Finished

You probably don't remember (because I've been horrible about updating) but for the past while, I've been working on a project I dubbed "P.O.D" or Photo-of-the-Day.  My goal was to take one photo every day for a full year.

Well, this past Friday, November 18 was the last day of my challenge.  I spent 365 days attempting to teach myself photography.  I carried my (quite heavy) camera with me everywhere and constant viewed the world as though through a camera lens, looking for that day's photo.

On the one hand, it sucked.  Some days just weren't interesting.  Today for example, I spent most of the day doing chores.  But I had to carve out some time to take something.  It was quite stressful!

On the other hand, it was awesome.  I set a goal and, for the most part, I kept it.  Granted, there were a few days I forgot (and somehow, there are about 10 days worth of photos that I managed to delete before uploading to my camera.  This is extremely sad for me, and I kick myself that I will never know what I took on those days).  But somewhere between 339 and 349 (assuming I didn't forget any of those lost 10 days) days this year, I took a photo.  I guess if I forgot everyone of those lost days, I would have missed 26 days.  Which I still feel isn't horrible.  But I'm going to assume that I only missed 16 to 20.  Which I don't think is so bad.

Some of the photos I took were trash.  I left my batteries at home until after midnight, I worked a double shift at Unos and didn't have the energy to craft an artistic shot when I got home at 11pm.  But some of the photos I got were great.  I truly feel that I know so much more about photography now than I did a year ago.  I know about f-stops and apertures.  I know the settings I need to capture illusive colors and lighting.  I can take a great cloud shot.  And I remember to bring my camera. 

One of the reasons I started the project was because I felt I never took photos to remember my experiences.  To some extent, I still feel that way.  In the past few weeks I went "out" with friends 3 or 4 times--and have photos of none of them.  But I have photos of my first apartment in New York, my second apartment, trips to Vegas, NC and Nashville, and a couple nights out in Frederick.

What I learned about that is I will never be what I call a "camera whore."  I don't take a million photos of my Saturday nights, when they are exactly the same each week.  I will never upload 200 photos to Facebook an hour after they are taken.  I also will probably not remember distinctly a lot of good times.  But you know what?  Having photographic evidence isn't what friends and parties and weddings and birthdays are about.  They're about having fun with the people you love, and enjoying life as it comes, rather than being worried about documenting it to remember later.  You can't look at life only through a lens.  There needs to be a balance.  And this year has helped me to learn that.

I'm not going to upload every one of the 339 photos from the past year, as I originally meant to.  As I said, some of them are absolute crap.  Like my series of winter snowscapes that are blue tinted, because I hadn't yet learned that the "fluorescent" setting does that.  I will, however, give you a "greatest hits" and upload the ones that I'm especially proud of, or I just think are hilarious.  Because, taking photos that you don't share is silly!

It feels good to have finished this project.  I can't believe it's been a year.  I can't believe what has happened in the past year.  New jobs, cities, apartments, friends, roommates--this project took me through a lot of firsts.  There were boring days, as I said.  But the project took me through a lot of exciting times, and gave me a different perspective on a lot of new events.  And I am very proud of myself for, not only challenging myself, but seeing it through, even during this summer when I was so over it.  I "powered through," to quote myself.  And it feels really good.

Also what feels really good?  My shoulder, now that I don't have to lug my camera absolutely everywhere.

Special thanks to all who are featured in my year's worth of photos.  I think that includes almost everyone who reads this.  Thanks for being in my life and in my photos.