Is it all getting a bit repetitive?

May 17th, 2010
Y'see, I'm not "a photographer" - I'm just a guy who likes to carry a camera around... I've never really been able to spot good photo opportunities, or to set up a really nice shot, like some of the amazing photographers on this site can!

Sometimes I get lucky, and get a really nice photo just from messing around, but, most of the time, I just snap parts of my every day life, and use this project as a way to document a year in my life...

The trouble is, it's actually kinda boring!

Looking back through my 365 Project, I notice that a lot of the pictures are very samey... Lots of pictures of my dog, or things I've spotted while walking my dog, lots of pictures of drums, pianos, recording studios, drumsticks, microphones, and other work-related stuff, and a few pictures of other mundane, every day things, like my car... Because all I really do, at the moment, is work, and walking the dog...

I can't really help that, but I am starting to get worried that maybe my followers are getting bored, always seeing pictures of the same things - and not even very good pictures, at that! Maybe things will get more interesting over the summer - who knows?

"OK, but what's the point of telling all me this?" you must be thinking... Now, not only am I boring you with my photographs, I'm boring you with my discussion too! Really, I just want to know if anyone else has had, or is having, a similar experience... Anyone else out there who feels that their photographs seem to repeat endlessly in a dull cycle of work and other stuff, always looking the same? Let me know!
May 17th, 2010
First of all, I thought I was following you, as your name is familiar and I know I've looked at your pics, but now I see that I'm not following you - which I just took care of, cuz now I am...

Secondly, ya it gets boring for me too! When I started the project, I thought I'd just document each day of my life for a year, but I found that difficult to do. So I switched to using the project to improve my photography skills, and now I feel like a have a purpose to keep going. The weekly themes and challenges have helped with that, even though I rarely enter :-) It gives me some focus.

But still, I have the occasional thought of "do I really want to keep this up" (which coincidentally I'm going through right now). It helps to look at others' photos. I can usually find something to inspire me to keep going, especially if I take a day or two away from the project.

I don't think your photos are boring at all! Our projects are all very personal to us and if you are currently finding your own photos boring (as I have found mine to be sometimes) it's probably just a temporary feeling.

Don't look too far ahead in your project - take it one day at time :-)

May 17th, 2010
Funny, I'd feel a gaping hole if you, Loni, and Kit weren't here on 365! Like you, I started out documenting my day in pictures, and before January was out, I was thinking, "Now what next..." Love having themes to keep it interesting when a typical day doesn't offer something up... But, you know, it just struck me... I think it's become A LOT about the personalities here... Which is why I'd not want to see either of you leave...I'm used to seeing "you"...your profile pictures...here, and leaving comments. Even if I can't get to your pictures each day...and my time on 365 seems to be minimized at present... I like knowing you're there...we're all a part of this "little world" now... It's as much about "feeling it" with you if you're having a tough time getting a picture for the day as when you get a dilly! ALL the pictures matter now, bummer as well as beaut, because it's about *YOU*! Keep that in mind (any of you who read this)...it's about hanging int here together because we "care" now :-)
May 17th, 2010
Well, the way I see it is...I take pictures of things that surround me in life. Are they boring to me at times? Abso-friggin-lutely. That is because I see them every day.

However, to others, they may be vast and unique.

Does that make sense?
May 17th, 2010
But that's the challenge! Have you looked at some of the offbeat photos on the popular page? It isn't that they are amazing captures of unique places and historical events.(although there are plenty of those at 365) It is one person zero-ing in on something around the house that evokes a memory. Or fiddling with the colors and cropping to make the mundane fresh. That is the creative part of photography and what keeps me returning day after day to try to surprise myself. I took a picture yesterday ( http://365project.org/allie912/365/2010-05-16 ) which is really very ordinary but now it is my personal favorite.
I'll get off my soapbox now and go back to looking for the perfect shot in my little corner of the world. And I'll be checking in with you!
May 17th, 2010
Chris and Allison put it perfectly.... I can't say that it's gotten boring to me. I am doing this project to improve my skills so I use my camera everyday anyway..... I have had bouts of lack of motivation which sometimes is reflecting in the photo(s) I take that day, but I still make an effort to continue the project. It's gotten to the point where I'd feel lost if I stopped doing it today.....

I set time apart every couple weeks or so to spend the entire day out exploring for photography.... that also helps keep it fresh for me.... Sometimes I don't get anything good though.... :-(

Keep it up, I think many of us have gone through low points in the project. Especially more so for me now that good weather is here, all I want to do is spend time outside when I'm not working.
May 17th, 2010
You have to find ways to make it interesting for you. I can take a picture of something and love it, and look back the next day, or even hour, and hate it. I take different angles and challenge myself with the Themes. They give me new inspiration. ;)
May 17th, 2010
I love what Chris said. I agree.
May 17th, 2010
Totally! When the things around you get too dull to snap, play around! Takes a bit more effort and time, but its all good fun, esp when something never tried before works - I get a buzz out of that :-)
Best of luck, and hope you stick with it.
May 18th, 2010
weekdays are when i feel it the worst - when i drive to work, work & then drive home? hard to come up with ideas!
May 21st, 2010
Sorry I haven't checked back here earlier... Thanks, everyone, for the comments and advice!

I'm definitely not giving up on the project! I guess I'm just not good enough at thinking "artistically" to be able to turn a mundane subject into an interesting shoot...

But I've got to try and spot more opportunities to go out and take pictures of anything other than work!
May 21st, 2010
Ah, you see, that is part of the challenge for me! Yes, I do feel sometimes my images are very repetative. I am a professional photographer - I work at my business part time because I have 3 children and one is still very young, and my husband travels alot. My business is doing pretty well even though it's part time, which is nice, but really keeps me busy. Between my business, taking care of my kids, the house, etc., I find it hard to put alot of thought into my 365 project. This is an EVERY day commitment, as we all know. Who can be innovative on a daily basis?

I found myself getting into a rut. The easiest thing would be for me to post a picture from a session - but I don't feel comfortable always using clients pictures without their consent, so unless I know the client very well, I generally do not do it. The other easy thing is to take a picture of my kids. With 3 kids, that's really easy. I can easily get a fun shot of one of them each day and do some quick edits, and boom I'm done. And as much as everyone says they like my pictures of my kids, well, it HAS to get boring after a while.

Just noticed I am at the 25% completion mark on my project. I have decided that it's up to ME to step up and make it more interesting. Child/family portraiture is my specialty so that's not really very challenging for me. What is challenging is landscape photography - I'm not as good with taking pictures when people are not in them. I am not nearly as creative. I am in awe of some of the pictures that people take, just of simple thing. I don't know, there was one of the tip of a pencil that just blew me away - it was so simple but executed so well.

So this is part of the challenge, you need to step outside of your box, find an area of photography you feel you need to improve, and work on that. I know personally my goal in doing this project is to come out of it a better photographer. I am forcing myself to take a picture a day, but that doesn't mean I should be taking the easy way out by taking pictures that I know come easy to me.

My best advice is to step outside YOUR box. What do you find difficult? Maybe certain lighting conditions are challenging to you... maybe you need to work on your composure... maybe you need to start looking for opportunities for your 365 pictures, that is one thing I am really starting to do. It has opened my eyes and now I take pictures of things I wouldn't have bothered with before. In doing so, again, I think it will make me a better photographer.

So yes, it sure can get repetitive, but it's going to be what you want it to be. I hope this helps and don't give up. Some days I feel like wish I could upload more than one pictures, and other days I wish I could just quit this project all together. Somehow, I keep putting one foot in front of the other... and hopefully you will too.
May 21st, 2010
I'm getting bored with it too, I don't really like any of the photos I take these days... Guess it is just a phase, I hope I will find it fun again later on :/
May 21st, 2010
I'm only two weeks in and I think my life is too boring to be documented... which it is, but it's still mine and I'd rather be able to look back on it - as mundane as it might be - than to wonder where it went.
May 22nd, 2010
No...I'm not bored with it. I have enjoyed the challenge to take a picture every day... sometimes it is life, my work, dog or just a quick snap; other times I've enjoyed setting up something creative to challenge myself to take an "arty" picture. I do very little processing and only a tiny bit of cropping on occasions. Usually what you see is what I took. I love looking back and remembering taking the pictures. I adore seeing the photographs that other folk take and getting glimpses into their (often very ordinary) lives. The challenges/themes are fun but I don't get tied to them unless it is something like the alphabet which I was determined to complete. Most days I take between 40 and 100 photographs.... one for here and maybe three or four more for the blog and perhaps a few go on Shutterfly - the remainder are deleted! That's been a harder discipline - as normally I kept everything! I guess I find something to make me smile, think or just of interest in almost everything that I do and the camera helps me to focus! Hang in there through the "boredom" and hopefully the fun part will return.
May 22nd, 2010
Oh I think we've all taken our turns with "what do I shoot now, the lint from the dryer?" I too have worried that I am boring people with my pictures. Then I just tell myself that my pictures document what I'm doing and most of the time, I like them and that's enough. The enjoyment I get from 365 is seeing what other people take pictures of. What's happening in their lives? And how we interact with each other through comments and discussion threads like this one. Now, excuse me, I have to look through all your pictures now. If I don't fall asleep, I'll follow you !
May 22nd, 2010
Yes - I worry about taking interesting pictures and I find myself striving for the popular page - and then getting a bit frustrated when I don't make it there. I've been there four times - relatively close together -and I got spoiled.

Today I decided to get my head back on track and start taking pictures again of what I enjoy. Forget the popular page, the comments, or anything else. I'm here to learn, to cronicle a year of my life and to post pictures I find enjoyable. So there.
May 22nd, 2010
I personally think the weekly challenge keeps me thinking of new things to photograph. You might try doing some challenges for yourself. Try photographing the same thing everyday for a week and making it look different. Hey, that sounds like fun, I may try it.
May 27th, 2010
I'm only 2 weeks in and I'm already worried about being boring and repetitive. When your daily experience is limited (mine is too, I'm currently at home all day pretty much) you can't really expect too much variation. The challenge is more about taking pictures every day but not necessarily being popular on the site or making art everyday. All I can really suggest is keep taking pictures and maybe mix up your schedule when you can. I also really love Susan's advice, it would be really interesting to photograph the same object for a week and try to make each picture unique and interesting.
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