Take On A 52 Project

Last time on our blog we talked about the fun you can have with a 365 project, but if the idea of dedicating yourself to a photo a day for a whole year  is a little daunting, you could try a ‘52’ instead. A ‘52’ is similar to a ‘365’ except that you only have to create one image a week for a year, which relieves some of the pressure and opens up more creative possibilities.

In much the same way as a ‘365’, a ‘52’ encourages you to be thinking about photography and trying new fun ways to shoot. It doesn’t matter if you own a DSLR, CSC, compact or even a camera phone, a personal project is always worthwhile.

Without the pressure of adding a photo a day, it’s possible to think a little deeper about your weekly image. This is especially true if you follow the most common method of choosing your weekly concept…

Sit down with a big sheet of paper, a pen and a pair of scissors and write out lots and lots of words that could be used as inspiration. It doesn’t matter what you choose – anything from ‘metal’ to ‘fungus’ will do; all that matters is that you have enough of them for one a week.

After you’ve created your list of concepts, cut them out, fold them up and put them in a big jar. Every week you’ll draw one from the jar and use it to inspire you.

Don’t worry if you don’t immediately have an idea for your photo – some concepts need some thought before you know how you wish to approach it. Take your time and don’t put yourself under pressure. Remember, this is supposed to be fun!

One of the best reasons for taking on any kid of project is to learn new techniques. A ‘52’ gives you much more scope for this than a ‘365’ because you have more time to shoot, so be brave, do some research and get out of your comfort zone!

We hope that you’ll be inspired to take on one of the projects we’ve suggested in recent blogs. Both a ‘365’ and ‘52’ can be lots of fun and give you a chance to produce some wonderful work for your wall. There’s’ nothing better than a nice big canvas of an image you’ve captured yourself to make you feel a sense of accomplishment.