January 31, 2025
Inspired by my friend Zuzana and her #30in30 experiment, I decided to make a photograph each day for 30 days.
I found it very challenging! I'd fight to come up with one good image, post it at the end of the day, and then wake up and have to do it again the next day. Some were easy - I'd notice some good light, grab a few photos, done. Other days were a grind - walking or driving around looking for something vaguely interesting, or going out in freezing cold looking for interesting atmosphere and light. And a few times felt desperate as I didn't have anything good in the can near the end of the day.
I like almost every photo I posted, and a really like a few of them. But even on the days when I wasn't really into the shot, I forced myself to post anyhow because that's the point: doing the thing, not perfecting the thing.
This daily practice forced me to work harder at making photos than I've done in my entire life. And that's saying a lot: I was a very active shooter in high school and took some photography courses in college. And still, forcing myself to produce something every day drove me farther than I'd experienced.
I learned more about my personal style and which photos brought me the most joy. It turns out I really love close-up abstract photos, the kind that make you unsure what you're even looking at. And I'm much more interested in composition - the arrangement of shapes and colors - than I am the actual subject. It's just gotta feel right, y'know?
It was also encouraging to realize that I've still got it - that I have the ability to make photos I'm proud of. There were times, especially early on, when I wasn't sure if I had it in my to produce decent photographs consistently.
Zuzana recommended I take weekends off and I followed this good advice. I took a few weekdays and some sick days, which took a little pressure off making 30 consecutive days happen.
I really recommend trying an experiment for 30 days. Produce something, share something. Give it a try!