What is a Project 365?
A photo taken each day, posted online, for an entire year.
Photojojo has a great post on starting your own Project 365, you can read it about it here.
Why a Project 365?
This project began as a personal challenge to get off my butt and develop my skills while actively pursuing a career in photography. I found that I had been spending a ridiculous amount of time reading photography books and talking about photography, but never actually going out to take photos. Sound familiar? The excuse of being “too busy” and the old “I’ll get to it later” routine was beating me down. It was time to take action.
Things change, life hits you – sometimes pretty hard.
Shortly after I started my Project 365 on January 1, 2010, I learned that my Dad had been diagnosed with cancer. I remember the exact day I found out and will always remember the photos I took later that night. His cancer is extremely rare and, unfortunately, quite advanced. The specialist says that it is curable with radiation treatment and chemotherapy, but my poor Dad and Mom are in for the roughest ride of their lives. My Dad checks daily for my Project 365 photos and I hope that he will find some small comfort in knowing that there will be a new photo each day to inspire him. I am not sure where this project is going, but I know that with every image and every click of the shutter, my heart and prayers are with my Dad.
Why Fall Seven?
This project is about perseverance, for both my Dad and me. “Fall Seven” was taken from the Japanese proverb “Fall seven times, stand up eight” and from Proverbs 24:16, “For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.”
My Personal Rules:
- I must take one photo each day for the entire year. No rest days allowed and no pulling photos from the archives.
- I must post at least one image each day. I’m sure there will be days with technical difficulties, but I will try my best to follow this rule.
- I must have a thought process and a reason for taking each photo. Content and emotion trump coolness.
- I must post technical details about each photo so that I can learn from my mistakes.
- Any subject is fair game, but portraits will be the mainstay (Videos may find their way on here too).
- Say “no” to Photoshop. All photos will be processed in Lightroom only.
- I will laugh. A lot.
Motivation comes from many different sources. Mine comes from:
and
These will kick you in the ass.
Thank you for taking the time to follow along. Your comments and support are most welcome.
Keith Galick
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