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.