Photographers should always look for ways to stay sharp, both creatively and professionally by honing their skills. Luckily for them, one specific photography project is the ideal way for them to accomplish both. Meet the 365 Photo Project!

If you haven’t already heard of this project, a 365 Photo Project is a yearlong project characterized by you taking a photo for every day of the year. Not only is this a great way to stay sharp as a photographer, but it also pushes you to be creative. After all, how can you decide what to shoot each day (themes, moods, what?) and how can you keep motivated to remember to shoot every day?

If you’re up for this challenge – think of it more as going outside your comfort zone in the most stimulating way possible – then read on.

Use Cameras Liberally

It stands to reason that you’ll get further with this project if you don’t restrict your options from the get go, so start with your camera. Don’t limit yourself to only your favorite one. Instead, use your friends’ cameras, your smartphone camera, GoPros, digital cameras… even instant cameras! Doing it this way absolutely opens up a slew of additional possibilities.

Another benefit is you won’t feel like you have to scramble. If you only use DSLRs, yet an enviable photo opportunity presents itself to you while you’re on vacation with just your Android phone… then you’re going to be in trouble.
So use whatever’s at your disposal.

Publish on Visual-Centric Websites

A huge part of the fun of running a 365 Photo Project is, naturally, showing off your brilliant photos. Yeah, you can share them with your friends and family in private… but you’ll want to take this up a drastic notch by publishing on social-media websites. Before you tap that Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook icon, though, hear this: your best bet awaits on a social network that’s visual-centric. Think websites such as Instagram, Pinterest and Tumblr.

These three virtually eliminate the written word in their platforms’ posts, so the viewers are treated to nothing except a sumptuous feast for the eyes. With the written word out of the equation on these sites, your viewers can better appreciate and home in on your creativity and shooting skills.

Visualize the Light All Around You

Learn to become a better photographer by understanding how to visualize the light around you that you need to take great snapshots. Now that you’re taking one snapshot each day for a year – you’ll have plenty of time to practice this skill, at least.

You’re always working either with natural light (sunlight) or artificial light in the studio. When you’re outdoors, you can be in sunny or overcast conditions. At night or in the studio, you can face low-light situations that will test you in different ways, too. Don’t forget about high- and low-contrast lighting conditions.

All told, you have a lot of chances to experiment with various lighting over 365 days, so use this project to really understand how to visualize the different qualities of light around you.

Employ Weekly Themes

Theming: It’s a habit that you’d do well to fall into during your photo project. Themes help to make the time go faster, but, more importantly, they also empower you to organize your thoughts and creative juices into focused approaches for each week. This newfound order will greatly aid you when it comes to planning and structuring your shoots and the entire year.

There are many themes from which you can choose. Again, don’t limit yourself to a specific theme or themes to have the best experience with your project. Just a few examples of themes include:

1. Pets
2. Macro photography
3. Toys
4. Landscapes
5. Familiar faces (friends and family)
6. Cars
7. Boats
8. Nature
9. Collections
10. Food

And the list just goes on and on and on, as you can surely imagine.

Plan Ahead and Use Some Foresight

With such a flurry of activity over a full year, you’re bound to hit up against some predicaments that will challenge your project’s success. The best way to deal with this is to use some foresight and try to anticipate problems before they actually occur.

For example, one big obstacle is the weather, which is always uncontrollable and sometimes unpredictable. If you’re banking on a nice outdoor shot for, say, your dog during your pet-themed week, then check the forecast a week or so in advance. If it’s summertime, you’re probably in the clear, but if it’s fall or winter, then you may get rained out with your plans.

Another issue related to the weather is low visibility, particularly in the winter months. Again, by knowing what the weather holds in store for you, you can arrange your ideas in such a way that the weather won’t negatively impact your daily shoots.

Rely on a Photography Group

Okay, while it’s true that a project like this would be a solo project, there’s nothing in the rulebook that prevents you from getting some support in the form of advice and suggestions from fellow photographers. If you’re already part of a photography group, then more power to you, yet if you’re not, that’s not a problem either. Simply ask some of your photographer contacts what they think of your project… and watch them toss out some suggestions.

Exchanging ideas and speaking with fellow photographers will open up a bunch of things you may not be able to see on your own. It’s always stunning what a third party can contribute in terms of information and interpretation. Whether it’s a critique or just discussing more technical aspects of your camera settings, being around other photographers will bring more value to your photo project – guaranteed.

On Your Toes For a Year

The 365 photo project forces you to stay sharp over the course of the year. You have no other choice! This is definitely one of the best ways to hone your creative and technical skills. Every day, you’re having to get into the groove of picking up a camera, finding some inspiration and experimenting with various shots and themes.

In other words, it will keep photographers consistently engaged. And when you enjoy taking pictures, there’s nothing better than to get the most out of your craft.