iPhone 365 Commitment Jumpstarts Creative Vision, by Stacy Ericson

Above: Bell Flower, by Stacy EricsonThe difficulty of keeping a journal record every single day has remained the same since the invention of papyrus: yep, keeping it up every single day. Project 365 went viral this year, inspiring participants to take a photo a day. To date, the Flickr365 pool has over 14, 000 contributors and is approaching one million posts. Some credit Taylor McKnight at PhotoJoJo.com with starting the phenomenon and rumors credit a teen girl for providing the original inspiration, taking a daily video of herself over a three-year period and documenting it on YouTube. I confess to being slightly chilled by the latter, so didn’t follow up that particular line of inquiry.

The photographic capabilities of the iPhone lends a new vitality to the 365 phenomena. Creative applications and unequaled portability makes the commitment easier and invites non-experts to take up the 365 challenge.  Of course, the resulting photographs range from terrible, to blah, to spectacular, but even those with limited photographic experience can produce stunning results using applications like Tiffen Photo FX and Cool FX, CameraBag, and Mill Colour.

Not only does the iPhone camera encourage on-the-spot (or on-the-shot) spontaneity, but it gives photographers a break from the perfectionism that often stifles creativity. The iPhone camera is limited. It doesn’t have built in flash and is not bound by aperture or shutter speed, but these limitations serve to encourage freedom and inventiveness. I often find ambition dampened by my inadequacies as a photographer and a purism concerning post-processing and special effects.  Both can severely limit personal vision. Artistic expression is often best served by freedom from a fear of criticism and failure. Rick Sammon commented on the cycle of learning this week, inciting a flurry of Twittographer RTs. The fear of sucking inhibits excellence, even as it drives our hunger for knowledge.

The beauty of iPhoneography, as seen in the galleries on this site, lies partly in the element of play and the freedom to experiment. Anyone exercising a skill 365 days a year is bound to: a) fail and b) get better. The willingness to do both is the driving force behind the project.

The above photo used by permission of Phillip Resuggan, all rights reserved.Some, like Dixon Hamby (see blog at http://dixonhamby.tumblr.com/), started shooting every day without knowing about the project, others are documenting family life, shooting portraits that become books, and tracking their favorite meals. Blogs spring up and die like daffodils in Spring, as people start and falter in their commitment. Blogging is an easy way to keep track of the day for numerically challenged togs like me who can’t remember whether it is day 7 or 9. Nevertheless, it is harder than one might think to find 365 iPhone blogs. I am following the Example of Valerie Ardini and Phillip Resuggan with my commitment at http://iphotophiliac.blogspot.com.

Above: Bricks and Ivy, by Stacy EricsonFor beginners, I suggest concentrating on details and patterns, experimenting on portraiture as Erik Lunsford and Josh Fahrner have done in these examples, and looking for lines and texture where ever you go. If you have trouble with shaking as you hit the shutter, try the vocal-shutter provided by Camera Genius. Take it easy on photos of your pets and, frankly, I’m not sure 365 self portraits is the way to go, unless you planning on calling your blog iNarcissist.com.

For advanced photogs the sky is the limit. Let go of your inner purist and then take a look at this riveting video by Steve John on Flickr, which was highlighted by TiffenDfx on Twitter this week. Sophisticate apps like TiffenDfx that allow layers are a must; then try going out on a pixel with double exposure using doubleExp Free or run wild with special effects using apps like Juxtaposer.

The 365 project will surely jumpstart your creativity and radicalize your personal vision; reasons enough to become an iphone quick draw and commit to the 365 project. A public commitment is a good thing, so tell someone or everyone that you are taking the plunge. If you find yourself reduced to taking photos of your toes, come back here for iPhoneography inspiration.

New iPhone Photo App: Project 365

Take a picture every day of the year, become a better photographer and never forget a day in your life.

Here's a brief description by PhotoJoJo - Project 365: How to Take a Photo a Day and See Your Life in a Whole New Way.

Why do it?

• Imagine being able to look back at any day of your year and recall what you did, who you met, what you learned… (Often we find it hard to remember what we did just yesterday or even last night, let alone a whole year ago!)
• Your year-long photo album will be an amazing way to document your travels and accomplishments, your haircuts and relationships. Time moves surprisingly fast.
• Taking a photo a day will make you a better photographer. Using your camera every day will help you learn its limits. You will get better at composing your shots, you’ll start to care about lighting, and you’ll become more creative with your photography when you’re forced to come up with something new every single day.

AppStore Link: Project 365 - Price £0.59 ($.99)