Project 365

A friend of mine, let’s call him Dirty Bird, met for a cup of coffee recently and he turned me on to something called, Project 365.

“Have you heard of Project 365?” he asked.  He had about 8 years ago asked a similar question about something called Geocaching.  Geocaching exploded into a great pastime for both of us.  I don’t get out as often as I would like these days but it is still well worth exploring.

“It sounds familiar but I don’t know what it is.” I said.

“It’s where you take a picture a day for 365 consecutive days.” He said. “You have a record of entire year.”  He went on to explain that there were several online sites that supported this project.

That sounded very interesting to yours truly so I took to my friend the internet to find more information.  Back in January of 2004, a student, George Taylor McKnight decided that taking a picture a day would not only improve his photography skills but it would also chronicle a year in his life.  The unexpected bonus and the true reason why I’m thinking about doing this is that it made him appreciate the journey and the people he met along the way more.  Here is Mr. McKnight’s site: http://gtmcknight.com/365/. 

While all that is well and good there is a certain amount of discipline that comes with participating in a photo essay activity like, Project 365; a certain amount of commitment.  So then I sought out people who had done it and what sort of tips they could offer and I found this: http://content.photojojo.com/tutorials/project-365-take-a-photo-a-day/.  Fortunately, taking a camera with you wherever you go has gotten a lot easier due to my favorite new companion (next to my Swiss Army knife), the smartphone.  I may utilize Flickr or Pinterest to make this happen – I honestly haven’t decided which yet but I can say that I am on board.

So there it is, inspiration in a cup of coffee, an old friend, and a smartphone camera.  Are you looking for a project that will not only make you take better pictures but may also change the way you look at the world?

I’m in.

What about YOU, Gentle Reader?  In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and look around every once in a while, you could miss it.”

Don’t miss.