 AM · #8

John I know it would be hard but how about "A Pic from each State within a year". Would require a lot of travel but I would be very interested in seeing your work, in a project like that. May have to be longer than a year. But would be nice.

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

05/12/2005 12:09:25 AM · #9

Originally posted by TechnoShroom:

That's what makes the assignment so difficult. Not up for the challenge? :)

I'm not up for a challenge that I would consider to be a waste of time and effort :)

faidoi

Pentax K10D

05/12/2005 12:09:54 AM · #10

New challenge - Only use your Canon PowerShot S410 for a new PAD.

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC for Canon

05/12/2005 12:10:32 AM · #11

Originally posted by SDW65:

That's an excellent thought but I doubt I could cover it. A 'theme' is sorta what I'm looking for so this is on the right track.

ergo

05/12/2005 12:10:42 AM · #12

Have you thought about the kind of photo project that was presented in Paul Auster's Smoke (or is it Blue in the Face?)

Basically, pick a street corner and shoot there at the same time of the day, everyday. Perspective can be changed or remain static.

Edit: Preferably, the corner has lots of people movement, etc, to keep the photos interesting. One effect of a fixed perspective is that as you look at the range of photographs, seasonal (if you live in seasons) changes are evident. Some people have routines, and you might also capture elements of this, as well as how those same people change over the course of time. It's a bit voyeuristic, at the same time that it's a clearly public activity.

Message edited by author 2005-05-12 00:13:15.

Discraft

Canon EOS-20D

05/12/2005 12:10:57 AM · #13

I am enjoing my photo a day project too... still have a much in front of me to complete it... But i think i will keeping on going since it makes part of my life too...

An ideia would be a candid shot a day since it is a difficult thing at least for me... But every single day you come across people so this would be a project that could go for a hole year... Just my 2cents.

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

05/12/2005 12:11:53 AM · #14

Originally posted by Discraft:

I like that idea and it is on my list.

papa

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

05/12/2005 12:16:02 AM · #15

Make the next days photo subject something that is found in todays photo that is not the main subject, and so on. Might be interesting where it takes you.

skief

Pentax *ist DS

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

05/12/2005 12:59:02 AM · #16

What aspect of photography do you think you need to improve on? What do you still have difficulties with? (I know most think you don't have any, that you are a master of the device). If you want to improve your street candid people shots, do that for PAD... If you have another aspect that needs improvement (macros, landscapes, b&w's, etc...) choose that. I see in your postings a need to grow in your photography (although I wish I was at your level already). So do some self-analysis of your current photography/photography skills, then from that choose the specific area that you need to concentrate on. Whatever it will be, I can't wait to see the results.

Moose101

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS for Canon

05/12/2005 01:00:32 AM · #17

I've been learning a lot from my Photo-A-Day which I will be continuing. However once I hit my one year I'm going for something different...

This is going to take a bit more commitment but I'm going to pick a subject ... Say

A person, street corner, windows of a restaurant, inside of a car (or a garbage bin), a plant, a hand... whatever you get my drift.

But I'm going shoot that subject for a whole week each day (might be at different times, lens, views) and see what happens. I might revisit the subjects after half a year or so and re-shoot for another week and compare the weeks â�¦ who know right nowâ�¦

Iâ��m hoping from seeing a weeks worth of photographs of the same subject Iâ��ll get a better grasp at composition and approaches to taking the right photo when I need to.

Ever taken a photo and once you get it on your monitor it looks good and your satisfied for a few hours, minutes â�¦ but than looking at it again itâ��s like â�¦ wow I didnâ��t notice that tree branch there before, or the glare from that other mirror on the wall or the lighting or something that would not have been there if you just move a step to the left, right or just got down on one knee and taken that photo...

Well thatâ��s my rambling before bedâ�¦ see what comes of it â�¦ Photo-A-Day is a way for me to learn and this Photo-4-A-Week will be another way to learn. Might not be as exciting but it will help me improve, I know going back to a spot and taking a 2nd shot once I have examined the 1st has always helped me get a better shot the 2nd time around.

But also seeing the passing of time within that week of the subject might be interesting also.

Message edited by author 2005-05-12 01:05:17.

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

05/12/2005 05:14:31 AM · #18

You could pick one word and take pictures related to that for the year. It might be something like work, family, touch. I guess this might be somewhat like the musician's hands series but much broader. Or you might pick a word for each season or month and include scenes and people from the previous pictures to explore that word.
Or use a family of man theme. Start with birth and progress to death as the year fades away.

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

05/12/2005 05:21:05 AM · #19

How about a photo associated with the number of the day?

Day 1: Something that looks like a 1
Day 2: 2 birds in a clear sky
Day 69: Could be interesting
Day 365: That number on a licence plate

Artan

Canon Digital IXUS v3

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/12/2005 05:23:10 AM · #20

A theme may prove difficult for 365 shots unless it is very general.

- People
- Nature
- Urban

However you may think about 12 different themes each one for 1 month.
This will still provide more focus, without the potential of getting tired and stale

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

05/12/2005 06:36:39 AM · #21

Oh. I just got a great idea. Get a jar and fill it with scraps of paper that have just one word on them, each word different, naturally. Each day reach in and pull out one or two words and take a picture that demonstrates those words. You could use just about any object, feeling, technique, color or almost any words to fill the jar. Although you might not want to include things that aren't reachable, like a sailboat if you live in the dessert. I think I'm going to try this.

emorgan49

Olympus E-5

Olympus 50mm f/1.8 MF Normal Zuiko

05/12/2005 08:08:14 AM · #22

I was just looking for a link to Arnit's incredible gallery of Self Portrait a Day. How about that?

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

05/12/2005 08:17:00 AM · #23

I went for a wander round my local park yesterday with my 2 new lenses (12-24mmm and 105mm macro)... I think it will take me a while before I can imagine what the shot would look like before I put the camera to my eye, which I consider a pretty important part of photography.
So, I'm considering a PAD project where I spend 1-3 months on each lens. Otherwise, I can't see myself being as imaginative and creative as I might be with the more exotic lenses.

Edit: or I might choose a specific focal length with my zoom lenses, ie 300mm.

Message edited by author 2005-05-12 08:25:47.

Apple iPhone

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Nikon

05/12/2005 09:47:00 AM · #24

John,
Since I loved the photo you took of Zac Johnson, why not do a photo a day of a person? It wouldnt have to be the same person a day but anyone?

oooooo

Pic a day of woody?? might be something fun :)

Message edited by author 2005-05-12 09:48:35.