In an earlier post, I pledged to do photography projects this year in order to re-ignite my interest in photography. The main project I want to do is called Project 12, where I will take photos every month based on one or more ideas that describes that particular month. I plan to do this project through photowalks in and around my neighbourhood and Peterborough, in general. And whenever I have the chance, I will plan it around our family travels, too.
Why Project 12?
I have been neglecting my photography hobby for quite a while now, only taking photos to document our family travels. I would say that my initial enthusiasm to pursue this hobby has been exhausted. So, to re-ignite it I need to do it slowly and deliberately and think of it as learning how to photograph again. Besides, I tried to do a weekly photography project for a year (Project 52) a couple of years back and it was a failure. I stopped after a few weeks as it proved difficult fitting it around our family life.
And then I came across a photography book that offers several ideas on how to capture images on a monthly basis. I thought this is exactly what I needed to take up photography again. And the pacing is just perfect, I can learn photography techniques again along the way. I first came across this book in our local library and I wanted to do a photography project around the book after I read it. I bought a copy of the book in Amazon at a really good price.
The book I referred to is by photographer Tom Ang entitled Digital Photography Month By Month: How to capture the moments and moods of every season (available at Amazon). A later edition of this book appears as Digital Photography Through The Year: Capture inspirational images in every season (also available at Amazon).
The Project
Ang’s book will be the main reference of this photography project. It suggested 11 photography ideas to get inspiration from for every seasonal month. I will choose one or more ideas each month to capture one or more images from photowalks, travels or indoor sessions.
January (Mid-winter): frosty mornings; party people; ice formations; outdoor portraits; a walk in the park; indoor abstracts; cosy interiors; pets in snows; in the winter garden; indoor child portraits; woodland shadows.
February (Late winter): purple twilight; snowstorms; outdoor still life; winter wildlife; wintry cityscapes; street shadows; snow laden trees; urban decay; city bridges; snowy sunsets; city lights.
March (Early spring): down on the farm; modes of transport; modern architecture; railway stations; architectural details; at the animal park; character portraits; industrial landscape; on the move; light trails; new growth.
April (Mid-spring): rainy days; along the riverbank; splash!; equine portraits; changing skies; birthday parties; flower fields; family days outs; exploring textures; seascapes; spring blossom.
May (Late spring): children outdoors; spring dew; working the land; pond life; waterfalls; cats and dogs; lush greenery; baby portraits; in the night garden; romantic ruins; wedding day.
June (Early summer): eating al fresco; formal gardens; at the funfair; street photography; mountain scenery; bird life; public sculpture; travel portraits; street performers; garden safari; people under water.
July (Midsummer): watersports; reflected city; people at work; on two wheels; flowers in close up; crop fields; pets in action; camping holidays; pictures from a plane; at the pool side; silhouettes.
August (Late summer): fishing harbours; holiday portraits; on the beach; garden parties; holiday postcards; modern interiors; dazzling sunlight; music festivals; on the tourist trail; barren landscapes; street signs.
September (Early fall/autumn): spirit of place; shafts of light; city rivers; lost and abandoned; marathon runners; harvest time; glorious sunsets; farmers markets; shades of grey; café life; heritage architecture.
October (Mid-fall/autumn): colours of autumn; autumn pets; in the forest; playing in leaves; indoor still life; forlorn gardens; striking contrasts; autumn wildlife; in the kitchen; out of season; bonfires.
November (Late fall/autumn): festival of light; around the house; outdoor sports; windowlit portraits; at the aquarium; streetlights; fallen leaves; wild outdoors; romantic portraits; skeleton trees; silvery moon.
December (Early winter): golden sunrise; shops and shoppers; mist and fog; abstract lights; winter sports; winter markets; white on white; fun in the snow; dimly lit interiors; fireworks; posed portraits.
