So I have only recently joined 365 and I am already finding it hard to find inspiration after spending all day in the office. Would love to hear of any tips you guys have!
There are lots of themes and competions on this site which might help. Official weekly theme (this week its light and shadow). There are a bunch of others too such as:
This is not the full list but new ones come up all the time. This might help out. Would also recomend looking at photos in the Popular and Suggested pages and get inspiration off other people. Find photos you like and follow people and comment. Generally get involved and you will see some photos that inspire you.
As @brav said, there is the Planned for Jan, and a similar theme/challenge coming up for Feb as well. You could choose to follow them "religiously" or just dip in whenever your own inspiration fails. I've actually followed the plan, even taking photos in advance, but have found there are days when I would rather take something else. I haven't done that so far, other than when I've swapped days' words around, but I might go easier on myself in February and allow myself days for my own subjects.
Thanks @hauss@brav@Cheesebiscuit - since joining 365 I have seen some amazing photography. I will def give the challenges a go - I did not realise there were so many!
Have fun with it. I'm a newbie too, I love to gain inspiration from others, so browse a lot through pages. Sometimes the mundane is fun, and some of my pics just talk about what I've done that day, whether its the bike commute, bus ride, traffic jam - or random cracks in the footpath. Oh and matches and candles are fun to play with and learn about light with!
Start jotting ideas down as they come to you. Inspiration will hit me at the oddest times and a lot of them, I'm unable to act on it right then. So I'll file the idea away for a later day. But I'm finding writing them down is helpful so I don't forget.
And yes, the challenges and themes are great! Welcome to 365! Have fun here!
Themes and challenges are nice to keep you busy. But I think you have to remind yourself why you decided to join 365. What was your goal before you knew there were themes and challenges? 365 simply means it will take you (at least) a year to finish and you knew this in advance...
I do not say you shouldn't do any challenge but I do think it shouldn't be your main goal if you like to finish your project. You will encounter hard times without inspiration for sure but you will also find ways to fill your album, with or without the help and (above) suggestions from others.
And remember it's allowed to upload crappy shots (I do that a lot :-) or even leave days blank (to fill them later). You make the rules!
Forgot the following note. I too, are spending way too much time at the office... Still, I manage to take a lot of photos over there. And commuting betweenplaces makes a great subject. Try to look out for the odd. You will see new things almost every day. It's like seeing the same movie over and over again and still notice new details. It's a nice way to learn and look around you. Din't hessitate to stop for a photo because tomorrow will probably too late!
Your journey will become shorter also. Fuguratively that is because photographing can be quite time consuming.
I get my inspiration in various ways. One of my favorite ways to get inspiration is to go on a photo walk in one of my favorite places to take pictures. However, I don't usually have the time to visit these places. Whenever, all else fails, I wander around my house seeing what catches my interest. When I find an interesting object, I shoot it low, shoot it high, shoot it from a different angle, etc. This most usually gets the inspiration flowing again when I see something from an unique perspective. I do have my times of lack of inspiration and times of inspiration. I think this may be a natural cycle for me.
As Mek, @mastermek , mentioned, you had a reason to begin this project, didn't you? You've only posted 15 pictures. What do you want to accomplish for yourself? What is your purpose in doing this project? Everyone has their own reason, as you will learn in time. I think we all get excited when we are looking at what others are doing and we want to do that too. What no on tells you is that it doesn't happen overnight. It takes time to grow as a photographer. Do you have what it takes to allow that to happen? Only time will tell. You were inspired to give it a go for a reason. For now focus on that and carry your camera with you everywhere.
@siobhn don't give up. Your photos are really nice. Great composition and perspective.
I struggle with the same thing of working all day but then comin home at night still needing to post a photo (and sometimes that doesn't happen until close to midnight but that's my cutoff. I've actually crawled out of bed before for 5 min to take a random shot and post). There have been days where it's a bad snap just to keep the commitment and a new photo posted everyday. Not everyone does it that way. Some people take multiple photos and then each day they post a different one. that's too nuch work for me. I like the daily discipline.
To me, over time it's my become my peace. After my long crazy busy workday, it's been fun to have something else to think about. I always have A camera with me even if it's just my iPhone. I put the intention of snapping something, anything in my head starting at the beginning of the day. Sometimes it's a leaf or bug while I'm walking my dog. Then I might snap again at lunch or sometime during the workday. Usually those photos aren't exciting. But it gives me cushion at the end of the day to pick from. If I'm too tired or don't have time I just take one of those "bad" photos and see how I can practice post processing. But if I get lucky and do take a photo after work then all the more special that photo will be.
My point is, inspiration can come from anywhere. Your big toe to a bad hairdo day, the look of begging from your dog to an interesting moment on your commute. Or better yet, what you're having for lunch. Part of the joy of this project is finding inspiration everywhere around you. I live a mundane life (I don't do anything spectacularly interesting) and have found this project to force me to be more in the moment. I find ways to find beauty or curiosity in everyday mundane things.
You're doing great! Keep it up!
And for those extra mundane days, there is always the Discuss boards, looking at all the photos in Browse, challenges, contests, following other people. This is an amazing community of amateur and professional photographers. Have a look around, enjoy, and simply be.
Welcome to 365 ...... I do the word lists ..... http://365project.org/discuss/themes-competitions/15440/planned-4-jan is the latest one.
They are good for making you think outside of the box. Good for people like me who are trying to get to grips with the manual settings on cameras :)
Just shoot anything. It doesnt always have to be the perfect photo. I recently finished my project and several photos were taken of random stuff that i would of never taken a photo of in a million years. here is a good example of one i did at the office one day.....
Thanks @jsilver@willowdragon@timandelke@julz@dmortega@brav@daisy@emrob@mastermek@subi06 for sharing, glad to hear I'm not the only one :) the reason I joined the challenge was to push me to not only use my camera more but to learn how to use it. Today I've decided to bring my camera to work :) @mastermek with such inspirational photography here thanks for reminding me everyone posts some crappy photos every now and again
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Mundane Challenge - Take a interesting shot of a mundane object = http://365project.org/discuss/themes-competitions/16072/mundane-challenge-8-jar
Eye Of The Beholder - Take a shot of something viewed as not beautiful to bring out the beauty in it = http://365project.org/discuss/themes-competitions/16076/eye-of-the-beholder-challenge
Album Cover Challenge - Produce an album cover = http://365project.org/discuss/themes-competitions/16059/album-cover-challenge-14
What Would You Do - Process a photo as you see fit = http://365project.org/discuss/themes-competitions/16080/what-would-you-do-with-this-photo-wwyd74
Planned for Jan - A word a day for a month. This is done monthly = http://365project.org/discuss/themes-competitions/15440/planned-4-jan
This is not the full list but new ones come up all the time. This might help out. Would also recomend looking at photos in the Popular and Suggested pages and get inspiration off other people. Find photos you like and follow people and comment. Generally get involved and you will see some photos that inspire you.
And yes, the challenges and themes are great! Welcome to 365! Have fun here!
Themes and challenges are nice to keep you busy. But I think you have to remind yourself why you decided to join 365. What was your goal before you knew there were themes and challenges? 365 simply means it will take you (at least) a year to finish and you knew this in advance...
I do not say you shouldn't do any challenge but I do think it shouldn't be your main goal if you like to finish your project. You will encounter hard times without inspiration for sure but you will also find ways to fill your album, with or without the help and (above) suggestions from others.
And remember it's allowed to upload crappy shots (I do that a lot :-) or even leave days blank (to fill them later). You make the rules!
Hope you will enjoy your project!
Your journey will become shorter also. Fuguratively that is because photographing can be quite time consuming.
I struggle with the same thing of working all day but then comin home at night still needing to post a photo (and sometimes that doesn't happen until close to midnight but that's my cutoff. I've actually crawled out of bed before for 5 min to take a random shot and post). There have been days where it's a bad snap just to keep the commitment and a new photo posted everyday. Not everyone does it that way. Some people take multiple photos and then each day they post a different one. that's too nuch work for me. I like the daily discipline.
To me, over time it's my become my peace. After my long crazy busy workday, it's been fun to have something else to think about. I always have A camera with me even if it's just my iPhone. I put the intention of snapping something, anything in my head starting at the beginning of the day. Sometimes it's a leaf or bug while I'm walking my dog. Then I might snap again at lunch or sometime during the workday. Usually those photos aren't exciting. But it gives me cushion at the end of the day to pick from. If I'm too tired or don't have time I just take one of those "bad" photos and see how I can practice post processing. But if I get lucky and do take a photo after work then all the more special that photo will be.
My point is, inspiration can come from anywhere. Your big toe to a bad hairdo day, the look of begging from your dog to an interesting moment on your commute. Or better yet, what you're having for lunch. Part of the joy of this project is finding inspiration everywhere around you. I live a mundane life (I don't do anything spectacularly interesting) and have found this project to force me to be more in the moment. I find ways to find beauty or curiosity in everyday mundane things.
You're doing great! Keep it up!
And for those extra mundane days, there is always the Discuss boards, looking at all the photos in Browse, challenges, contests, following other people. This is an amazing community of amateur and professional photographers. Have a look around, enjoy, and simply be.
Cheers!
They are good for making you think outside of the box. Good for people like me who are trying to get to grips with the manual settings on cameras :)