First Steps in a Personal Project

“If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.”
― Peter Drucker

I am currently working on two personal projects. I began work on the first of these projects in 2022.

While I am not yet ready to share the specifics of this project, it involves photographing objects that belonged to my mother.

I worked somewhat halfheartedly for a year to photograph these objects. Things weren’t working with the project in that first year.

At some point, I realized that I was using new materials in ways similar to how I had used them in the past. These pictures were so similar to a project I collaborated with my mother to complete ten years ago. I paused for a bit, knowing I was not abandoning this project, yet not quite sure where it would lead me.

I have one of my mother’s collages displayed in my sunroom. Within the collage, she included Henri Matisse’s quote, “Don’t wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working.” This was very much the case with this project. During the spring, I created one picture using some of these objects that changed the course of the project entirely. I now had direction and focus for the remainder of my time working on the project.

All steps in the process of working on a personal project are essential.

The initial idea leads to image creation. You might find that your first images are exactly what you want.

However, I have often found that those initial images will lead you to the work you need to do with your project.

Here are some of those initial images.

Each step while working on a personal project is crucial. Although none of these images will make my final cut for this project, they were a significant step in leading me to the photographs I want to create for the project.

Since I found my new direction for the project, I have been happily and enthusiastically creating photographs that tell the story I want to tell and contain the emotions I want them to contain. Hopefully, the images will also speak to viewers when I share them. But this is the least important, as I always create for myself first.

Some of my most fulfilling times working on my projects are the time spent working (sometimes months and sometimes years) on these projects before I share a single image. I find this time so valuable in the creative process. This time, I explore my ideas freely without any concern or influence about or from others on the work.

Only once I am completely sure of my direction and often at the end or near the end of the project work will I share images from the project.

I am so passionate about completing personal projects and the steps involved in the process.

I will be offering my personal projects workshop in January. I would love for you to join me online for four sessions, learning about the value of personal projects as I share my own projects and projects completed by other photographers worldwide. You can find more information about this workshop here.