Why a 365 Challenge Might Be Hurting Your Photography Instead of Helping It

I have considered doing a 365 photography challenge in the past but have refrained from putting myself under that much meaningless pressure. The idea of taking a photo every day for a year sounds like it could help build consistency, but in reality, it often leads to uninspired shooting, creative burnout, and a portfolio full of forgettable images. Instead of improving your craft, you end up taking photos just for the sake of it—grabbing a quick shot of coffee, a random leaf, or whatever happens to be nearby—just to keep up with the challenge.

Photography should be about creating something meaningful, not simply meeting a daily quota. That’s why I’ve avoided the 365 challenge and instead focused on real growth, intentional shooting, and meaningful projects. Let’s look at why I think the 365 challenge might actually be bad for your photography and what you should focus on instead. If you agree or disagree with me, I'd love to continue the conversation in the comments below.

You Start Taking Photos Just for the Sake of It

One of the biggest problems with a 365 challenge is that it forces you to take a photo every day, regardless of whether you actually see something worth capturing. This often leads to shooting whatever is around you—your coffee cup, the same street corner, random objects on your desk—simply because you need to post something.

When you’re constantly under pressure to produce a daily image, the quality of your work can drop significantly. You aren’t focusing on creating a strong composition, using the best light, or telling a compelling story. Instead, you’re grabbing a shot just to fill the day’s quota.

Over time, this habit may dull your creative instincts rather than sharpen them. Instead of seeking out meaningful images, you run the risk of falling into the trap of taking and sharing random, uninspired shots just to keep the streak going.

As mentioned, I haven't done this challenge, so I reached out to someone who has to get their thoughts on the project—one of our very accomplished writers here, John Ricard, and not only did it give me some great insights, John, also agreed to allow me to share some of his images for this article. You can read his side of the story in his own article here. Perhaps, as he is a portrait photographer, his style might have given him a better chance of achieving his goal, but for me, as a landscape photographer, I feel that it would be quite polarizing.

It Becomes More About Social Media Than Photography

A huge reason people start a 365 challenge is the pressure to stay active on social media. Platforms like Instagram reward consistency, which can make daily posting seem appealing. But when your focus shifts from improving your craft to simply feeding the algorithm, your photography has the potential to suffer.

Instead of shooting with purpose, you start prioritizing what will get likes or engagement. You might even find yourself faking creativity—setting up shots that look aesthetically pleasing but lack real depth or meaning.

The problem? Social media doesn’t care about your growth as a photographer. It only cares about engagement. If you’re constantly chasing the next post, you’re not taking the time to refine your skills, experiment with new techniques, or develop a signature style.

Burnout Is Inevitable

A 365 challenge demands daily creativity, which isn’t sustainable for most photographers. Some days, you’ll feel uninspired. Some days, life gets in the way. And yet, the challenge still demands a photo.

This may lead to photographic burnout, where taking pictures starts feeling like a chore rather than something enjoyable. Instead of looking forward to shooting, you might start dreading it. And once photography stops being fun, motivation plummets.

Burnout also makes it harder to push yourself creatively. When you’re exhausted from forcing a photo every day, you’re unlikely to take on more challenging projects that require time, planning, and patience.

You Miss the Chance to Focus on Real Improvement

Photography isn’t about taking as many photos as possible—it’s about learning, refining, and mastering the craft. A 365 challenge often prevents deep learning because you don’t have time to slow down and evaluate your work.

Real improvement comes from:

• Studying composition and lighting rather than snapping random objects.
• Reviewing your images critically instead of moving straight to the next day’s shot.
• Experimenting with new techniques like long exposures, bracketing, or advanced editing.

But when you’re locked into a daily cycle, these things often get pushed aside. You don’t have time to analyze what worked or what didn’t—you just take the shot and move on.

Your Portfolio Fills With Meaningless Photos

At the end of a 365 challenge, what do you have? A mix of decent shots, some experimental ones, and a whole lot of filler. Sure, you might have captured a few strong images along the way, but the bulk of your portfolio will be random, forgettable daily snaps that don’t represent your best work.

A great portfolio should be a curated collection of your strongest images, not a scattered mix of whatever you could manage to shoot each day.

Ask yourself:

• Would you want a potential client or editor to see your 365 images?
• Do they represent your style and skill level?
• Are they the kind of work you want to be known for?

Chances are, many of the photos from a 365 challenge wouldn’t make the cut.

What to Do Instead: Meaningful Ways to Improve Your Photography

If a 365 challenge isn’t the best way to grow, what should you do instead? The key is to focus on quality over quantity. Here are a few alternative approaches that will actually help improve your photography.

Work on a Long-Term Photography Project

Instead of forcing yourself to take random shots every day, focus on a single cohesive project over weeks or months. Choose a theme, location, or subject and build a series of meaningful images that work together.

For example:

• Document the changing light on a local landscape over time.
• Create a photo essay on a particular subject, like street life or rural decay.
• Experiment with a specific style, such as black-and-white minimalism.

Set Specific, Skill-Based Goals

Instead of just shooting every day, set measurable goals to push your skills forward. Some ideas:

• Master exposure: Spend a week shooting only in manual mode (you should be already).
• Improve composition: Challenge yourself to use only leading lines or negative space.
• Learn new editing techniques: Focus on color grading, dodging and burning, or blending exposures.

Shoot with Intention, Not Obligation

Take your camera out when you’re inspired, not because you feel obligated to. Seek out good light, interesting compositions, and strong storytelling elements rather than just snapping for the sake of it.

If you don’t feel like shooting one day, that’s fine. Use that time to study photography, analyze your past work, or plan your next shoot.

Review and Edit Your Work Regularly

Instead of constantly producing new images, spend time reviewing and refining what you’ve already shot. Go through your old photos, select the best ones, and edit them with fresh eyes. This process can often reveal hidden gems and teach you what truly makes a strong image. This was actually an approach that John Ricard found himself doing to keep his 365 project alive, so it's something potentially considering as part of your 365 project, if, of course, you decide to do one that is. 

Take Breaks and Let Creativity Flow Naturally

Creativity isn’t something you can force every single day. Give yourself time to recharge. Some of the best photographers take weeks or even months off between projects to allow ideas to develop naturally.

When you do shoot, you’ll be more engaged, more intentional, and more creative, which will show in your work.

And Finally

Photography is about more than just taking as many photos as possible—it’s about creating something meaningful, improving your skills, and enjoying the process. A 365 challenge might work for some, but for many, it becomes a routine exercise in shooting for the sake of it rather than an opportunity for real growth.

So, what do you think? Have you ever done a 365 challenge? Did it actually improve your photography, or did you find yourself just going through the motions? Would you do it again, or do you agree that it’s unnecessary pressure?

Or maybe you think I’m completely wrong—that daily shooting is the best way to improve. Either way, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Drop a comment and let me know—did a 365 challenge help or hurt your photography?

All images used with permission John Ricard.