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have i mentioned this?

February 2nd, 2010 | 11 Comments »

One aspect of 2010 that is vastly different than the past years is that I decided I was going to tackle Project 365. You take a photo a day for 365 days straight. Doesn’t sound too hard, or does it? Because for me, especially in the last few months of ’09, I started seeing a whole new world through my camera and figured ‘Well this should be simple.’

It has been, but it’s also been a huge challenge. Weird dichotomy, isn’t it? A simple challenge? I carry an iPhone so there is always a camera with me. I love it for it’s ability to take some amazing shots.

Like this one.


And this one too

The bottom line of capturing your life on camera is not that complicated; the view through the lens can be profound and moving provided you lift your head long enough to look around and see what’s happening, and it doesn’t necessarily require a complex camera with a series of bulky lenses. Those do help, especially on the bright sunny day that one comes across the stunning image alongside the road of two eagles sitting majestically in a tree. The iPhone wasn’t going to cut it on that day. And I wasn’t carrying my digital with me. Although I have that image seared onto my memory, no one else will see it. I do need to remember to pocket my little digital camera more often. Because, with that, I am able to do some magical things.

Like find peanut butter rapture.

A beautiful selection of small and simple bowls

And the sunlight on tiny dipping saucers and cups

While these themselves may not be worthy of the Guggenheim, or even the corner coffee shop, once you place them all side by side they will tell a story of one month, a perspective I would have forgotten if it weren’t for 31 clicks of a lens. I like that it spurs me to continue, to wonder how the remaining 11 months of Project 365 will pan out. The end destination is always exciting, but the scenery along the way should never be overlooked.

Want to see the whole month? Feel free to look it over. The comments are my novel of January 2010.

11 responses to “have i mentioned this?”

  1. Suzie says:

    Kate, you have such a great eye, I’m sure your collection will be moving and beautiful. It will also be an amazing thing to look back on in ten or twenty years and see the world through the eyes of your younger self. Maybe something for me to contemplate next year. I would need to learn a lot about photography first….

  2. Yuri Batala says:

    I was just chatting with my coworker about this last week at dinner . Don’t know how in the world we got on the subject really, they brought it up. I do recall eating a excellent steak salad with cranberries on it. I digress…

  3. Anne says:

    Loverly photos, Kate! What a great project. Congrats for seeing it through.I know it’s not always easy, even if the concept is simple enough.

  4. you know my father started this “project”about 10 years ago. he LOVED it and basically almost still takes one a day. he still refuses to use his digital for it – only uses throwaway cameras! i think he’s singlehandedly keeping that business afloat. i know one day we’ll look back on all those pics and be happy he has done it. it’s a really great project to just capture one great moment a day.

  5. Megan Gordon says:

    Ah yes, I’m struggling with a capital “S” with my 365. Sounds so simple, right? But I’ll find myself forgetting and taking random late-night photos or, like last week, throwing in the towel altogether 🙁 But I agree that it’s an amazing way to see your life differently…and even to look back in retrospect and remember what you were up to. Even after just a month, I love the reflection aspect of it.

  6. Chris says:

    The sock one is my favorite, adorable.

  7. kat says:

    It is a lot of fun but I do find it so challenging after 3 years of 365 to find original & interesting things to photograph. I’m trying not to be too hard on myself this year.

  8. I should have asked you to show me how you get such good light in your photos on Saturday. Really amazed at what good quality you get with your IPhone.

  9. Allyson says:

    I love the idea of taking a picture every day! What a great project. Your pics are great! What a fun way to look back over your month/year.

  10. Jenny says:

    I’m doing this too! Astrid, remember you can start any day you like!

    I found that it really makes me look around me for beauty in every day things, and live in the moment a little more, and that I’m finding it turning into a little photo diary of my life. Its extremely fulfilling for me, although a little annoying to try and remember to take a photo. Good job I’ve got an iphone too!

    Here’s my 365 so far:http://www.flickr.com/photos/jennywenny/sets/72157622992615525/

  11. Astrid says:

    What an awesome idea! These pictures are awesome. I really want to start doing this. I take pictures every day, but I never think about making them interesting or using them as a way of capturing my life. Have fun with this challenge!