So as a new photographer, I spend hours and hours admiring my favorite photographers work. I research, read books and blogs and spend hours just browsing Instagram. One thing that almost every photographer says you must do is a Project 365. I thought it would be fun last year and I made two posts. TWO!!!! So I have decided that this year I will be better! I am going to give the Project 365 another shot! Here's to hoping 2017 turns out better than 2016.
Project 365 means that I will do my best to take a photo every day for a full year!! I know, sounds crazy right? Taking a photo every day sounds so scary to me! I am going to try and get out of my comfort zone and take photos I normally wouldn't (No one wants to see 365 photos of my kids, right!?). What I hope to accomplish is 1. Improving my photo taking skills 2. Learning to look outside of the box for Photography inspiration 3. Improve editing skills 4. Downloading my photos every night!! (I am the worst with actually transferring photos from my camera to my computer. I usually do that once a month. This project is going to teach me to do it everyday!!!). and 5. HAVE FUN! and don't get too stressed if I miss a day or two!
Ok so here we go!!
Photo 1- An Arizona Sunset
On the last day of 2016 I was driving home from my parents house with two of my three kiddos. I live about an hour and a half from my parents and I usually try and see them once a week or once every two weeks. So I make this drive a lot!! One of the perks of living in Arizona is we have some amazing sunsets! I see people pulled over on the side of the road all the time taking sunset pictures with their iphones. Every time I drive by, my normal thought process goes like this. 1. That just isn't smart. I mean its dangerous to pull over on the side of the road. 2. Its just a dumb sunset. What are these people actually going to do with that photo? 3. And really, an IPhone? I mean if you are going to pull over and risk your life at least get a camera??
So driving home on the final day of 2016, I started watching this amazing sunset in my rearview mirror. I started thinking how cool that 2016 was ending and God made this breathtaking sunset. Almost saying goodbye to a great year. Then I looked in my passenger seat where my camera was and in the backseat where both my boys were sound asleep in their car seats, and I thought I should take this photo. So I became one of those crazy people I always see and I pulled over just to take a picture. At least I had my Canon Mark III. haha
So to me this photo symbolizes a new year full of new experiences and learning to get out of the box and do something unexpected. And I think it is a perfect one to start my Project 365 of 2017!!
I will also add that I made it back to my car safely where both kids were still sound asleep. It wasn't quite as dangerous as I thought!
