5 Photography Projects Every Photographer Should Do

when i am asked how i got to where i am today as a photographer, my answer is: photography projects.  sure, i have taken some photography courses and working with clients has grown my skill.  but my photography projects have played a huge role in shaping both my photography style and who i am as a photographer.  i believe that every photographer should complete a photography project, and should do at least one photography project each year.  need some ideas of what photography projects to tackle?  i have 5 photography projects that every photographer should complete at least once.

are you struggling with manual mode?  be sure to check out how i finally conquered manual mode.

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5 Photography Projects Every Photographer Should Do

1.  A Day in the Life Project

a day in the life project is where you document what a typical day in your life looks like with your camera.  choose a start time and take a photo every hour for one day, telling a story of how you go about your everyday.  starting with waking up and ending after the sun goes down, photograph your daily routine, laundry and all.  this is a great photography project that will encourage you to photograph a variety of situations in a variety of light scenarios, which is a great challenge for any photographer to take.  this is a great photography project for you to do once a year, showing how your daily routine changes from year to year.

2.  A 365 Photography Project

a 365 photography project includes taking one picture every day for an entire year.  at the end of the year you will have 365 photographs that document one year of photography.  this photography project will encourage you to pick up your camera on a daily basis and document your surroundings.  by picking up your camera every day, you are bound to see your photography improve as the year goes.

do you want to tackle a 365 photography project but are worried you won’t know what to take a photo of each day?  be sure to join me in the bethadilly challenge, where i provide you with a daily photo prompt to inspire your photo each day.

3.  Letters To Your Children

the letters to your children photography project involves taking a photo of your child once a month, and writing a corresponding letter to them.  not only are you documenting your child each month with a portrait, but you are writing a letter for them to cherish forever.  in your letter you can include their current interests, what activities they were involved in that month, and memorable things they did.  don’t have young children?  write letters to your grandchildren!  tell them your hopes and dreams for them, and even share stories about when you were younger.

need a little inspiration?  check out the letters i’ve written to my little one each month.

4.  Project 52

if a 365 photography project seems a little daunting to you, try a project 52.  a project 52 involves taking one photo each week for an entire year.  while you can practice daily with your camera if you would like, you only have to conquer one photo a week and it can be of whatever you would like.

5.  One Lens, 30 Days

trying to master a new lens? try photographing only with one lens for an entire month.  daily practice does everyone a lot of good and like mama said, “practice makes perfect.”  try putting a different lens on your camera for an entire month and photograph a variety of subjects with that one lens.  not only will you learn so much about your gear, but you will learn a lot about yourself as a photographer as you portray your photography style through one lens.  trying a new lens also encourages you to see your surroundings in a new way, whether it is capturing tiny details close up with a macro lens or successfully incorporating your surroundings within the frame with a wide angle lens.

starting and completing a photography project can be very inspiring and beneficial to a photographer.  if you haven’t tried one of these projects, you should try them all at least once.  each project conquers a different skill and requires a different level of difficulty and time management that will help shape you as a photographer.  so pick one, any one, and get started today!

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