Welcome! Join us in the Community Spotlight as we "spotlight" the Creative Team members.
Today we spotlight Kris Baker
Kris's Bio:
I first realized that I had an interest in taking pictures in sixth grade when I worked on a Photography badge in Girl Scouts. I took lots of pictures during the next 40+ years of my life, but knew little about what I was doing. That all changed on January 1, 2013 when I started learning about and practicing photography by taking a photo a day. I live in Dallas, TX with my husband, and 3 dogs. I have 2 grown daughters and 1 grandson.
How long have you been doing a 365 project?
2013 was my first year to do a complete 365 day project. That makes 2025 year thirteen. For the first twelve years, I did not miss a single day. This year, however, has been a struggle. I have not been consistent in 2025, and I am OK with that. Thirteen years is a long time to do the same thing every single day.
What are your favourite Prompts and not so favourite?
Prompt Free is by far my favorite prompt because is asks me to look intentionally at my whole day and discern what single moment I want to document in my project. On these days, I take photos throughout the day and decide at the end of the day which I will use for my picture of the day.
My ‘not so favorite’ prompts are anything that requires collecting stuff and setting it up. Most days I don’t have the time for it and I also don’t enjoy it. I do, however, love taking photos of random stuff that I happen to stumble upon. During the pandemic, when I was teaching and had time to run on Monday mornings, our trash pick-up day, I became fascinated with taking photos of what people were throwing away and how they ‘arranged” it on the curb.
Because I am legally blind and can’t drive, I also don’t enjoy prompts that ask me to go out searching for things.
What is your go-to Camera Gear?
I have been a Nikon girl from the beginning. My “big” camera is a Nikon D850. I do love it, but it is big and heavy so I don’t always take it with me anymore. Like many of us, I have found myself relying more and more on my phone because I always have it with me. And, it is so easy to edit with phone apps.
About a year ago I got a Sony RX100 VII to take with me when I travel. Though there was a learning curve, once I figured it out it has become a fantastic compact camera for traveling.
What do you want everyone to know about a 365 project?
The thing that is most important to remember when participating in a 365 project is that this is a personal project. It is about documenting your life, whatever that looks like. That translates to some photos may not be pretty. Some may be difficult to take. Others will be full of joy. When you, or those you love, look back at all of your photos, you want the images to tell the story of your real life, not some fairy tale that you created in images.
Also, it is OK to deviate from the daily prompt or to skip days.
For me, the important thing is the picture, not the photograph. Pictures tell stories and hold memories. When we think photograph, it is easy to get bogged down in all the technical stuff. That said, your photography can’t help but improve if you take a picture every day.
Where is your favourite place to photograph? and do you have a favourite subject?
I enjoy photographing horizons. There is something in them that, to me, offers a place of nothingness and everything-ness. I also enjoy photographing architecture and my family.
