I’ve done a 365-project before and something seems to happen in mid-October. It’s that  part of the year when the days get shorter and the rain gets more intense. Because I am a photographer who prefer to work with daylight, this time of the year always is unexpected. Until mid-October hits me the light has been my friend.

During work days

During work days, I photograph the kitchen with flash as a light source. During the project mid-October meant mer than the fact that I had to find the flash. I also realized that my ideas and my lack of attributes make the images feel predictable. And a bit boring to do. Many days this project feels like one other thing I have to do.

My doubts are high and I wonder what this 365-project will give me…

My 365-projects

My first 365-project gave me invaluable knowledge about technics.  Doing an image a day made me find my language or at least the beginning of what would become my language as a photographer.

My second taught me to develop my style, my expression and to work with the flash, a controlled light as a tool.

Some insights

This is my third, what have I learned more than October means that the light disappears and with that also the desire and the will to creat. I do not yet see what I have learned, but I have some insights:

The first one is that ”a lego-figure” is a tough toy to vary a story around. I would say that as a toy for a story it requires attributes. Many legophotographers like to use attributes like faces to enhance their story. I use a bit of attribute but my toy box is limited, by choise. I prefer to let the viewer read emotions / mood in the image via the light and the choice of location, time, angle and composition.

In my first 365-project the lego-figure was an attribute, and looking back at that I think the next toy-project will be with another sort of toy – no more – lego for me… When I do a new toy-porject I’ll probably choose use lego-figures be just attributes. I am currently doubting that I am a pure lego photographer.

I also doubt what the value of a 365-project. To take a picture a day is not really a challenge, it’s mostly a matter of planning.

A 365-project makes me attached to my motive

But there is one thing that I have realized. My feeling for the toy that is my motive has changed with all the dirt and the scratches that the project has given it. I didn’t feel anything for my choice of toy when I started, now I look for it and talk about the toy as one of mine. I value it – as my motive. I have grown in to liking the toy, the scratches and the dirt on the toy because they make it mine, and only mine.

Kristina