This week, I was feeling the huge relief of not having to take a picture every day. After completing my 365 Photo A Day Challenge last week, I was hugely relieved {amid all the drama of this week} that I didn’t have to worry about getting my camera out and finding something beautiful. But then Tuesday came and I found myself desperately wanting to see things through my camera; to find that familiar sense of balance and meaning through my lens which so often occurs. So I did. And I realized how much I enjoyed having my camera around all the time. Where, for the last month, it had kind of felt like a burden, it now felt really appropriate for me, a girl who loves to take pictures.
Coincidentally, this week I was also looking through some of my recent work…for clients and blog posts and the like. As I was looking through my recent images, I felt that, yes, they were good…but I wanted to be better. I DO want to be better. I like what I’m doing but I also see room for growth and improvement.
Last night, I was looking through my daughter’s sketchpad. I believe that we had gotten her a new one in the Spring and she’s been drawing in it all summer. Rayne has become an amazing artist. Her drawings have depth and character and originality. They have whimsy and they tell stories and the have acute details which make them incredible. But looking through her sketchbook last night, I noticed that, in the Spring her drawings had all these beginnings or greatness; they were good…but they were brimming with future potential. Through the summer, she really worked on developing that potential and her drawings are really much more advanced and mature. I thought about that and said to myself “well of course she got better…she draws every. single. day!”
And it hit me like a brick wall and everything came together all at once. I thought back to this past year and how much I had grown and how much my skills in photography had matured in just a year by practicing…practicing every. single. day. I have decided to begin another year of taking at least one photo every single day. As much as I would like to comfortably sit back and enjoy the fruits of last year’s labor, I feel very strongly that I need to continue in my practice. I want to get better and the best way that I know how to do that is to work at it…every. single. day.
A lot of you had mentioned that you had been toying with the idea of beginning a 365 day journey in photography as well. And I’d like to invite you to join me. Anyone who has a passion for photography, a desire to grow and improve their skills, and a willingness to tough out 365 days with me is welcome to join in. I think it’s absolutely Unnecessary to post/publish your pictures somewhere every day or even to keep track of specifically which number day you are on. The important part is that you’re practicing every. single. day. So, I’d love it if you’d come along this journey with me! We could support each other, and cheer each other on, and help each other through {especially in those dismal winter months}…and in one year we can have one HUGE celebration! So who’s in?
Tomorrow {hopefully tomorrow but potentially next week}, I will be writing about some things that really helped my during my 365 days last year and some resources that I’ve been using to improve my skills. Please know, during these next 365 days, my goal is not to teach you how to take better pictures. But I would love to build a community of love and encouragement in which all of us can grow into our potentials and develop our skills.
So, please say you’ll join me! I could really use some friends to help me through a second year!
If you would like a button, just email me or mention in your comment and I’ll send you the image…I can’t seem to get the whole code thing worked out here on WordPress!
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Please feel free to link up with your Bigger Picture Moment and share with us where you have found a deeper meaning or greater purpose amidst the busy everydayness of life! Next week, Hyacynth will be hosting the Bigger Picture Moment.
And I definitely notice that since Mia’s been drawing or coloring or painting every day, she’s become so much better. What a sweet, hidden lesson for us. Practice might not make perfect, but it certainly DOES make better. 
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