Conclusions From the Photo Journal Experiment

Let me just start by saying that I have nothing but the utmost respect for people who take on projects like the 365 Challenge where people take a picture a day for a year.
I tried something mildly similar except I tried to take a picture a day but would instead just publish one if I didn’t get one that day. It’s surprisingly difficult to do but I can definitely see the draw of it.

As you can probably see from the previous posts to this one, I attempted a photo journal of my own for a month. The pressure to create an image a day is not something that can be easily conveyed. It sounds easy and in the most part is, if you have the time to properly prepare. This is where things get a lot more interesting.
Preparation requires time and energy; two things that a full-time job can use up pretty fast if you’re busy.
The month I attempted the project was a busy one at work. I wanted to see if a 365 project could be done while at full tilt. In short it can’t. I ended up taking shots which felt more like holiday snaps than images I’d be happy to publish under any other circumstances.

I’m still taking pictures but without the feeling that I risk making it a chore to keep up a self imposed deadline.
The month was a real eye opener in a number of ways. The difficulty of being creative (I’m usually very much more a consumer) and the need to keep coming up with fresh ideas for shots was something else. One bonus I hadn’t really taken into account and something I’ve since noticed is that my life has never been as well documented as when I created those photos every day. A month feels a lot longer when you get to the end of it and see all the places you’ve been and things you’ve seen.

Will I try a photo journal in future? Yes. Absolutely. It’s the single most creative thing I’ve done with this website if nothing else. Will I post a photo a day? Maybe but only if I can publish photos taken on previous days. I’d like to document what I’m up to more, even if its only me reading or viewing the website.