#flickr365

[insupdates]

I'm not sure this hotel view is much better than the one I had in Baton Rouge, although at least the hotel is nicer dallas, flickr365 September 19, 2011 at 05:49PMHello suburban Dallas by mrlaugh http://flic.kr/p/aoHtXo

[wintry-fairy-land]

[karavbairdphoto-blog]

1 month into Project 365: A Reflection

Fact: I am currently trying coconut oil pulling on my teeth right now, so I’m trying to concentrate on writing this while swishing melted oil in my mouth for about 20 minutes. This will be a challenge. 

I wanted to make this in a vlog form, and maybe I will further into the project, but for now, I think a blog post will suffice. I’ve been meaning to try out tumblr sooner or later, anyway. I just don’t understand it’s relevance when there are so many other social medias out there!! (wow, I feel old.)

Ups and Downs so far of 365

Ups: 

Photoshop

I’ve created things I didn’t think I could before! 

Lightroom

I’ve been watching a great video series by Anthony Morganti for the past few weeks, and I’ve learned a ton. He’s a great teacher, and I highly recommend his video series.

Ideas

This has happened with my creative writing before too, but I honestly believe the more you write down ideas you have, the more ideas come to you. It’s been awesome to see that again. It is possible to be inspired by everything if you open your heart and mind to that.

Skills

I’m getting more comfortable with the camera. I think I still have a lot to learn as far as getting familiar with all the different settings, but it’s a start.

Comfort Zone

I’ve taken some photos outside and of other people, which means I’m growing! 

Compliments & Requests

People are asking me to take photos of them and are telling me how cool they think this project is, which is not the main goal of the project, but it’s nice to hear that they find my craziness charming.

Downs:

Photoshop

I feel like I could be dedicating more time to learning more skills in photoshop. I want to learn it just as badly as I do actual photography, so I need to make it a priority. 

Stress/Anxiety

I beat myself up if I don’t deliver a photo that I think is up to par, or if I miss a day.

My anxiety about thinking up a new idea or not taking a photo prevents me from thinking up more ideas. It makes me actively think about coming up with ideas, rather than just coming up with them more organically.

Not making time for other things/taking care of myself

I think why I’m feeling anxiety and stress is because I feel like the rest of my life is unorganized. I’m not waking up early enough, and therefore I rush through the rest of my day without having  exercised, with out having had a decent breakfast, having a thrown-together lunch, and eating like crap when I get home from work because of those things. 

Lack of organization/cleanliness

View above

Not having a clear idea of tomorrow’s project and all the nuts and bolts that go with it resulting in scrambling, not taking a picture at all, or having a picture turn out less than I’d like it to be.

My house is a mess because I’m scrambling trying to get a picture taken.

Lack of community 

I’ve been treating followers like numbers instead of like people.

I rarely comment on other people’s work/take time to find other people I would enjoy following.

Little support/friends in this area 

Tired of self portraits

I really honestly dread taking pictured of MYSELF. I know this is is a personal project and everything, but I want it to be less about ME ME ME!!! I feel so self-centered.

I feel out of shape and i need a haircut, so I dislike the idea of taking pictures of myself.

Gear 

The more I learn and take pictures, the more “Stuff” I think I need/ I realize I do actually need. 

My 50 mm leaves something to be desired, but I’m wondering if it’s just my lack of knowledge that is causing poor pictures.

Soft boxes... (See below)

CAMERA SHAKE

Is it me?

My lens?

My camera?

When I DO take photos of other people, I get a lot of blurry images and it’s driving me bonkers. What do I need to be doing differently besides using a tripod?

Lack of L I G H T 

Because I have a less than fleshed out idea, I scramble with the ONE HOUR of light I have left in the day now that it’s winter.

BUY SOFTBOXES/ Explore flash photography

SO. What do I need to do to Improve things?

Flesh out ideas: 

Figure out exactly what I need! (Props, Lighting, Location, Models, Photoshop skills, etc.)

Prepare in advance:

 Make props on weekends or during the evening so I can use them for the upcoming week (And can satisfy #1)

Photoshop: Begin the F R E E Photoshop course via adobe. It is 13 videos long. If I do 3/week (during lunch, even) I can finish the course in about a month. 

Explore Phlearn for skills that seem relevant to what I want to create. 

Schedule time with Bro. Stanley (friend who is a graphic designer) on Wednesday nights again. 

Lightroom:

 Wrap up Anthony Morganti course, and review holes in my knowledge. 

Wake up EARLY (5:45 a.m.), so I can work out, read scriptures, and have a general morning routine. 

Reach out:

 Comment on ALL of my followers pictures, that way I can feel like I’ve reached out to them.

 Message the ones I really admire/have faved

. Reach out to those I promised family photos so I can get practice with real life people for once. 

Let Rachael (really busy/instafamous friend) know I can help her out with her blog. 

Schedule my images. 

Honestly, with so little time, I don’t want to leave a lot to chance anymore. I want to feel like I have well thought out, solid ideas that I can implement in what little time I have because I have thought it through. 

Workout & Eat right so I can feel better about the body I’m putting in front of the camera. (And get a haircut.) 

QUIT COMPARING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Feel the COMMUNITY, not the COMPETITION. 

ASK people how they did something! 

Recreate it, if I feel like it! Don’t feel like it’s “copying”, persay. 365 is for learning :) We all rip each other off anyway. 

Forget about followers or magazine features or interviews. Do this so you can learn, and so I can figure out my own style :) I don’t have to be like anyone else, and I am allowed to be eclectic.

Chill out and remember to have fun!:

If I miss some days, who the hell really cares besides me? Put my best foot forward and hope that the best comes out of it. 

Who knows if anyone out there is actually reading this. It made me feel better, if nothing else. But I hope it could help someone else who is being too hard on themselves. Taking yesterday and today off was the best decision I could have made to recenter my fire for this project. I still have a lot of work to do, and I need to map out ideas and prop preparation tonight, but now at least I have a more clear idea of how to move forward with the project confidently! 

[antianthropomorphism-blog]

11.3.11 by lydia chow on Flickr.