When I started 365 I thought I'd just be taking and posting a photo each day. 17 days in, much has surprised me - the helpful and supportive community, people who've taken the trouble to comment on my photos, the amount of useful information and advice available. I've also been surprised at myself - just how long I spend looking at beautiful and interesting pictures and reading discussions on the 365 site. Maybe most of all I've been surprised by the release of my own creativity, and at how observant I've grown in such a short time, seeing things in my everyday life I'd never noticed before. What's surprised you most since joining 365?
In no particular order.
1. How much I still have to learn about all aspects of photography
2. How much pressure it is and how difficult it is to actually come up with something new and creative every day
3. How I barely look at Facebook or any other social media website anymore because I'm always on 365 if I have a spare minute.
4.How positive and supportive everyone is
Still love it!
The amount of followers. I like my images, but it still floors me that others seem to enjoy them as much as I do. I joined just because being a stay at home mom I need something for me that wouldn't take to much time away from my kids. I love being inspired by others and having the accountability of posting a pic everyday.
At first, the quality of the work posted here really surprised me - there are some truly gifted photographers on 365. Next, the friendly nature of 365ers really blew me away. In the last 9 months, I have made friends with so many wonderful people here. Third, how much my own work has improved in these 9 months of being on 365. If you make friends with really good photographers here, their skills rub off - I believe they call it osmosis. Finally, how addictive 365 is - this place is the first thing I think about when I wake up and it is in my thoughts every day...
I think the biggest surprise is how it's changed the way I look at things. And I hope my sight will continue to change as I go deeper into the project. The community here is so amazing and supportive and even though the level of talent is crazy here, I don't feel intimidated about my own shots. People whose work absolutely blows me away are incredibly encouraging and I love that. This site and project have really made me fall in love with this art form.
And @jcarrollphoto - your #3 - totally the same for me. FB who? :)
The biggest surprise is looking back on some of the photos and thinking "Wow... that is my photo." I've come a long way in 2012 and look forward to even more adventures in 2013.
Now, I doing my best to post a real photo everyday. My real life. And looking to be creative with some of the mundane.
I was suprised at the community and how friendly and helpful everyone is. I finished my first year on the 31st. I am not going to be so serious about taking a shot everyday, but I am hanging around because of the people that I really like!
I also am really suprised and blown away at the talented people who not only share their photo's, but share tips and how-to's here!
@soboy5 I agree the addiction of it.Taking photos, looking at all the fantastic pictures on here by others, first thing I look at in a morning and last thing at night. Find myself looking at the area I live and work very differently. One of the biggest surprises though was how friendly everyone is and how nice to be involved with something where people who are complete strangers have so much in common with each other.
I am surprising myself with the photos I have already taken and as @farrah said the comments from others and the fact that other people like them as well. Finally how much fun I am having!! ;-)
@soboy5 I agree too Danny, it's a great place for photographers and you can be really inspired by some fantastic photos by others, I managed to finish my project last month, it's such a great place I would find it hard to leave. I don't post every day but when I do post it feels like I never left. I would like to think I have come a long way from when I first started.
Its a fantastic community!
Thanks Ross, your doing a great job!!!!
I started this project with the objective to reacquaint myself with photography again. I had hoped to push my creative side as I learned how to become a photographer. I think what surprised me the most is how difficult it has been for me to find my own path.
With the talent that oozes from this site, I knew I had a lot to learn and dove right into the project. People here at times have the patience of saints. As I've drilled quite a few of them on their technique. I am not really surprised at how much people are willing to share here because most photographers are willing to teach as well as learn from others. Photographers in general are excited when people inquire about how they did something. All you gotta do is look at the number of photography blogs online. When photographers are not competing for work with each other, they work together to learn. So, kudos to everyone here who has taken a moment to teach photography skills.
As far as finding my own path? Well, I just don't know if it will come or not. I've really steered clear of emulating others, here and elsewhere, in order to find my own niche. I was thinking about those who go to school for photography and wondered about the learning process. Once we know the mechanics the creative needs to take over. Can a classroom really teach creativity without pigeon holing the student? I wonder about that. So, for me, I will continue experimenting and growing as a photographer here because this really is the best place on the net to learn all about photography.
I was also pleasantly surprised how friendly and supportive everyone is. I haven't yet seen any rivalry or looking down on people who aren't the worlds best photographers or who do not have first class cameras. It makes it so much easier for anyone to join and have fun. It is so great to see the diversity of photos from all over the world: both in quality and skills as well as in subjects and processing.
This, as well as the challenges, shared articles and great tutoral topics gave me a big creativity boost on both photography as on other levels. I picked up painting and drawing again and started some other (semi)creative projects as well.
When I started, I wasn't sure I was going to be able to take a photo every single day for a year and then I did it for two full years. I'm still amazed that I was able to accomplish that.
This year just feels more relaxed because I'm not taking photos every day.
I started so my mom and sister who live far away could watch my girls grow. I didn't even know strangers would follow and comment. I am surprised by the wonderful support, the growth in my photography and the unbelievable talent on this site.
It's been amazing...I just sometimes need to remember to follow my project for myself and not worry about posting an award winning shot every day.
The supportive quality of this community, that anyone at all has bothered to follow me when it's a place so rich in amazing images, and that it's changed how I see the world. I really like that last one, I'm seeing things differently and appreciating things more.
I have just come to the end of my first year and, like you I too thought it was just going to be a photo snap a day. I cannot believe how much more it became for me; A community, a place of learning and a place to marvel at the beauty of the world. Welcome to this wonderful and potentially life changing project. You can learn and see the world in a different way here.
I have summarized my first year in a video that I posted on my 365th day, http://365project.org/monika64/365/2013-01-11
Thanks to all of you who responded to my question about what has surprised you about being part of 365. I've summarised all the responses and there's a great deal of commonality about what has surprised people:
- the amazing community of strangers who are friendly, supportive, willing to help and share knowledge, willing to follow those who feel their talent isn't particularly special and to comment on their photos, with no-one looking down on anyone else;
- the site as 'a place of learning', where you can develop your talent through challenges, sharing information, discussions and the inspiration gained from looking at amazing photographs or having others comment on your shots;
- the site as 'a place to marvel at the world', seeing such a diversity of photos from around the world and the work of so many gifted photographers;
- a boost in one's creativity and changes 'in the way I look at things', seeing your own talents develop, and a sense of accomplishment as that takes place. Some have been surprised, looking back at how much their photographic skills have improved through their 365 project, whilst acknowledging they still have much to learn.
A few mentioned difficult aspects that had surprised them - the difficulty of finding your own path or the pressure involved in taking and posting a photo every day, or the need to keep one's own project in focus. Whether the addictive nature of the site is a problem or not is, of course, debatable!
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1. How much I still have to learn about all aspects of photography
2. How much pressure it is and how difficult it is to actually come up with something new and creative every day
3. How I barely look at Facebook or any other social media website anymore because I'm always on 365 if I have a spare minute.
4.How positive and supportive everyone is
Still love it!
And @jcarrollphoto - your #3 - totally the same for me. FB who? :)
Now, I doing my best to post a real photo everyday. My real life. And looking to be creative with some of the mundane.
I also am really suprised and blown away at the talented people who not only share their photo's, but share tips and how-to's here!
I am surprising myself with the photos I have already taken and as @farrah said the comments from others and the fact that other people like them as well. Finally how much fun I am having!! ;-)
Its a fantastic community!
Thanks Ross, your doing a great job!!!!
With the talent that oozes from this site, I knew I had a lot to learn and dove right into the project. People here at times have the patience of saints. As I've drilled quite a few of them on their technique. I am not really surprised at how much people are willing to share here because most photographers are willing to teach as well as learn from others. Photographers in general are excited when people inquire about how they did something. All you gotta do is look at the number of photography blogs online. When photographers are not competing for work with each other, they work together to learn. So, kudos to everyone here who has taken a moment to teach photography skills.
As far as finding my own path? Well, I just don't know if it will come or not. I've really steered clear of emulating others, here and elsewhere, in order to find my own niche. I was thinking about those who go to school for photography and wondered about the learning process. Once we know the mechanics the creative needs to take over. Can a classroom really teach creativity without pigeon holing the student? I wonder about that. So, for me, I will continue experimenting and growing as a photographer here because this really is the best place on the net to learn all about photography.
This, as well as the challenges, shared articles and great tutoral topics gave me a big creativity boost on both photography as on other levels. I picked up painting and drawing again and started some other (semi)creative projects as well.
This year just feels more relaxed because I'm not taking photos every day.
and how patient my husband is when having him pose with me. bahaha :))
My editing skills have also improved
It's been amazing...I just sometimes need to remember to follow my project for myself and not worry about posting an award winning shot every day.
I have summarized my first year in a video that I posted on my 365th day, http://365project.org/monika64/365/2013-01-11
Thanks to all of you who responded to my question about what has surprised you about being part of 365. I've summarised all the responses and there's a great deal of commonality about what has surprised people:
- the amazing community of strangers who are friendly, supportive, willing to help and share knowledge, willing to follow those who feel their talent isn't particularly special and to comment on their photos, with no-one looking down on anyone else;
- the site as 'a place of learning', where you can develop your talent through challenges, sharing information, discussions and the inspiration gained from looking at amazing photographs or having others comment on your shots;
- the site as 'a place to marvel at the world', seeing such a diversity of photos from around the world and the work of so many gifted photographers;
- a boost in one's creativity and changes 'in the way I look at things', seeing your own talents develop, and a sense of accomplishment as that takes place. Some have been surprised, looking back at how much their photographic skills have improved through their 365 project, whilst acknowledging they still have much to learn.
A few mentioned difficult aspects that had surprised them - the difficulty of finding your own path or the pressure involved in taking and posting a photo every day, or the need to keep one's own project in focus. Whether the addictive nature of the site is a problem or not is, of course, debatable!