the countdown has officially stopped. at exactly 1:48 pm, i turned 33! woohoo.
as for my last entry for this blog, i wanted to end with some closing thoughts and answer a few questions i've received.
closing thoughts...
as a child, i've always kept journals but at some point i stopped writing about my daily experiences when i grew older. i can't recall exactly when this happened but it just did. fast forward years later i moved to nyc. i remember one day thinking to myself that all these significant moments that happened were never captured because i didn't have a camera with me. so many feelings and thoughts lost because they weren't documented.
perhaps that nagging feeling was the impetus for my growing interest in photography. something that didn't blossom until 2007 during my honeymoon to london and paris. it was the first time that i ever felt inspired to record the sounds, sights, and raw emotions i felt being in these new cities/countries. i wanted to earnestly capture a story of my moment there. i believe this was the first time i came to appreciate the power that pictures can have and that a photographer holds as a story teller.
what we know of the past is often passed down through oral tradition or what is written in our history books. history had always been my favorite subject when i was student. but, one thing always bugged me. i had always wondered who was writing or telling these narratives. whose perspectives did we now see as "truth"? i think there is much to be said about being able to tell your own story, with your own words, and from your own perspective of what is important to you.
so maybe, this is all to say these are the reasons why i wanted to start this project 365... 1) to document my life (as mundane as some days would be), 2) to remember how i felt, people i encountered and loved, and places/things i've seen, and 3) to be the "teller" of my own story. i didn't want to reach another birthday saying,"wow, where has the year gone?" we can all celebrate the big events as well as the small ones. each is significant and shapes who we are.
lastly, when there were times this project became another task on my enormous to-do list for each day, i had to remind myself of james livingston. a photographer who took a photo a day, every day from march 31, 1979 until his death on october 25, 1997. as i mentioned in a previous post, there is something beautiful and profound in someone exclaiming, "yes, i existed!" in whatever form he or she knows how to do. thank you james for being my inspiration.
frequently asked questions (faqs)...
1. what cameras did you use to take your photos?
- i used a total of 4 cameras for my photos. in order of most photos taken on this blog: iphone, canon eos rebel xsi, nikon coolpix, canon 7d.
2. did you intend to use your iphone as the primary camera for this photoblog?
- no, but it was the most convenient since i always had it with me. it also allowed me to take unobtrusive shots. through this project, i discovered a whole world of iphoneography which blew my mind! it challenged me to be more creative and forced me to better understand its mechanics. i'm a firm believer that any camera can take an amazing picture... but, you must know how to use your equipment well.
3. did you really take a picture everyday? did you "fudge" any days?
- yes, i took a picture everyday for 362 days. i missed 3 days total (days 191, 287, 290). i also decided to post a photo montage of old photos i took for my 9/11 post (day 334). despite having taken a photo that day, i didn't feel it depicted the true essence of what that day meant to me
- no, i didn't "fudge" any days. despite not being satisfied with many photos i posted on this blog, i wanted to stay true to the original concept of project 365.
4. how many photos did you take per day?
- it all depends. some days i took hundreds. other days i only took one and that's the one that went up. there were times when i couldn't decide between certain photos so i put all my favorite ones up and it became a photo essay. what can i say? i'm a libra and we are indecisive sometimes.
5. what would you do differently?
- my biggest regret was not being able to keep up with posting daily. while i shot a photo a day, my work and other personal commitments often prevented me from processing the photos and writing up blog entries on a daily basis. but, what can you do? life happens.
6. would you do another project 365?
- yes, but probably not in the near future. the demands and commitment it takes to do a 365 are a lot. i don't know if i have the stamina and discipline to take on another one just yet.
7. will you continue to post any more photos?
- i won't be posting any more photos on this blog. however, i will be starting up a new photo project beginning on november 13th. you can also see my other photos by connecting with me on flickr.
until next time, happy shooting!
