I was going to respond to another member's offering of the first results from his 2012 Photo-a-day project. But I thought that it would come off as unreasonably critical and appear aimed specifically at this person. So instead I started this topic.
I've known a few photographers who have done this 365 day thing. Frankly, I don't get the point. It seems a lot like what it must be like in Photo 101 where the instructor gives students an assignment to take a picture that demonstrates X, Y, or Z or emulates the style of some famous photographer. In the absence of inspiration or even a clue, it becomes an experiment in misery. I'm a writer too. I have writer friends who tell me that I should devote X amount of time every day to writing. I had a friend who finished 365 poems in 2011 -- one for each day. While I honor the effort that went into that achievement, I wonder at the quality of the product and whether the effort was truly worth it.
Speaking for myself, I write only when I have something to say. Otherwise, it's a waste of my time. I take pictures when I see something that draws my eye. To force myself to put pen to paper or capture a random image almost always results in something that deserves to take the shortest trip to the trash can as possible.
I often see questions from aspiring photographers on other fora that they want to be a photographer, but they don't know how to start. It's not hard. Get a camera and start taking pictures. That's how you start. Your muse will come to you. Show others the ones you're proud of, not one for every day.
My problem is not the absence of ideas or inspiration, but the lack of time to pursue them. Still, I'm almost tempted to start one of these projects in order to prove myself wrong. There you go. I just wrote something today. Now where's my camera? Ah, there you go.
What do you think?
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