For the next 30 days I've decided to take a picture a day of something different each day. The picture can basically be anything relating to my life that day, but it can't be the same picture two days in a row. I decided to choose this topic to be able to look back at the end of the 30 days and see some sort of growth within my life, or perhaps see myself pushing my own boundaries and doing new and exciting activities.
The first ten days
The first ten days so far have been fairly ordinary and looking back on the pictures I've taken, nothing really exciting has happened. As the project continues, I hope to expand my overall day-to-day experience and try everything from new food to meeting new people. This experience as a whole is a way for me to look back on the things I've done over a short period of time and reflect on the different things I've been able to do; as opposed to the usual reflection people do after a long period of time, being able to look back on my life after a short 30 days will allow me to make immediate changes and help myself grow as a person in various ways.
Second ten days
The second ten days of this experience have been a little less challenging than the first. I've gotten accustomed to taking a picture every day and it definitely has become more of a habit rather than a task I need to do. So far the main challenge that I've had is finding different subjects to take pictures of. My daily routine hasn't changed very much and although a goal I had set for myself during this challenge is widening my day-to-day experiences, it hasn't quite happened yet. From school to work to my house, I still fall into the same pattern, with little to nothing significantly changing. Hopefully as the school year comes to a close I'll have more time to spend doing things that are a little more out of the ordinary. One thing that has come to the surface through this experience is a new love for photography. This experience has really started to show me all that can be done with a simple phone camera and a little bit of effort. Having to take a picture of basically the same day over and over again has shown me how to see and appreciate the little things that life has to offer.
conclusion
As the 30 days comes to an end, I've learned a little bit about photography and myself as well. As I mentioned in the midst of the challenge, I've really learned to see how relevant the little things are on a daily basis. The majority of people focus on breaking out of the daily routine, when in actuality staying in this routine could prove more beneficial than not. Not every moment in life needs to be monumental and life-altering. It's put into perspective how and who I spend my time with, especially as my high school years come to an end and I start to transition into college. The end of the 30 days did, however, hit at a time that seemed to be more stressful than the beginning of the challenge. The main struggle I faced during the last 10 days was simply remembering to take a picture and stop and reflect on everything going on around me. Life does speed up at times and even taking just a second to capture one moment of the day can be a little challenging when faced with several other obligations. Going into my 30 day challenge I wanted to see a new habit form and see more adventure in my life. Reflecting back on my overall experience, I have seen a change in my appreciation for photography and the details of life that it's able to highlight.