A good snapshot stops a moment from running away. -Eudora Welty

Photo Credit: lusi

In case you didn’t know, yesterday was June 1st, which makes us officially half way through the year. I find it interesting that many people have new year’s resolutions that are long forgotten by now. Some people even decide to start new projects based on the first of the year. Well, I decided I don’t want to wait that long and I figure half way point is as good a place to start new projects as any. So, I have several new upcoming projects that all relate to each other.

I love taking pictures, I don’t know what i would do without my digital camera. In fact, I have 2 that I love for different reasons. I used to take pictures all the time and I find that as of late I have only been taking pictures on special occasions. After stumbling across a few different photography projects I decided that was the perfect excuse to put my cameras to good use. So without further ado here are my new projects that I am very excited about.

Number 1: Project 365: How to Take a Photo a Day and See Your Life in a Whole New Way

Taking a photo a day is a big undertaking with big payoffs. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider doing it: Imagine being able to look back at any day of your year and recall what you did, who you met, what you learned. Your year-long photo album will be an amazing way to document your travels and accomplishments, your haircuts and relationships. Time moves surprisingly fast.
Taking a photo a day will make you a better photographer. Using your camera every day will help you learn its limits. You will get better at composing your shots, you’ll start to care about lighting, and you’ll become more creative with your photography when you’re forced to come up with something new every single day. — Project 365

This was what sparked my interest in the whole photography as a group project. I discovered this site some time in the beginning of May and I was going to start on May 12 the day I moved into my apartment but life got so busy that I didn’t have time so I decided June 1st was my next start day. I did take my first picture yesterday but I haven’t loaded it up quite yet.

Number 2: Speak Up Word it

Word it is your opportunity to express in any manner you wish and with as many (or little) other graphic elements as you need, what best describes each monthly word. – Word It

Word it is very popular among the design community. Every month they pick 1 word (hence the name) and designers subject design and/or photographs to represent that one word. I have been following this movement as a spectator for a while and have continued to say I wanted to jump in so I figured why not start now.

June’s word is Joy. You should check out everyone’s work. I love creative people.

Number 3: Photo Hunt

Last but not least, I stumbled across this today actually and thought it would go perfect with what I am already planning on doing.

A theme is given each Saturday. Post a photo that best represents the theme. Simple. You just play weekly by posting a photo for the weekly theme – that’s it.

I like the freedom and lack of guidelines with the Project 365 but I think it will also be fun to have a specific topic every week with Photo hunt and then for the whole month for Word It. Since today happens to be Saturday, today’s theme for Photo Hunt is Art. That should be fairly easy for me.

I am hoping that getting involved in all of the projects will let me connect with more people and bring some creativity back into my daily life. I work all day as a designer at work so there is creativity there but I haven’t been doing much of my own creative thing for a while.