4 The Love of Focus | Marketing for Women Photographers and Forum » Professional Women Photographers | Our Business is Our Focus | Forum

Twenty-twelve. The new year hits. Time to make goals and start fresh. I love a new year. It seems like you have a fresh blank slate to start over with…and create of it what you will.

This year many of the photographers on our forum are doing some kind of personal photography project. Time to up the artistic juices and refill the creative well.

There are all types of options for personal photography projects. 365-where you shoot a photo a day. Or a 52 week projects where you shoot a photo a week and post it online. Sometimes these 52 week projects have themes, or you can share them with a friend. A my world/your world look on life.

There are 50 days of taking a photo with your 50mm lens.  Britt Anderson, a photographer on our forum, is doing…85 days with her 85mm lens.   Or 35 days with your 35mm lens–you get the picture. (pun intended)

Many of the women on the forum are doing Project Life this year. Sometimes we are so busy taking pictures of other people and families for our businesses that we neglect to take photos of our own families.  Many on the forum are making a commitment to take time to capture more of their own families this year.

Other popular options for photography projects:

- macros
- self portraits
- pick an object that means something to you and shoot it in different locations in different lighting
- My town. Shoot all those sights around your town that you haven’t made time to go capture.
- One location in different seasons and different lighting
- Sunrises or sunsets
- architectural shots
- landscapes
- food photography
- night shots
- learn a new skill or technique like off camera flash
- pick a grittier topic like homeless, or single moms, or homecomings or any topic that grabs your imagination

There are so many options out there where you can forget your biz for awhile and just shoot a project that means something to you personally. Something that will light that creative spark. Share them on social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or your blog so people can follow along (and cheer you on).

Link us up in the comments if you’re doing a personal photography project in 2012. We’d love to see what you’re doing!

Kay Pickens is a Columbia MO photographer who has not quite made up her mind what her personal photography project for 2012 will be…but she swears she’ll make a decision just real soon now.