This year began for me with a break and a really exciting project simultaneously. When good friend and creative whiz Asavari Honavar announced project 365 on my FB page, I knew this was it. Project 365 is a photography project where all participants click one photograph a day and by the end of the year have 365 pictures to speak for the year. It is not a new concept and all who were familiar with flickr have seen photographers participate in this year after year. But this is my 1st and the prospect of the discipline and commitment it will take to participate in and complete this project, filled me with trepidation and excitement at the same time. Sign that I MUST do it :) This project is spearheaded by the very young and dynamic nature lover and photographer Laura Beth Drilling from Iowa, who keeps the group enganged and enthused with not just with regular constructive appreciation but also with a lot of fondness and openness.
A couple of things happened as a result of this project. I find that I'm using my camera a lot more and that I'm more often than not looking to see if I can good picture. Earlier my camera would just come out when I am in 'work mode' or out travelling or covering something specific. Now I'm just a lot more open to shooting almost anything. Things that I wouldn't normally shoot. And the most interesting discovery I'm making is that I'm less paranoid of 'exposing' any particular aspect of my life by taking a picture of it. Privacy has always been a big thing in my head, since I'm online so much. How much to show, one picture a day will be like telling every one - 'this is my life'. I think this is the biggest mental block I have been able to overcome while saying yes to this project. And its been going good so far.
Sharing with you a few of my more favourite pictures from the project and some things that I ended up taking many pictures of, just for the love of it.
And seeing how the other participants are shooting and how their project is shaping up has been a great teacher and motivator. So glad I said yes to this.
So yes, do expect to see a lot more of my camera clicks this year. Will pop in every now & then with a post on the progress with my project 365. Or maybe make it a regular feature on this blog.
Many of these pictures are not the kind I would normally click or even see for that matter. In a very literal sense this project is proving to be an eye opener.
In a way, this project is symbolic of a lot of things that I would intend my 2013 to be. Discipline, really putting to use what I have, whether it is my camera, my time or my talents. And being consistently productive. One day at a time. I wish you all a similar year. And if you want to start your own project 365, go right ahead and it needn't be clicking one picture a day. It could be drawing one sketch a day, writing one para a day, one doodle a day or anything really. As long as it excites you and makes you happy. And don't worry if you will be able to continue and see it through the year or anything. Just start. And take one day at a time.
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