Push yourself as a photographer by doing a photo project

 

 

Light Stalking published an article earlier this year about photo projects. Author Dzvonko Petrovski says that "photo stories and photo projects are extremely helpful in acquiring experience and credibility for yourself as a photographer."

Photo stories and photo projects are interchangeable as terms, but what they both refer to is a long-term photo project that has a unifying subject or theme. Many famous and successful photographers have taken on some sort of long-term personal project during their careers. For example, Stephen Wilkes has taken on multiple projects throughout his career and has been working on his Day to Night project for many years 

Successfully finishing a photo project can be difficult, but there are lessons to be learned from your failures. I've personally never embarked on a strict photo project, but I've worked on capturing images of the same subject for extended periods of time. For example, I've been working on capturing night photography in Acadia National Park for the last few years. During that period of time, I've learned a lot about night photography in particular, photography in general, and even myself.

 

"Dancing Lights" Copyright: Jeremy P. Gray

In continuing to photograph the same subject (or in this case, I've been photographing more of a theme) consistently for a few years, I've run into my fair share of setbacks. I've had plenty of nights when I didn't capture anything that I was pleased with, but rather than time wasted, it was time spent learning.

To read more about photo projects, including what your project will say about you and how your project can give you increased exposure and publicity, check out the full article. 

For information on daily and weekly photo projects, check out this other article on Lightstalking.com. 

Photo projects, no matter how big or small, can be very difficult. Although some of them may never be truly finished, all photo projects can provide you with a strong sense of accomplishment and pride. There are many lessons to be learned by planning and executing a photo project. Further, there is value in facing and overcoming challenges. So don't waste any more time, start a photo project today!

(Seen via Light Stalking)