Guest Post: The 365 Project and the Inspirational Ordinary

I first stumbled across the idea of the 365 project in a magazine. An Australian photographer had taken Polaroid photos of one thing every day that she was grateful for. In its current incarnation it’s a blog about being grateful – now using an iphone camera instead of a polaroid one. I’m sure it isn’t the first time that something like that had been done, but it was the first time I had come into contact with it. I loved the idea of finding one thing in a routine day that you were grateful for – ranging from a beautiful sleeping baby to a chocolate cake to a pair of new shoes.

And in my own way, I’ve started something similar in an attempt to celebrate the wonderful moments in the everyday. Sure every now and then we’ll go somewhere new and exciting and that’s a great opportunity to take photos – but the vast majority of my photos are taken at home in between meals and cleaning and playing and working. It’s so easy to get pulled into a routine that I don’t really appreciate all the magical moments that are there all the time if I take the time to pay attention.

I know a lot of my friends who have tried their hand at something like this have been overwhelmed. Because there are days when they don’t take photos, or are busy, or tired or a combination of all of those things. But for myself, I like the structure of it. I like that I will take time out of my day to be present in the moment. To focus on the simple.

And yes, there are days when I will rely on my archives for a photo. But mostly, I like taking photos everyday. It’s a great way to explore photography, and (hopefully) get better at it through practice, practice, practice. It’s a wonderful way to cherish ordinary, everyday things that are so easy to take for granted.

Sometimes we all feel stuck and uninspired. It’s easy to feel that way, particularly when you are taking photos in the same environment every day. And it’s not always possible to get out and about to new places in an attempt to un-stick ourselves. When I have days like that I try to look through the lens from a new angle – get up, down, to the side – whatever it takes to find a new point of view. Or I switch to macro and abandon portraits for the day. Or I tinker around with manual settings – even if I don’t always know what I’m doing – just to see how it turns out.

My 365 project is a work in progress in all ways – in terms of photography skill, inspiration, being in the moment and loving the everyday. But the best thing is when I take a photo that even surprises me. And I’m even more inspired to continue on in my journey.