A lot of professional photographers will tell you over and over about the importance of taking on personal projects. Even if you are only a hobbyist, they are a fantastic way to build your skills, expand your creativity, and become a more confident photographer. This fantastic video essay discusses why you should consider picking up a photography project.
Coming to you from Simon Baxter, this great video essay discusses the importance of personal projects. The reason so many professionals preach about the importance of personal projects is not just for one's own fulfillment, though they are, of course, a fantastic way to enjoy working with a camera. They can help your professional development quite a bit as well. When you are doing client work, you can't really stray that far from what they have asked you for, but with a personal project, you can feel free to explore your creativity as much as you would like, and it is in these explorations that you will find a recognizable personal style. These expressions of your creative visions will capture your customers' attention, and that will motivate them to hire you. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Baxter.
Consider a personal photo project?
I feel like my entire life is a personal photography project! Or, more accurately, a series of various never ending personal photography projects.
This month, it's all about photographing the wild ducks and geese on the river ice, trying to make the most of this special opportuntiy to photograph them in harsh winter conditions before it warms up and the ice melts.
Next month, it will be a month down in Arizona photographing lizards and snakes as they emerge from winter dormancy.
In May and June it will be photographing cavity-nesting birds at their nests, as their young hatch and grow, and eventually fledge.
In July and August it will be photographing Pika up in their alpine environs, documenting this "indicator species" with regards to climate change.
In September it will be going to Colorado to photograph the Elk rut.
In November it will be a month in Montana for the Whitetail Deer rut.
Then in December it is northern California for ducks and geese on their wintering grounds.
I think you get the picture by now.
So yeah, I'm all about personal photography projects. It's pretty much what my entire life is based on. Hard to believe that someone thinks we need to be prodded into doing such things.
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I understand what you're saying. I guess it's about priorities. My values are that life should be about 80% fun and 20% work. Of course, that means I have low income, but my life is fun and fulfilling. I would never put work ahead of fun unless I were literally about to be foreclosed upon, or literally could not buy $10 of groceries. I have been homeless for two years, and it wasn't really that bad. I didn't have a place of my own and had to shack up in a friend's loft, but at least I got to spend my time doing what I like, roving the countryside in search if wildlife. If I'd had a job, then yeah I would have had my own place to sleep and live, but then I would have been stuck at work instead of spending time out in nature. What's the point of that?