100 Days of Project 365: 10 favorite pictures

It’s April, and I’ve reached 100 days of Project 365! Project 365 is simple: take one photo a day for 365 days.  I started on January 1, but some people start on their own birthday, a child’s birthday, or simply some random day!

Some fun facts from my first 100 days of Project 365:

* 4 photos feature coffee

*  6 photos that I appear in

* 16 photos do not include a face

Being “forced” to photograph everyday things daily can be challenging. Let’s be honest; my life is hardly glamorous. 🙂 But it is mine, and I want to celebrate it! Today I’m sharing 10 personal favorites from my first 100 days of Project 365.  (To see them all, please check out #365blessedeveryday or browse my instagram account @theblessedeveryday.)

 

picture of brothers resting

1/1/14: the first pic of the year. Love this pic of my boys.

 

photo of little boy

1/6/14: “Talk to the Hand”–only 6 days in, and Eli was already weary of pictures

 

toddler laughing

1/21/14: Late-night shenanigans. Giggles in bed.

 

photo of girl smiling

1/23/14: Not a perfect picture technically, but love the pure joy on G’s face.

 

photo of shooter at gun range

2/7/14: at the shooting range, one of the few photos of me so far!

 

photo of silhouette baby

2/8/14: inspired by Hitchcock. Project 365 gives me the chance to experiment with some different concepts.

 

photo of baby playing by window

3/21/14: love the light streaming through the window

 

photo of kids with toy car

3/24/14: Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride? The kids take Lightning out for a spin.

 

father and son photo

3/27/14: one of my favorite images so far, father and son.

 

sleeping baby

4/3/14: I have lots of sleeping baby photos, but none do I like more than this one, which was captured with the iPhone while Seth was in his carseat.

It’s never too late to start a Project 365. Is this a project you could join? Or is the more modest Project 52 (a picture a week) more realistic for you? Have you ever completed either? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!

The first 100 days: 5 things I’ve learned so far on my Project 365

instagram grid of pictures

A sneak peek at my first 100 days of Project 365, as captured on Instagram.

I can scarcely believe it, but today marks day 100 of my Project 365! I’m pretty excited about this milestone, and I’ve also learned a few things along the way…

In previous years, I have attempted one Project 365 (which lasted about four days before I went down in a ball of flames) and one Project 52 (a picture a week). Both times were failures, and yet this time I’m succeeding! What changed?

This time I am committed; I am going to do this. And I have found a few strategies that help me…

Five Things I’ve Learned in the First 100 Days of Project 365:

1. Accountability is key!
I forced myself to be more accountable this time by joining Instagram and posting daily. Knowing that I have told other people that am participating in Project 365 and that I will have people to answer to if I don’t post has really helped me along. There have even been a few 10 p.m. text messages asking, “Where’s your pic for today?” that saved me from forgetting a day!
2. An iPhone picture can be a worthy way to capture your life.
Very few of my Project 365 photos have been taken with my DSLR. At this stage in my life, I don’t take out my DSLR often, for a variety of reasons (I don’t want my kids getting “camera fatigue,” I don’t want to have to worry about it with three kids getting into everything; the phone is nearly always with me). And even with just my phone, I have captured some precious memories.
3. Choosing a theme or particular challenge can provide inspiration.
There are a variety of photo “challenges” out there that offer prompts for your Project 365. Some people find these really help. @ClickinMoms on Instagram has a weekly post listing your prompts for the week. I haven’t done the prompts, but I have decided to challenge myself with certain areas of my photography (i.e. a meaningful “headless” photo, or use negative space creatively) to make my Project 365 more than just a series of snapshots.
4. Embrace the imperfections and even the “boring” days.
Not every day is going to be one that you deem photo-worthy, but that’s sort of the point. Project 365 isn’t a highlight reel; it’s a documentary of a year in your life, boring moments and all. Accept that not every photo is going to be a prize-winner, and not every day will be full of exciting moments. Embrace your reality.
5. Project 365 is really a project of gratitude and celebration.
Most importantly, recognize that Project 365 is really about celebrating the little things (and little ones perhaps!) in your life and honoring them, and about reminding even yourself that there are details and moments worth noticing everyday. Project 365 is awesome because it is helping to train me to look at the world with more gratitude, respect, and love.

Are you following my Project 365? Tomorrow I’ll post 10 of my favorite photos, but if you want a sneak peek, go follow me @theblessedeveryday on Instagram, where I share my daily photos, and search #365blessedeveryday.

(And please link up with your Project 365 if you are participating, too!)