Friday, January 1, 2010

Project 365 - Ideas to Keep You Snapping Photos Every Day


Happy New Year and welcome to day 1 of Project 365!

While this picture of my oldest dog Molly may not actually end up being my first photo in the Project 365 book I am starting today... this is the first photograph I took in 2010.

This photograph is significant for me in that almost every day starts with one of my four canines waking me! This morning (after only four hours of sleep) was no exception.

Molly is shown here at the threshold of our family room in the basement. A teen party was held there the night before and Molly is smart enough to know that where there were teenagers gathered for a party, there is also sure to be leftover food laying around... and for this, she woke me up at 6 a.m. Sheesh! While Molly is an exceptionally smart canine...she still hasn't figured out how to open the gate to the familyroom by herself... yet. (Now, if I do use this as my first photograph in the scrapbook... I also have what I need to journal for that picture already written down... I just need to copy it over into my Project 365 scrapbook!)

My point in showing this photograph and writing a short description (journaling about the photo) is this... photos that we scrapbook don't necessarily have to be of significant events... like birthdays, holidays or even vacations. Scrapbooking isn't just about recording an event...but rather about recording life. My dog Molly waking me up in the wee hours of the morning in hopes that I will open the gate to the family room for her so she can go down there and search for bits of pizza left on plates by careless teenagers... that's my life and this is exactly the focus of Project 365... to document life as we know and experience it!

Last evening, during a New Year's Eve celebration with friends, several of us discussed the concept of Project 365. A couple of my gal pals indicated that they didn't feel there were enough significant events to record with a photograph every single day. I understood their point. Both of them have children who are grown and out of the house for the most part. One has a granddaughter but only sees her once or twice a week.

When we start to think in those terms, it is easy to see how you might also think there won't be much to photograph every single day in the course of an entire year. On the other hand, there are probably many of you out there who are like me, I still have kids living at home, I also have two grandsons who I see daily (one lives with me) and I have a real-life Ark full of animals in my own home that consists of seven cats, four dogs and two goats (don't panic the goats actually live outside - well okay, to be honest a couple of really cold winters I did keep a few babies in the house, but it was only for a few days and they were really little...ah um, thats another story though). Anyhow, all of this provides for an endless amount of photographic subject matter to be sure! (I mean if I didn't photograph it, no one would ever believe this madness actually happens around here!)... Never the less, given how life is at this address, I actually wonder how I will narrow my Project 365 scrapbook down to just one photograph a day!

However, for those of you who are wondering what you could possibly have to photograph for your own Project 365 scrapbook, here are a few ideas to help keep you snapping photos every day...

1. Don't Leave Home Without Your Camera. Keep your camera with you when you leave the house and you are bound to find something to photograph! How about that beautiful sunrise/sunset, the snow falling gently to the ground, that beautiful flower in your garden, your neighbor's pesky dog that always comes over to poo in your yard (if it happens to be one of MY dogs, no photographs please!) anyhow, you get the picture (no pun intended).

2. Everyone who enters your home is fair game! Take a photograph of all your houseguests and/or visitors throughout the course of the year. (You might want to give your friends/family a heads up that you are working on a Project 365 scrapbook and let them know if they visit your home, you consider them fair game to photograph!)

3. Take Photos of the Regular Stuff. Think about the things that happen in your life on a regular basis. For instance, a small group of does (yes, deer) cross my road and walk alongside my property every day. My scrapbook will surely have a photo like that in it. What are the every day things that happen in your life? Does your husband/significant other watch sports on television every Sunday? Does he always leave the seat on the toilet up? Take photos of that (then you have PROOF! - ha!).

4. Photograph the Extraordinary. As well as photographing the things that happen on a regular basis, don't forget to take pictures of the things that happen which are extraordinary or rather... out of the ordinary. Did it rain so hard last night that your basement flooded? Did your car break down alongside the road (if you had your camera with you like I suggested in item 1., then you could've taken a photograph of that!).

5. Think Outside the Camera. If you still can't think of anything to photograph that day... then think outside the camera. Did you go out to dinner last night? Save the receipt and put that in your scrapbook for that day and journal about your dining experience.

6. If it's New, Photograph it! If you buy something new take a photograph of the item, or better yet, take a photograph of the item being used or worn! Have someone take a photo of you wearing that great new outfit! Did you get a new haircut, get your nails done, get a sunburn? Take a picture of that!

7. Don't Forget the Special Events. Even though I told you that scrapbooking isn't JUST about photographing special events like vacations, holidays, birthday, etc.,... don't forget to take photos of those special moments and include them in your Project 365 scrapbook too!

8. If All Else Fails. And finally, if all else fails and you STILL need a photograph for the day but just can't think of one to take... just email me and I'll be happy to send one over to you...because I have a feeling I'm going to have tons of extras! Seriously though, if all else fails, here is a PDF from creating keepsakes that has 365 photograph ideas. The list is from January 2009, but hey, it still has some great ideas!

By the way, yesterday I ordered all the supplies I think I will need for my Project 365 scrapbook (3 ring binder and page protectors, etc). I decided not to wait for one of the kits I talked about in my first post yesterday. Instead I took advantage of the big online sale at the Joann Fabric and Craft Store website and ordered items I selected for use in my own album from them. But...more on that in my next post... in the meantime...have fun and remember to create something new every day!

8 Scrappy Comments:

Anonymous said...

Great Ideas! Thanks

Deltay said...

Happy New Year :)

~BridgetL~ said...

Welcome to the world of taking a picture a day for the whole yr. I just finished mine and heading into a new yr. Good luck!

Robin said...

Beth you are such an inspiration, I received 3 Fido Floats (dog life jackets) in the mail yesterday. I just got around to opening the box today, I had so much fun wrestling them into the straight jacket looking things. Then we had a little photo shoot. I actually posted it as a smile box on facebook. You should check it out. Your sense of humor is contagious. Thank you.

Lainey Jane's Creations said...

I might have to try to do this. I was going to set a goal of 365 layouts but scraping a week on one LO would be better. I like your idea of the receipt. Yesterday (Sunday) I didn't take any pics but we did eat at a favorite place yesterday so I can use that. Thanks for the idea.

Pam York-Mietus said...

Wow what a great idea! I've never done scrapbooking but may look into it. I kinda went backwards on your blog and sista you impress me!!! I'm going to send a link or your name whatever to my step daughter, she is a photographer and I know I'm a little biased but she REALLY is good and has such a natural talent in many things, not just photography. I'm sure she will appreciate it!

Pam York-Mietus

3 Ring Binders said...

I love your organization skills, I wish I was as dedicated as you!

Anonymous said...

I have heard of this Project and googled it to learn more. Thanks for the info....there is plenty to photograph in our lives...the simple to the complex....just look around. Thanks for this..I will get started....a month late...but better late than never....Anne Marie

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