365

... days in a year. One year ago I started my Project 365. What's that? It's a photo project where you take a photo a day. Sounds simple, right? In all honesty, it could be simple. Just pick up the camera, take a photo of anything... check! The purpose of the project is not just to make sure to touch your camera every day. My camera is not that needy. Instead, it's supposed to make you think creatively, push yourself when you don't feel creative or, even worse, when you just don't feel like taking a photo.

I must admit, I didn't succeed at the challenge. On Day 205, I didn't take a photo. Once that happened, I started to slip a bit more. I think I missed 4 days during the year. There were other days when I didn't really get very creative and pretty much just took a picture to take one. I hate to say it, because it sounds so whiny, but it's not easy to take a photo every day.

So today, the last day of my 365, instead of counting how many days I missed or how uncreative I was, I want to look back and see what I've accomplished in the last year:

- Having started the project with a photo of Belinda, I think it's appropriate I end it with a photo of me. It would be symbolic to end with a photo of her, but really, we complete each other. Without her, there would not only be no Project 365, but I would not be doing what I love. She constantly pushes me to improve and to push myself. She also reminds me to do things for myself once in a while. I don't know if a self portrait is really a luxury, but that's how I want to end this project, so that's what I'm going to do.

- I got my first paying client, taught myself how to work in a studio, shot my first wedding, attended a major training seminar, met lots of people in the industry and have somehow been able to not spent every penny I've made buying new camera gear.

- I've partnered with many different non profit organizations and raised money for them through silent auction donations and through fundraising photo shoots.

- I've moved beyond the point of not knowing what I don't know and am now at the point of knowing what I don't know. It's a nice place to be.

- I've made many mistakes and like to think I've learned from most of them. I've also overcome obstacles, most of them self-imposed, and have come out the other side with a better idea of where I'm going.

There are so many other things that I've learned, but I'm not going to list them all here. I can't say that I'm sad this project is over, but I do hope that I still pick up the camera when I don't have a shoot scheduled and try to do something creative, not because of a project, but because I want to.

I can't wait to see what surprises the next year will bring...

See my favorite photos from the last year here.