Check Up for 2021
Have you enjoyed capturing the everyday? Or has it been a chore? Have you felt pressure to produce only perfect photos? Or have you learned to embrace the everyday and what it holds? We have been giving you tips and advice how to approach your 365 project. We asked you to think about your whys and your hows and your whens. We have encouraged you to get to know your camera. We have reminded you that you don't have to stay on prompt if you aren't feeling it that day.
The Team really wants you to concentrate on the everyday and what that means to you. If you are traveling, photograph it. If you are sick in bed, photograph it. If your child is throwing a tantrum, photograph it. If your pet is being funny, photograph it. If you are home alone, photograph it. If you are working, photograph it. If you are celebrating a birthday or anniversary, photograph it. If you are cooking and cleaning, photograph it. If your child graduates, photograph it. If your grandchild wins a spelling bee, photograph it. Get the idea?
This community is not about competition..... it is about encouraging each other. If you document a day where you are sick in bed, It is guaranteed that you will receive prayers and well wishes from this community that will lift your spirits. If you are traveling to an amazing place, we will delight in the sights with you. If you are sad because you are alone, we will send you virtual hugs. That is how special this community is.
Many times we are tempted to skip a day... or to dig into the archives.... but let's really focus on our why. Your 365 project is for you... only you know your why, but I can guess they include everything from getting photos of your children everyday, to capturing places you visit, to improving your skills, to making new photo friends. Your goal isn't to find an archived photo that fits the prompt; it is to actually push the shutter every day. At the end of the year, you will have 365 photos that you would not have if you weren't taking on this challenge. If you aren't feeling inspired for the daily prompt or the weekly theme, don't stress! Take the photo that means something to you. Go off prompt. Take it in another direction. I took the example photo during Landscape week with the prompt "Chilly." It was pouring down rain the whole week and there was nothing I could do about it. So I made it my own in a photo that resonated with me. Get the idea?
If you are struggling for inspiration or just a need a creative kick, don't be afraid to google ideas or browse through Pinterest. It is also perfectly okay to ask other community members to share how they achieved a certain image... camera settings, set up, post processing. We want to share ideas and help one another.
We all go through photo slumps... life can throw us some hard stuff that makes it difficult to be inspired. We face illness, death, injury, family struggles, financial struggles, and PANDEMICS. We get it! We all get it, because we are ALL dealing with something. Don't look at a community member and think that they have a perfect life because of the photos they post. When you share your struggles with us, you will likely find many people are dealing with the exact same thing. And if things are going great, share that too! We want to rejoice with you.
