Back in the day, Instagram only allowed posted photographs if the user took a photo from inside their app. And at during that time, it was cool to see a day in someones life. A peek into their day.
Snapchat maintains that attitude to this day. It’s a product and community that is built on photos taken right now, from your phone (not your fancy DSLR). The photos aren’t heavily post processed or even edited at all. A simple photograph. There is something wonderful about that.
Last fall my friend Johnny Patience mentioned he was going to do a 365 project.
The idea of a 365 sounds simple enough. Each day, make a photograph and share that photograph. It can come with a caption, random thoughts of the day or no text at all. There really aren’t many rules as far as I can tell.
And yet, a 365 project is so much harder than it first appeared. At least to me.
It’s an honest account of your life. Its a celebration or at the very least a record of the every day, the ordinary.
And with the ordinary comes a level of honesty.
Johnny and his wife Rebecca each have a 365 project going on. I encourage you to take a look when you have time. They are both wonderful. Completely authentic and so refreshingly different than what you see often see on Instagram or Facebook.
I started my 365 in November of last year and after 214 days the level of discomfort increased day by day. I didn’t like my photographs. I didn’t like the “chore” of a daily post. I didn’t want to share my every day. So by early June I stopped.
But looking back, I wish I had kept it going. My life is my own and I don’t need to make an amazing photograph every day or every month for that matter. And looking at all the posts, I value the memories, the recorded notes of the every day, the honesty.
So on August 28th, I re-started my 365 and when I get the film back I will post photo 291. Thank you Johnny for encouraging me to pick up my project. You are a great friend, and I am grateful.