flickr is a wellspring of photographic creativity. For one, I’m exposed to the works of thousands of pros and amateurs who take pictures of every conceivable subject. Then there are flickr groups and challenges, that encourage members to keep my perspective fresh and push me to explore my artistic and creative limits.
There are a number of “365″ self-portrait groups on flickr, but they generally share the basic requirements that:
- you take and post one photo of yourself per day;
- you or some part of you has to be in the image (some folks extend this to shadows and footprints, and pictures of old photos);
- you have to set up and take the picture (you can use a timer or remote, or even set up the shot on a tripod then have someone else push the button)
I tried the 365 project once before. I think I made it for about two months before I got tired of it. It was a good experiment. Some good shots came of it, and I documented what was an emotionally difficult time for me, but in the end there were too many submissions that were in the uninspired key of “it’s the end of the day, I’m tired, and here’s my obligatory 365.” Here are a couple of favorites:
I rebooted the project for 2010, and this time I’m taking into account where my last project failed. I’m allowing myself to take multiple pictures per day, when I have the time to set things up. I find that my time and ideas come in bunches. It also gives me time to let some ideas simmer and deepen. Ultimately, I’d like to have 365 creative self-portraits on December 31st, even though it may not represent a picture captured of me on each and every day.
I wonder what I can learn from this as I unsuccessfully pressure myself to write every day.
The following images are from my 2010:365 set:
6 responses so far ↓
1 Chandelle // Jan 23, 2010 at 11:12 am
I love that top one (with the lights). That’s my fave so far.
2 angryyoungwoman // Jan 23, 2010 at 12:53 pm
Wow. So amazing and creative.
3 G // Jan 23, 2010 at 4:06 pm
very excited to see what comes next
4 Elaine // Jan 24, 2010 at 10:49 am
Looking forward to seeing more.
My malfunction when I try to do something like this on a regular basis…for me, it’s blog posts…is that every time I make the resolution to do something on a regular basis, something comes up and I can’t manage to do it.
For example, I created a new blog at the beginning of the year dedicated to writing about filmed entertainment – movies and television. I didn’t say I was going to post every day, but I committed to three to four new posts every week. So far, so good.
And then someone I knew through through SCA was killed in a helicopter crash, which hit me very hard and hit some of my friends, who had known him better and longer than I had, even harder. And then, I got the head cold from hell and did pracitically nothing for a week aside from work. So I haven’t posted there, or in my general blog, for at least a couple of weeks.
I know that those things aren’t really good excuses. Still, I just can’t seem to find the motivation to keep those things up on a regular basis these days, and I don’t quite know what to do about it. I think I use up all my self-discipline getting my paid work done every day.
5 xJane // Jan 25, 2010 at 1:36 pm
I’m looking forward to seeing all your awesome pictures—the ones so far have been amazing. Although, like Elaine, there’s something about swearing I’m going to do something regularly that makes me want to do anything but that thing.
6 Wendy Wagner // Jan 25, 2010 at 7:57 pm
These portraits are amazing! It sounds you have a really focused goal for visual art this year–I hope you succeed and that we get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
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