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Last week I explored the idea of working the subject, a technique photographers use to make better photos by working deliberately and purposefully.
This week I’d like to take that a step further and show you how to turn an assignment into a rewarding photo project.
What is a photo project?
A project is a theme or subject you return to over a period of time. The idea is to create a strong set of photos that explore the subject, show variety and look as if they belong together. It’s a bit like the photos in a good, in-depth magazine article.
A project may be small, where the aim is to finish with less than ten photos. It may be enormous, and take many years to complete. Or anywhere in-between. It’s up to you.
A good project finds a home. It may be something simple, like a gallery on an Adobe Portfolio website. It could be a set of prints for your wall, a zine or a small self-published photo book. If you have grander aspirations, it could be a piece in a photography magazine, a gallery exhibition or a photo book published by a major publisher.
Benefits of photo projects
Projects have lots of benefits. Here are some.
Projects help you set goals. They give you purpose. For example, this year I’m spending a lot of time photographing gardens. Part of the reason is that I’ve set myself a goal of writing an ebook about garden photography.
Projects help you develop new skills, or practice the ones you already have. I thought I knew a lot about close-up photography, but there’s nothing like doing it to teach you the nuances of using different lenses, or understanding how to make the best use of the lighting conditions and weather.
You also get to compare your newest work with previous photos. You can see how your skills develop over time.
You can work on several projects. There’s no need to work on one project at a time. You can have several ongoing projects, each with its own goal and time frame.
Projects let you explore a subject in-depth. There’s a big difference between visiting a local garden for the day and making some photos, and setting yourself the project of visiting your favorite local gardens and making lots of photos over the course of a year or two. The first approach may result in some good photos, the second approach helps build a body of work that can be turned into photo galleries, zines and photo books.
Projects give you creative energy. My gardens project started as a day out making close-up photos. I enjoyed it so much that I kept going. It’s given me lots of creative energy. I’m feeling inspired and happy – that’s what a good photo project should do for you.
How to turn an assignment into a photo project
Take a look at the assignments I gave you earlier in the month (links below). Better still, buy one of my assignments ebooks – they have lots of ideas.
An Inspirational Summer of Photography Assignments
Photography Assignments for Travelers
Pick two or three assignments that appeal to you and give them a try. Did you enjoy one of them more than the others? Did one of them yield better photos? A yes to either question indicates it could be an ideal photo project.
The best question of all is did the assignment give you creative energy? Did it inspire you to make photos? If the answer is yes then you know it’s a good project idea.
How to make your photo project a success
Once you’ve decided on a project these three ideas will help make it successful.
1. Shoot a variety of images
Variety adds interest to your photos you get from the shoot. But remember my thoughts about working the subject. Aim for variety. But give each photo your best effort. Make it as good as you can before you move on to the next.
Here are a couple of suggestions for adding variety to your projects.
Vary your viewpoint. Get closer to your subject, or farther away. Take photos from below, or from above. Move around and take photos from different angles. Use different focal lengths.
The photos below show how it works. I photographed the same pot in four different ways.
Take scene setting shots, mid-range shots and close-ups. Start with a scene-setting photo that captures everything, then move in and create a variety of photos from closer viewpoints showing details.
You can see that idea in action with these photos.
This idea applies to just about any subject, not just garden photography. If you’re doing a portrait project, for example, then step back and make photos that show your model in the environment, as well as tightly cropped portraits.
2. Tell a story
It’s hard to a story with a single image. But it’s much easier with a series of photos because you can show the different sides of your project’s subject.
With a garden I can use wide shots to show the layout and close-ups to show its flowers. Together they come together to tell an interesting story.
You can see how that works in the photos I’ve used in this article, which I made in the same garden.
Here are a couple of close-up photos to round off the selection.
3. Give it time
Give your projects time to evolve and mature. One of the interesting things about my gardens project is that I can return to the same garden and photograph it at different times of the year. The same applies to landscape photography projects. Showing the changes that happen over a period of time is another way of telling a story.
Another reason for giving your photo project time is that it lets you compare your current work with your earlier photos. You get to see how your ideas and techniques evolve.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has convinced you of the power of photo projects to help you become a better photographer. It starts with a simple brief, whether from one of my assignments or one that you set yourself. Then it grows into something bigger and more rewarding.
Look for the ideas that inspire you and give you lots of creative energy – they’re the ones that make the best projects.
The Assignments ebooks
Check out my Assignments ebooks for more ideas and inspiration.
100 Creative Photography Assignments
The Magic of Black & White: 50 Assignments
