lcardin wrote a list of 100 things that she learned during her project, I really enjoyed reading it and was happy when she let me know that I could share it here:
100 Things I’ve Learned from Project 365
1. Get close. Then get closer.
2. Flash is the devil. Natural light rocks.
3. But sometimes, flash is necessary.
4. It’s better to take a crappy picture of a once-in-a-lifetime moment than to let it escape entirely.
5. Some rabbits are more photogenic than others. This applies to people as well.
6. Black & white has its place. Selective coloring seldom does.
7. The Rule of Thirds!
8. Increase ISO, increase noise.
9. Watch the background. Your camera will never miss it. And most people don’t look good with a tree, sign post, or Washington Monument growing out of their heads.
10. Abstract is fun, but can be difficult to achieve since what you’re photographing is always something that actually exists!
11. The Golden Hour – dawn and dusk – is the best time for outdoor photography.
12. I <3 macro.
13. When in doubt, take another picture of the rabbit.
14. Sunrise and sunset look really different.
15. Compose and crop before pressing the shutter release. Never press it thinking “I’ll fix this later in Photoshop.” That’s lazy art.
16. Put the camera down and watch the damn road.
17. There are two types of photos: documentary and artistic. Some document what people and places look like and don’t go beyond the facts. But there’s no reason they can’t look good, too!
18. If you don’t point out what looks to you like a glaring flaw, others probably won’t notice it.
19. Nobody – and I mean nobody – offers square prints anymore. And that makes me sad.
20. Never pass up an opportunity to photograph a loved one. Life is short and you may not get another chance.
21. Get out from behind the camera and get IN a picture once in a while!
22. Exposure triangle: shutter speed, aperture, ISO.
23. Do what you want creatively, but make sure eyes are always in focus.
24. My husband has an unhealthy obsession with ducks.
25. The same can probably be said of me and rabbits. And me and Jon Secada. And me and food. And me and….
26. Flowers are easy. Flowers don’t make faces and run away.
27. A boring subject can be made interesting by looking at it from a new and unpredictable angle.
28. Long-exposure yields striking night shots.
29. The rabbit is sick of seeing the camera and will hop away.
30. I have two rabbits.
31. Turns out the other one’s had it, too.
32. It is impossible to walk into Target and spend less than $50.
33. DSLR stands for digital single-lens reflex.
34. Babies change fast, holy crap.
35. The eye will be drawn to contrast, sharpness, and faces.
36. Always check your white balance, especially in artificial light.
37. Fun with colors: convince the camera’s white balance sensor that a traffic cone is black.
38. It IS possible to over-do bokeh. But it’s tough.
39. Just stand up and take the picture. No one here knows you, stop being self-conscious.
40. Sometimes the camera’s auto settings actually do know best.
41. …but not always. The camera doesn’t always know what you want to focus on. Sometimes you need to tell it manually.
42. As with time and money, the closer you get to the end of a daily project, the more vigilant you get.
43. Timing is everything.
44. I have to wonder how many people hid me from their Facebook news feeds because they were sick of crappy pictures. Eh, who cares?
45. If you don’t have a camera, you can’t take a picture.
46. God’s a pretty good painter.
47. Fifteen dollars will not get you a quality tripod.
48. The moon isn’t going anywhere – try again tomorrow.
49. If given the option, include people in the picture – it will instantly be more interesting and meaningful.
50. Bad bokeh: if the circles of light look like donuts, the result will be jarring. Good bokeh is brightest in the middle and fades out at the edges.
51. Post-processing is part of the process. While Photoshop should not be used exclusively to fix errors that could have been avoided to begin with, sometimes it is necessary to enhance and crop after the fact. Sometimes SOOC (straight out of the camera) is the lazy way.
52. A lot can happen in a year.
53. Procrastination yields shit.
54. ISO cranked way too high yields shit, too.
55. When you get a new toy, the old toy immediately isn’t good enough. And the toy before that, which was at one time amazing, is rendered laughably archaic.
56. Cameras don’t take pictures – people take pictures! Ok, admittedly, people with cameras take pictures.
57. If you give me or my friends “bunny ears” in a picture, I will Photoshop you to look like a prostitute from outer space.
58. If it becomes work, it’s no longer fun. It’s work. Gotta keep it fun.
59. Don’t set the shutter speed too high - sometimes a little motion in the photo helps tell the story.
60. Plants need water. Even cacti.
61. Taking a good shot doesn’t have to take hours to prepare. Sometimes you only need a few free seconds to take the camera out and fire away.
62. The lower the aperture the smaller the depth of field and the less of the pictures is in focus.
63. Hummingbirds are frickin’ fast.
64. Shoot first; don’t ask questions at all.
65. Strive to create catch-lights in people’s eyes to add depth.
66. Photo albums that hold 400 pictures don’t exist.
67. The point & shoot is more discrete than the DSLR in places where photos aren’t allowed. Don’t be a hero.
68. Elton John is the perfect soundtrack for a rainy day.
69. Use the timer and a tripod to avoid camera shake.
70. Photograph everything. Some day you’ll enjoy looking back on the little details of your life.
71. You CAN take a picture on an amusement park ride as long as you’re wearing a sweatshirt with loose-fitting sleeves.
72. Having a photo of people’s handwriting (including your own) is unique and doesn’t easily smudge.
73. Use light to create depth. Side lighting shows contour and on-camera flash destroys it.
74. Any image can be titled with some Bob Dylan quote.
75. Photography conveys any emotion, not just happy. Don’t be afraid to photograph the poignant.
76. Photos make better gifts than mass-produced STUFF. Who needs more stuff?
77. DSLR’s have an aspect ratio of 3:2 (same as a 4x6 print). Point-and-shoots have a ratio of 4:3. This is why they end up cropped when printed.
78. My classroom has perfect afternoon sun!
79. Taking a million shots does not guarantee a decent one in the bunch. But to be on the safe side, always take two or three.
80. I have deltas in my fingerprints.
81. Black & white is much more forgiving on skin tones than color when shooting portraits.
82. Snapfish is a good photo service until you need to use their customer service. Then, if you don’t speak Hindi, forget it.
83. Shadows, reflections, and silhouettes are good ways to get a new perspective on a subject, but they can easily be overdone.
84. Tungsten light is disgusting.
85. My desktop monitor is extremely bright; my laptop, not so much. Keep this in mind, or prints come out with large expanses of black.
86. Put the camera in a kid’s hands; you’ll be amazed at how she sees the world.
87. The one day in this past year that I met Jon Secada, I didn’t use the picture in my 365 project. Because I didn’t take it. How’s that for integrity??
88. Process photos while they’re still fresh and you remember what you were going for.
89. Even when you’re sick and on the couch all day, there’s something to photograph.
90. Pay attention to the green box / red dots so you know what exactly is in focus. Better yet, that’s why Franklin invented glasses!
91. Sometimes less is more… and other times busy and colorful and exciting is better.
92. People usually like to see pictures they’re in... Sharing is necessary.
93. Print a picture now and then!
94. And frame some too! No one’s walls are more bare than an artist’s.
95. The best photo album has pages consisting of black mesh and crimped (not glued) pockets.
96. Read your camera’s user manual.
97. Blurry flowers look like a painting. Mistakes sometimes prove not to be mistakes at all.
98. I am blessed to have a patient and supportive husband, a beautiful family, and amazing friends, all of whom I love dearly.
99. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I counted 1,468.
100. I am a photographer.
lcardin chose some of her most meaningful photos from her project and shared why she chose each one:
Congratulations again to lcardin! Here is the slideshow of her completed project. Enjoy!
Thank you, Michelle! I appreciate you putting this together! ~Lisa Cardin
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