6 Tips For Succeeding At The 365-Days Photo Project

Last summer I decided to participate in one of the 365-days projects over on flickr. The point is to take 365 photos on 365 consecutive days. The project exists in different forms – take 365 photos; take 365 self-portraits; take 365 photos of Wall*E; you get the point. My project last summer fizzled out after the first 14 days.

Now that I have a digital SLR camera I’ve decided to give the project another go. This time I’m determined to make it. Taking into account my failed first atemp, I’ve made a list of things to consider when embarking on this journey:

1. Planning

365 days means 365 ideas. Noone can do that without some kind of planning. Preparing weekley themes is a good solution, let your favorite songs or current events inspire you.

2. Support

Though being a photographer might seem like a one-man hobby or profession, support is very important. Even if you don’t have a buddy to work with, make sure you surround yourself with encouraging people. It will help you stay motivated. You can exchange ideas and receiving praise from people who know and follow your work will do wonders for your motivation and enjoyment of the project.

3. Gear

It you plan on doing the self-portrait version you will need a remote trigger. Using the timer on the camera is quite tricky since most cameras set the focus when you press the trigger, not when the shot is acctually taken. In other words you need a stand-in. Using the timer also means you have to reposition yourself for every frame. A remote will make your life much easier.

When it comes to your camera a digital SLR is what you should aim for, but having a small compact in your bag at all times is a great idea. Which brings me to my next point:

4. Always be prepared

This should be your motto! Always have a camera with you if you can or at least a notepad. You never know when you’ll find the perfect location or come up with the perfect idea.

5. Don’t be too hard on yourself

The goal of the project is to take 365 pictures in 365 consecutive days, not to produce 365 masterpieces. Having a bad day, being uninspired is ok. The important thing is to keep going and get over the bump.

6. Don’t stop

Even if you’ve had several bad days in a row, stick with it! Getting through the first 20-30 days is the hardest part. Once you’ve set up a routine you’re bound for success!

Lastly, don’t forget to have fun. Fun is the main point of the project.

I plan on starting the project this week, though I haven’t decided which variant of it I’ll go for. Once the project starts, there will be weekly updates here on how things are coming along. If you would like to see the entire project feel free to follow along on flickr.

Let the journey begin!

Dealing With Bad Days

I had a really crappy day yesterday. I was in a really terrible mood all day long for no good reason.

What usually works for me when this happens is to make lists – to break down my life into manageable pieces. Take them apart, look at every one of them on its own so I can feel “hm, this is not that overwhelming, annoying, stressful or bad”. Then I like to take all the different little pieces and arrange them – make lists or color coded schedules.

Doing this doesn’t really change anything, it doesn’t complete any of the tasks on my to-do lists or solve any problems. Right? Not entirely. It does one very important thing: it changes the way I feel and the way I view the tasks ahead of me. It renders order into the chaos of my life. It makes me feel like I’m in control – every task having its place. It also helps me see the bigger picture – I can review what my entire week looks like instead of fixating on just one day.It helps me see that things tend to balance themselves out, which in turn gives me the energy to get productive and start dealing with everything – one bit at a time.

What’s your favorite way of coping with bad moods?

10 Things To Do When You’re Home Alone

I’m a highschool teacher and my boyfriend is a bartender, so often I’m home alone in the evenings. Since I don’t have a TV and like it that way, I tend to do other things.

Here is, in no particular order, a list of my ten favorite things to do when home alone:

1. Read a good book.

Be it fiction or factual, there’s nothing like tapping a hot bath or crawling into bed with a good book. Right now I’m reading Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and ‘Shakespeare’ by Another Name by Mark Anderson, both brilliant in their own way. If you feel uninspired I suggest starting here. GoodReads is a community where you can track books you’ve read, want to read or might want to learn more about later. You can browse other users’ lists, browse categories, learn about new releases or simply browse books at random.

2. Write blog posts.

This is the perfect time for me to write on my blog. I spend my day at work running between classes, talking to students and planning my courses. There simply isn’t time to sit down and really write. At the most I’ll jot down an idea I have for a blog post. Then when I’m alone at home I can work on my posts undisturbed for as long as I like.

3. Watch a lecture on TED and learn something new.

TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design and is a small nonprofit enterprise devoted to “Ideas worth sharing”. If you ever wanted to find inspiration, get new perspective or just learn something from smart  people this is the place to go. If you think educated people aren’t funny, I warmly recomend watching Ze Frank’s nerdcore comedy presentation. He’s young, passionate and brilliant. Just be warned: TED is addictive.

4. Browse youtube.

Have you seen Improve Everywhere’s “Subway Ride With No Pants“? How about the Dramatic Prairie Dog? Youtube is a fascinating social phenomenon that can keep you busy for hours on end. Plus you never know where you’ll end up.

5. Catch up on social networking.

Being home alone is the perfect time to respond to e-mails from friends, browse Facebook to get updated on the whodunnits and chat on skype with friends who are too far away to have coffee with.

6. Take macro photographs of things at home.

I have to be pretty bored or in an artistic mood to do this one, but it can be a lot of fun none the less. You’d be surprised how many things can look really cool when photographed up close or in a particular lighting. You don’t even need a digital SLR camera, most compact cameras have very decent macro functions. After uploading them into my computer and playing around with them in Photoshop, I usually post the ones I liked best on Flickr.

7. Play with iPhone.

Yes I bought an iPhone. I’ve had it for about five months now and it is my number one favorite toy ever. Reading books, playing games, checking e-mail and Facebook, composing shopping lists and browsing recipes – all from the comfort of my bed or sofa, without the loud fan of a laptop. Not to mention the integrated iPod. iPhone App Reviews.net has up to date reviews on all kinds of applications and is my personal pick from among the application review sites.

8. Play computer games.

Yes I’m a nerd. I used to spend most of my time playing this online roleplaying game and blogging about it. I don’t have the time needed for that kind of game anymore, but I still play games. Right now I’m slowly working my way through Bioware’s Dragon Age: Origins and loving every single line of dialogue in it. If you don’t know what games to play, I suggest starting over at GameTrailer. You can find both trailers and fantastic reviews there, even if you’re not a hardcore gamer.

9. Play loud corny music and lip sync in front of the mirror.

Admittedly, I don’t do this all that often, but it sure is fun. Being home alone means you can play whatever music you want, without bothering anyone or being judged. I usually log on to Spotify or youtube if I’m in the mood for a particular song. If I’m just out for a general genre, I usually go with Last.fm which is brilliant for discovering new music similar to what you already listen to.

10. Have a cup of tea by the window and muse about life.

I work with people all day and spend a lot of time socializing with friends, so from time to time I like to just turn off all electronic devices – the computer, my phone, even the radio – and just spend some time alone. Tea helps me unwind and I can think about whatever might cross my mind without worrying about having to be anywhere or having to get anything done. Just be.

I didn’t put “grade student papers”, “clean up” or “do the dishes” on that list even though I do that a lot too. But let’s be honest: who likes doing those things, anyway?

What’s your favorite way of spending your alone-time?