I’m fascinated, and awestruck, by any photographer who takes on a 365 photo project. Because of this, I’ve invited Matthew Wyjad and Terri Greene Henning, two toy photographers, onto the podcast. I wanted to discuss their reasons for embarking on this year-long photo adventure.
Just thinking about the challenges involved with taking a toy photo every day terrifies me. So when I have not only one, but two toy photographers in my feed embarking on what I consider madness, I want to ask them “why?” Why would you do this to yourself? Enter the podcast.
I invite you to take a listen as both Matthew and Terri explain to me the joys, challenges and rewards of the 365 challenge. While each photographer approaches this challenge from a different starting point, the lessons they learn are very similar. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Matthew Wyjad
Terri Greene Henning
365 photo project
After conversing with Matthew and Terri, I have no doubt there is value in a 365 project. If you’re not tripped up by the photo-a-day pressure, there is much to be gained. Maybe a 365 is too much of a commitment for you. Have you considered a 52-week photo project? Or start slow, as Terri suggests, and practice with a 30-day challenge?
Have you challenged yourself with a photo project? I invite you to tell me in the comments about your experience. I would love to know what you learned, what was the hardest part, and would you ever do it again! Join the conversation, your experience may inspire someone!
I congratulate anyone who works a 365 project – I’ve never made it all the way and I’ve tried more than once. I think they are good as a challenge for sharpening your ability to pull a picture together! have succeeded with weekly photo challenges & I’m still participating in the one that started back on G+ and has continued here on MeWe. Maybe I should try another toy challenge…it’s been awhile.
Mary I applaud you for even pursuing a 365 project. I agree they are good practice and help to create a habit. I will see you in MeWe for more fun challenges!
Taking on a 365 was one the most difficult, yet rewarding things I ever did.
My hats off to you Sabrina for completing a 365! Way. To. Go!!!!
Thanks for this great episode.
I admire You guys!
So far, I have done the 52-week challenge twice and it has been an interesting experience, sometimes very easy, sometimes bit difficult, especially since there was a separate topic for each week. The imposed topic and time limit often helps a lot in unleashing creative juices, because you know you can’t postpone the thing, even though a week seems to be a plenty of time [it isn’t ;)].
Usually I take a few photos a week and yet I am not going to take the 365 days challenge [yet]. I am afraid that I would complicate this project to such an extent that it would be impossible to accomplish, for example by imposing on myself that not only the photo but also the idea would have to be created on the same day each day, with no spare ideas [that’s how I did the 52-week challenge]. And when I think about our monthly challenges and daily hashtags in MeWe and combining it all into some leviathan of photo projects…geez! No! 🙂
Once again, thanks for this episode and fingers crossed for You Terri and Matthew!
You bring up some interesting points Tomasz. I can imagine that someone could get too caught up in how the 365 should go. It seems that not overthinking it is the secret. I worry I would try to make every image a masterpiece. I can see that you would make every image a pinnacle of hashtag stacking! Just keep being your awesome self Tomasz!
I’ve started my second 365 project this year… My first year started in April 2013 and went through to April 2014 – I followed a photo-a-day blogger who realised subject topics that I based my photos on. When I finished the year I took a breather and just posted a photo or two per week with no topics. This continues until 2017 when we had a son… Understandably I was too busy for regular photos, so dropped to one or two a month until this year, with my son about to turn four I decided to try and post a photo a day again…. I’m now in month five and have kept it up. I usually take at least seven photos on a weekend and just post one per day. Sometimes I have a theme (like Easter), or a new set to photograph and other times I just go with the flow working my way along my LEGO minifigures or other toys (or stealing my son’s toys).
Congratulations Travis, on your first 365 and now embarking on another! Im impressed on your creative work around for posting once a day and still being there for your family. I wish you all the best on your own 365 journey! Let us know how it works out and what you learn from it.
So I just listened to the podcast 365 challenge with @Shelly Corbett @Matthew Wyjad and @Terri Greene Henning I have to say what a great podcast. Not only did you discuss the 365 challenge but the bit on Instagram and followers really hit home for me. I totally used to worry about why I didn’t have more followers and more likes or comments. I constantly asked myself, was I doing something wrong or was I just a poor photographer? It wasn’t until a friend asked if I was taking photos because I enjoyed it or if my sense of self worth was tied to Instagram. Answering that question changed my entire approach. Sure it would be great if I had 1000s of followers and 100s of likes on my photos, but once I realized taking (at the time) landscape photos was therapy for my soul and chasing likes and follows wasn’t always positive, I began to enjoy photography again. Of course when COVID forced me to abandon travel and landscape photos, after seeing Shelly on YouTube as a Lensbaby ambassador I turned to toys and now I’m hooked. Listening to this podcast and the story behind Matthew’s and Terri’s journey into toy photography was just what I needed. I am thankful for this group and my few followers on Instagram that actually interact with more than just a passing like. Now that the pandemic finally appears to have an end in sight I may go back to landscapes, but I will never stop toy photography. Thank you to all of you that interact positively with others on this platform, Instagram and all other forms of social media. You are what this world needs.
Wonderful insight in this episode! I really really enjoyed it and it questioned some of my ways of approaching things (and that’s a good thing.) For example, I take social media breaks to be refreshed creatively by eliminating the tsunami of information and “noise.” However, the podcast suggests that creating and posting a new image each day does help to avoid the attachment to particular images and gives hope and excitement in a new creative endeavour for the next day.
Honestly, the 365 is a daunting task for me as I put a lot of myself in each image and I can’t imagine investing that much every single day. It will be potentially draining. Listening to the podcast changed that perspective as I realised it is not about making “365 amazing images” but it’s a project involving a “collection of 365 images” and a creative stretching marathon.
I’m going to do it and look in anticipation what reflections might come during that period.