Lessons Learned One Month Into My 365 Project

Well, that’s one month in the books for my 365 project. There were some days where the ideas came easy and some nights filled with tears. (Okay not that dramatic.) According to Lightroom, I took 1244 photographs this month.

I’m not surprised by that number to be honest. In hindsight, starting a photography project in January is not the best idea. Photography is all about light and January has around 9 and a half hours of daylight. So if you have a full-time job and you commute, you can see how it’s tough to find the time to go out and photograph.

Is it me or has the weather been terrible this month? It seems like it was raining every other day. It made going outside and making a photograph very challenging. I shouldn’t complain, I made it through the month and I’m on to February now. Writing this review made me appreciate the first month of my project and I’m excited to keep going. So here is my review of January 2017…

Be Prolific

This is a big one. There were so many times over the last month when I thought I had the perfect photo early in the day. Then for one reason or another I’d go out again and make something better than what I had. So the lesson here is keep going. Be prolific.

Expect the Unexpected

Another important lesson I learned is to go out and explore with an open mind. There were many occasions where I had a photo planned out in my head thinking it was going to be easy, only to end up with something completely different from what I wanted… but better.

Don’t Take The Easy Route

I’ve said this in the past and I’ll say it again: the point of this challenge is to well… challenge myself. If I’m afraid or uncomfortable doing something different from what I’m used to, chances are I’m doing the right thing.

I Need To Get Out More

Unfortunately, I’m starting to run dry when it comes to ideas that fall in line with my daily routine. There are only so many photo opportunities at work or in Bayonne. This isn’t a bad thing though. One of my goals for February is to get out and explore a bit more. Even a place as close as NYC.

Favorite Photos

Tori in the Street

I didn’t pick this photo for my 365 Instagram post; in hindsight I should have, but that’s okay. It’s still making it into the book. What I love about this photograph is the color combination of blue and orange. It’s actually pleasing to our eyes and is often used in Hollywood.

The 24hr Sunrise

A cool concept that I was unaware of until I was standing by the lake in Williamstown. Two sunrise photos taken almost 24 hours apart, at different ends of the state. They look great on opposing pages in my printed book.

Unsplash NYC Meetup

Last Tuesday my friend L’Heureux and I (pronounced: Laroo) made a trip into the city to meet some of the Unsplash team. Long story short, on our way back to New Jersey we did the touristy thing and made a bunch of pictures in the new WTC transportation hub.

I tried to do something different and focused on something other than the beautiful architecture.

About the author: Michael Mroczek is a highly motivated and creative photographer with a wide range of experience in multiple styles of photography, including lifestyle, commercial, and automotive photography. To see more of his work, head over to his website or follow his 365 project on Instagram and Unsplash. This post was also published here.