Every year for the past few years I’ve tried doing a photo a day challenge. And every year for the last few years I’ve failed to accomplish such a task. I usually get a month or two in and just forget to take a photo one day and then the whole year is scrapped. This year I’ve decided to try again to accomplish this seemingly impossible task (for me) and I have to ask myself why?
Why do I bother with this assignment every year? What is it about the photo a day challenge that inspires me and so many other to begin it? What about the challenge is so hard that me and so many others can’t finish it?
Looking back, I believe the reason I started doing this challenge is because I saw others doing it. I’ve had a digital camera since the early 2000s and although it was super easy to photograph and download imagery, I never felt a reason to shoot everyday. I really didn’t start doing the challenge legitimately until I had a smart phone with a camera. Now that I had a camera with me at all times and there was no reason I couldn’t find something to photograph at least once a day, right?
But even with the advent of convenient and easy-to-use technology I still couldn’t complete the challenge. I’d get buys at work and come home and be busy at home and then I’d be about ready to go to bed and then realize I had to take a photo. So many times my photos where whatever was in the vicinity of my bed or night stand. Because the challenge had just turned into a hassle, I just stopped doing it.
I asked some forums online for their insights into the a photo a day challenge and got a few responses. One photographer said that although he didn’t take part in these types of challenges he did have a job that required him to shoot every day and shooting everyday allowed him to notice and fix problems very quickly. He also added that it can help a photographer get out of a creative rut and that some use the challenge as motivation to get off the couch.
In response to why some people don’t do take part in the challenge at all a photographer wrote that they choose not to do them because they are an artist and must feel good about what they are taking not photographing just to photograph.
This year I’m less focused on trying to improve myself or my photography with this challenge, and more interested in actual completing the challenge. Don’t get me wrong, I want to take good photos and push myself creatively, but I want to actually complete the challenge this year, that’s my goal. I’ve also applied this a “thing a day” challenge to this website and have dedicated my self to posting something every day, Hopefully, I’ll be able to accomplish this task.
You must be logged in to post a comment.