February 2024

Tina Turner asks in her hit song,
"What's love got to do with it?"

She is talking about human relationships, but we can ask the same question here--what's love got to do with the relationship between me and my camera? Me and photography? Building a relationship with our cameras and our photo-a-day journey takes work. Some days it is easy to feel the love and on others we may wonder why we got involved with this commitment in the first place. Those feelings are normal. 365, or 366, days is a lot of days. Be kind to yourself when you feel your passion and love for this project waning. It will likely be no time before something kindles that spark again and you look forward to daily "dates" with your camera.

Though we talk about this being a daily project and how important it is to take it one step at a time, it is also important to look at the big picture. (Pun may be intended.) Each daily photo that we take is just one frame of the 366 that will be our story of 2024. Hopefully when we snap that lastl frame on December 31, 2024, what we see will be the final chapter of a our 2024 love story. Just as those days where we and a loved one don't see eye to eye on things don't ruin our love story, days where we aren't totally in love with our daily photo, or perhaps we even skip a few days, doesn't ruin the love story we have with our cameras and our longterm relationship with our 365 Picture Today project either.

We hope that the February prompt list provides some fun and inspiring opportunities for dates with your camera. There is something for everyone--from hearts to reflection to sushi to something at night.

What's love got to do with it? Everything! May you continue to find it, feel it, snap it, and share it with this community through your daily photos!

Happy month of love!

Explaining the Prompts

This year we are pleased to announce a whole new look to 365 Picture Today. We asked! You answered! Instead of weekly themes, we will be featuring specific days with specific tasks.

Where I Stand

This prompt will occur on the last day of every month! You get to be as creative as you like, but the challenge is to include your feet in the photograph. It will be fun to see the different environments our photography journey takes us to.

Colour Day

Colour day is back by popular demand! Instead of a full week of colour we are introducing "colour day". It will be occurring once a month with a beautiful colour chosen by your creative team. It is completely up to you to include either a little or a lot of the specified colour.

Macro Monday

On Macro Monday we focus on the little details! On the 2nd Monday of every month we are asking you to use your macro skills to enhance the prompt of the day. We encourage you to get in close! You can use your macro lens, macro filters or simply crop your photos.

Challenge Day

This is an exciting, new and super fun challenge for 2024! On this day we will be offering you a photography challenge and ask you to recreate it!

Technical Day

This one is for the inner techies in all of us! On Technical Day we will be giving out instructions on specific photography technical skills. There will be a variety of skills explained to help you learn or enhance your abilities. We can all learn from one another.

Picture Me

It's selfie day! Once a month we will be asking you to include a picture of yourself in the daily prompt. This gives us a chance to let our community member know what we look like!

Scavenger Hunt

The scavenger hunt is a quarterly challenge. We will give you some specific words to use to go camera hunting with. This is a fun challenge that also includes your chance to make a collage.

My World

On the 5th day of every month you will take a picture in the same place. This will show the changing seasons, or just the subtle changes of the that environment. If you cannot be in the same place every month, just take a picture of where you are and what your world looks like on that day.

Guest Prompt

Once a month we honour a member of our community with a Community Profile and the chance to write a prompt with an accompanying photograph! It is a special day for community members and a chance for all of us to get to know one another just a little bit better.

FEBRUARY

Day 32 - February 1 - Frame from Video

Day 32 - February 1

Frame from Video

What is Frame from Video?

It is story telling day! Today is the day you get to be both producer and cameraman in your own cinematographic image. Imagine yourself with a video camera in hand filming your very own movie! As you scan the scenery in your film, stop when you find the subject within your scene that you want to highlight! This is when you snap your photo.

In my sample I scanned the mountains and 'clicked' when I noticed the skiiers coming around the corner and into the frame.

Lysle

Day 33 - February 2 - Share the love

Day 33 - February 2

Share the love

Don't you just love when you happen upon something that is there solely to brighten your day? In my case, it's painted rocks or shells being at the beach. Someone spent time collecting, painting, and placing them, so people they don't know could feel like they found something special in their day!

Share with us the love you find as you go through your day!

Amy

Day 34 - February 3 - Selective focus

Day 34 - February 3

Selective focus

Scavenger Hunt

Selective focus isolates the subject of your photo or isolates the portion of the photo to which you want to draw the viewer's eye. While isloating the subject, the rest of the photo will be out of focus, even blurry. If you are using a DSLR, use the widest f stop of your lens. If you're using your phone, try using portrait mode. If you need more information on selective focus search on google and you'll find all sorts of articles on it.

It's our first scavenger hunt of the year. Use selective focus in 4 ways; looking up, looking down, looking through and get in close.

Diane

Day 35 - February 4 - With Help

Day 35 - February 4

With Help

"Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends" - The Beatles

We all need a little help from our friends every now and then. This little photographer is getting a little help with how to compose his shot. Photograph where you turn for help? Friends? Family? Books? Nature?

Kris

Day 36 - February 5 - My World

Day 36 - February 5

My World

Seasonal Photo

This is the second month of our My World prompt. Remember that spot where you took your photo on January 5th? Head back there today and take photo #2. Are you able to see differences from last month to this month?

If you can't get back to the same place again, that’s okay. Just show us your world today, wherever that may be.

Diane

Day 37 - February 6 - reflections

Day 37 - February 6

reflections

Reflected subjects make beautiful pictures. A subject caught behind a window reflection adds intrigue. It’s especially effective with portraits, but a simple vase of flowers will work.

And it can be faked!

It’s easily done in any app that allows double exposure such as Snapseed. Here’s how.

Take two photos, one of your subject indoors and one of an outdoor scene. (Streets work well.) Blur the outdoor shot in the app for even more believability. Open your subject and layer the outdoor shot over it. Adjust the transparency, pinch to enlarge, and move it around until you're satisfied. It will now look like the subject is caught behind the window!

Reflect on what you will shoot today!

Leslie

Day 38 - February 7 - Outside

Day 38 - February 7

Outside

I like this place and would willingingly waste my time in it - William Shakespeare

Outside is my favourite! It is yours?

Do yourself a favour today and go outside! You won't regret it. Take your camera and take a picture of something in the great outdoors!

Lysle

Day 39 - February 8 - Pink

Day 39 - February 8

Pink

Color Day

Today we are on the hunt for PINK!

Since pink is one of my favorite colors I'm filling the frame and including all the shades!

What about you? A little pink or a lot?

Amy

Day 40 - February 9 - Slide

Day 40 - February 9

Slide

Is it cold enough where you are to be sliding about? Well, sometimes at the time of year here in Belgium, the lake has been known to freeze over, sometimes even enough for people to be sliding on it, but I don't think I would chance it.

I went down at sunset to the local lake and found some geese sliding on the water. By getting down low, I managed to have only the one main subject in my photo and also a bit of a reflection from the goose and the trees on the far bank.

Will you see someone sliding around, or using a slide?

Lee

Day 41 - February 10 - Withered

Day 41 - February 10

Withered

Withered....

Look for something withered and really hone in on the details. This time of year (in the Western Hemisphere) you should be able to find some great subjects. I added some texture to the background to make the withered rose pop.

Garnett

Day 42 - February 11 - Touch

Day 42 - February 11

Touch

Sometimes the weather is terrible and you have only yourself to put in the photo. On this day, I touched my hands together and formed a heart, even though I most probably was a bit annoyed at how bad the weather was being.

What will you touch today and tell us what you think about it?

Lee

Day 43 - February 12 - Comfy

Day 43 - February 12

Comfy

Macro Monday

Pets always know where the comfiest place in the house is. Piper’s shearling bed is covered with TWO hand-knit blankets. Not only that but it catches the warm afternoon sun. We call it her Princess-and-the-Pea bed.

It’s mid-winter...or mid-summer. What defines “comfy” for you? Furniture, clothes, pillows…? Will you or someone else be in the photo? Take a moment, get up close (comfortably close--it's Macro Monday), and shoot it. Now relax!

Leslie

Day 44 - February 13 - Twisted

Day 44 - February 13

Twisted

Let's twist again!

What can you find today that is twisted? There are a lot of twisted things you might consider: pasta, twigs, bread sticks, rope, string, springs, screws....or licorice! You choose.

Lysle

Day 45 - February 14 - Heart

Day 45 - February 14

Heart

Challenge Day

Today we offer you a HEART photography challenge and ask you to recreate it!

Grab a book, or it could be a magazine, lay it open, take two pages and then bend them in on themselves. Voila, a HEART! Place your camera or phone level with the book and snap!

Feeling creative or have time to play? Add your own twist. I went for a heart silhouette by placing my book in front of a window. You could also add bokeh or a blurry background by using a low f-stop (f2-f4) and focusing on the center of your heart or even add a fun filter for some magical effects.

No time to play thats OK too! Challange yourself to find a heart as you go through your today.

Amy

Day 46 - February 15 - Something Mid Air

Day 46 - February 15

Something Mid Air

My niece took her 5 year old and 3 year old to a local trampoline place. They had a great time but I think she liked it the most of all. I followed them around with my camera and tried to get photos of them in the air. This is the best of the bunch from that day.

Today, photograph something in mid-air. It can be a person, an animal, a raindrop, a bird, or just about anything. Remember, to catch movement and freeze it, try using a fast shutter speed of 1/250 or higher.

Diane

Day 47 - February 16 - A Message

Day 47 - February 16

A Message

A good friend sent me a care package when I was under the weather. It came with a puzzle that I had to put together in order to read the message.

What messages can you capture today? A message in a bottle? A text message? A letter? A billboard or sign?

Garnett

Day 48 - February 17 - Prompt Free

Day 48 - February 17

Prompt Free

Today is a blank canvas for which all of the other prompts have prepared you.

Keep your eyes open and have fun!

Prompt Free

Day 49 - February 18 - Something at Night

Day 49 - February 18

Something at Night

Night photos always grab our attention. This was taken at the Fête des Vendanges de Montmartre celebrating the annual grape harvest in France. Wine wasn’t the only thing for sale! Have you ever seen so many types of sausage?

Night shots can be tricky if you’re trying to catch the action. Use a higher ISO, and wide aperture (low f/stop) to let in as much light as you can so that your shutter speed can be reasonably fast.

Whether you shoot some action or prefer something stationary, enjoy the difference a subject taken after hours can make.

Leslie

Day 50 - February 19 - Clean vs Dirty

19-February-24-LB.jpg-collage of stripes

Day 50 - February 19

Clean vs Dirty

Technical Day

In photography, sometimes 'clean' can mean a simple or minimalistic photo and 'dirty' can mean a busy or visually complicated photo. What is too much and what is too little? It is a highly subjective topic and what might be too busy or too plain to you, may be visually appealing to someone else.

Something to consider when taking your photograph is to ask yourself what is 'my story' and is there a better way to compose it? Are there distracting elements in my frame that are taking the viewer's eye away from or compteting with my subject? Are you 'stuffing' your scene with too much information, or does that added stuff add to your story? If you are using mutliple subjects, try to make sure they work together and assist each other. On the other hand, If you are taking a minimalistic photograph, you need to make sure that the subject is interesting and comfortable to look at. It is a fine balance!

I am guilty of adding way to much information into my photgraphs, but I am guilty also of loving something really eclectic and fun! I enjoy both 'dirty' and 'clean' photographs. Today take either a dirty or a clean photograph, or both!

Lysle

Day 51 - February 20 - Keepsake

Day 51 - February 20

Keepsake

Guest Prompt

Keepsake: (noun) something kept or given to be kept as a memento.

When we travel I have a tendency to acquire new critters for my ever-growing menagerie that

resides in my china closet. These three little bison found their way into my bags while we were in

South Dakota.

Connie Gill-Straubhaar

Day 52 - February 21 - Sushi

Day 52 - February 21

Sushi

Do you like Sushi? Me, not so much. I'm not a fan of raw fish. I was at a loss as to what to photograph when the prompt was a food I really didn't like. But, when going through my archives, I came across a lot of photos of raw fish in one form or another. This photo was taken in a market in Spain. They're tapas more than actual sushi but it works for me and is probably as close to sushi as I'm going to get.

If you're a fan of sushi, use today's prompt as an opportunity to treat yourself to some. If you're not a fan, see how creatively you can interpret the prompt otherwise. Raw fish, fake sushi, a photo of your actual dinner, a stuffed fish...the choice is yours.

Diane

Day 53 - February 22 - A Coin

Day 53 - February 22

A Coin

My hubby empties his pocket each night into a drawer that is now full of coins. About once a year we take them to the bank and deposit them. Do you spend your coins, save them, or toss them aside?

Garnett

Day 54 - February 23 - A Pet

Day 54 - February 23

A Pet

Life is better with a pet. Show us a pet that makes your life better. It may be a dog, a cat, a bird, a horse, or a pet rock.

Kris

Day 55 - February 24 - Action

Day 55 - February 24

Action

Picture Me

It is quite hard to get an action shot, but hey, my fellow walkers helped me to take a photo by being on their phones. I sometimes get them to jump around, but sometimes they aren't in the mood.

Maybe you can get a photo of you walking towards your camera on a tripod, or walking away...

Just include yourself in the photo today!

Lee

Day 56 - February 25 - Drama

Day 56 - February 25

Drama

Drama adds mystery and interest to your photograph. In photography, 'more' is sometimes better than 'less' as it really draws the viewer into your shot. You can achieve drama in your photographs by using a number of different techniques. Shadow and light, bokeh, blur, exposure compensation, strong colours, and editing tools are all techniques you can use to add drama and change the mood of your photograph.

Today add drama and mystery to your photograph by using one of the techniques I listed above. In my sample, I used the technique of 'low key' and relied on shadow and light to add drama to my still life.

Lysle

Day 57 - February 26 - Texture

Day 57 - February 26

Texture

If you are looking to add visual interest to your images, texture is a great place to start!

Texture is very versatile it can be an eye catching main subject and focal point or fade into the background adding depth and contrast. It can include intricate patterns and colors. Here are a few examples to get you started thinking texturally; leaves, sweater, brick wall, peeling paint, herbs, wood grain, coffee, feathers, seasonings.

With so much texture all around us, what will you choose?

Amy

Day 58 - February 27 - Splash

Day 58 - February 27

Splash

Splish, splash, I was taking a bath! Well, not really. This geyser in Iceland was not an ideal place for taking a bath. But, it did make for an interesting photo. This geyser went off every 4 - 6 minutes, making quite the splash.

Make a splash today and photograph it. Any kind of splash will do! Use a high shutter speed of 1/250 or higher if you want to freeze the motion of the splash.

Diane

Day 59 - February 28 - Through Glass

Day 59 - February 28

Through Glass

Use your creative muscle today and shoot through glass. You can shoot through a back door, window, or shower door. You can use a lens ball or a wine glass or a goblet. For the example shot, I put my lens ball in a tree and then I turned it upside down when I edited to correct the refraction. Make this as easy or as a difficult as you feel led today!

Garnett

Day 60 - February 29 - Where I Stand

Day 60 - February 29

Where I Stand

Are there days when you have no idea what the actual day or date is? Today being a "bonus day," thanks to 2024 being a leap year, makes keeping track of days and dates even more of a challenge. I love that on the cruise ship we were on, the day of the week is displayed each day on the elevator floor.

Where do you stand today? Is it some place special? Do you have a Thursday routine that you want to document? No? In honor of February 29th, try moving twenty-nine steps from a familiar place--your front door, office, off your regular walking path--and photograph where you stand. Whatever you do, make the gift of this extra day count!

Kris