While browsing through photos of my son from this past year to make a calendar for the grandparents it struck me that the ones I loved the most were usually not posed or requested, but random shots that captured him at play or in a quiet moment. Just run-of-the-mill kid moments that, if not captured on "film", I would probably forget about. Which makes the idea of a 365 photo project so appealing.
A reader, Reagan, wrote in to share her own 365 photo project, Wee Elsie, and asked us to point her toward similar kid-focused 365 projects for inspiration. Here are a few we've seen:
• Lila Was Here by Andrea of Pink Sugar Photography (recommended by Reagan)
• Kristopher Chandroo's documentation of his daughter Madelaine's first year
• Angela Lumsden's 2011 365 Project (which became a weekly project in 2012)
• Linda Venuto's 365 Project
• Grethel Van Eps' 365 Project
Sure, many of these folks are professional photographs and use a 365 project to practice their craft and push their own boundaries, but don't fear if you are not the handiest with a camera. Consider the project a photo diary to document your children's lives - the good, the bad and the ugly. I bet your photography will improve over the course of the year even if that is not your primary intent and looking back at theses photos some day will prompt so many memories.
Grethel Van Eps, mentioned above, has some good tips for undertaking a 365 photo project with your kids that is worth a read.
Are you doing a 365 photo project this year or do you know about a great project to follow? Leave a link in the comments.
(Image: Reagan Day/Wee Elsie)

Stanley Console by ...
I'm doing one. or attempting again to do one. I've started a few as part of group projects, but never seem to get past a few months. This time I've decided to do one on my own. I'm also trying to wean myself from the idea that I can only take good pictures with my fancy SLR. now that I have a phone with a good camera, I'm experimenting with app-tools like snapseed and others to make the entire process less "bulky camera and desktop computer" - reliant (at least some of the time).
Thanks for the idea, I'd like to take a different approach: scan an old (meaningful) photo a day. I have tons of photos, and while organized, those crappy landscape shots won't mean much to my kid and is just wasting my already dwindling space.
While not a "365" project, I keep a chronological document of my daughter:
http://bit.ly/WrXSlr
I'm doing a '3 things' one - trying to take photos of 3 things I'm grateful for each day. Makes me feel positive, helps me focus on the little things and hopefully will improve my iphone/instagram snaps too! I blogged it here: http://www.hello-flower.net/2012/12/365-project-3-things.html
I do an "Om a Day". I just finished a year not too long ago. I started this 365 project as part of my daily practice of meditation and an unfiltered creative outlet. I am currently gathering and creating a book of experience and now on Year 2/Day 13. You can find my feed on instagram.com/yojeffho and search the hashtag #omaday. Namaste!
I did one last year, inspired by the Photosanity class. I found Shuttercal to be a good low-frills app for keeping track of and (optional) printing the photos.
I'll try that some year, have to start on January 1st though... LOL
I just started doing "a photo a day" for my New Year's Resolution. There are a few groups on Flickr that cater to this goal you can post the photo to!
OMG great idea! we tend to forget about all those old photos that are just as valuable!
What started as a 365 photo blog (based off of my old sony cell phone) became a 5 year blogging project and a sincere photography hobby. 5 cameras later I'm still posting, although they are now usually larger posts with multiple photos rather than simply one a day.
The advent of Instagram has definitely made posting photos on a regular basis easier as well - and I'm happy to be able to incorporate a gallery of those snaps along with my more serious photos.
www.johnroscigno.com
Chez Larsson has a 365 from 2010 as well as 2012 that is a great inspiration as well.
I did a #365photo for the first year of my son's life and plan to do the same for our second child that we are expecting in March. I used my DSLR and phone to document moments in that first year then compiled the images in a blurb book. People say "they grow so fast" and I use the 365 to capture that first year of such drastic changes.
I did them in 2010, 2011, and 2012. I'm very relieved to say I am *not* doing it again this year. :)
I think I take a photo a day. At least very close to it. I'm working on my 2012 yearbook (my new years resolution!) right now and coming across so many pictures of everyday things I had forgotten about. So glad they'll be preserved in a useful way in this book! All through the year I've been saying "I have to take a picture of this for the book" and I'm so glad I did! Having a phone that actually takes good pictures is so nice. I usually have my camera on me but the phone is still usually more accessible. Taking pictures everyday captures what your life was like at that point in time in a way taking pictures only on occasions never could.
I find it very uncomfortable to look at pictures of myself or to have my picture taken, which is not uncommon. I decided that I'm going to take a quick picture of myself with my cell phone daily. Can be full body or just my head, but I know that forcing myself to take a picture and look at it will get me used to looking at myself and finding things about myself that I like or even, dare I say it, love. Mainly for my self esteem and self love. So far, so good.
Here is a great 365 photography project if anyone is interested in helping lung cancer get more funding and increasing awareness, or for anyone who has lost someone to lung cancer. Liz was a 24 year old NON SMOKER, recent newlywed who was diagnosed with it, and passed away 7 months later. (The same thing happened to my father, also a non smoker.)
The fact is, lung cancer is one of the leading killers and yet remains the LEAST funded of all the types.
This project encourages people to shoot a photo a day to honor and remember someone they are living for, which I think is a lovely idea. You can learn more here:
http://livingforliz.com/every-day-living-2/l4l-365/
The site contains a wealth of inspiring resources and healthy living tips as well for survivors, and is well worth bookmarking. Happy LIVING to you all and much love.
While its not exactly a Photo a Day I do have a Flickr account for each year of my child's life. Its a lot of fun and great for the families that are very far away to keep up with how Nolan is growing. I try to take pictures at least weekly and then on big events (holidays, trips etc) there are more pictures uploaded. I am SO glad I did it. I signed up for my Flickr Pro account the day after my son was born.
I’ve been using the same concept at once per month since becoming relatively housebound at the end of summer. We’re good about taking pictures on adventures when the weather is good, but we never pick up the camera when we’re ‘just’ sitting around the house. So now I make the effort to start snapping pictures whenever I find myself with empty hands and a couple of free minutes. My husband thought I was crazy at first, but some of the pics I’ve taken have become our favorites. I love the idea of 365, but I find a commitment of once per month more organic and manageable for us now.
I'm taking a cell pic everyday of something that makes me happy.
I've been doing an image every Saturday for over a year now. Every year I compile the images into a book (blurb)
Saturdays (and sometimes sundays) are much more doable than a 365 project for me.
http://saturdayswithmaggie.tumblr.com/
I've been using the Photo365 app for my iPhone. Since it's right on the phone and always with me, it's pretty easy to keep up with it, since I usually find something to photograph during the course of my day. I believe it's a free app also.
We did this several years ago.
As to the person who said they had to wait until Jan. 01, 2014 to start. Not true. Just 365 days in succession from what ever day you start. lol
It was a great experience and a fantastic way to learn about your camera and a different way of looking at the world you live in.
I'm thinking of doing it again... I attempted them since 2005 & uploaded on Flickr; however, I learned to have a theme to make it easier. Now, that I'm married, I scaled it down to a project 52, a picture of every Friday since wedding day, which btw is coming soon. It doesn't have to start on January... it could be your birthday. I even did a weight loss one.
My suggestion is to do something creative or anything that will prevent you from getting bored with daily SELCA (self capture) shots.
Alas, there's no more pummelvision =( and, I'm currently searching another that can do the same because I'm planning on surprising hubby. Hopefully, we can do this every year.
Here's a sample of my 2010 365 project on flickr & pummelvision.
http://youtu.be/prFcZIj_Nh0
I just want to comment how cute that little girl is...
I tried this a while back, but ended u forgetting to take all the pics. I used an iPhone app called MyTimeLapser, which makes it easy to take pictures over time. The app even sends you a reminder notice, and creates a sharable video of the pics. It might work for those looking to #365... http://www.mytimelapser.com/
I started a 365 Day Project on my blog. I didn't want to wait until Jan. 1st, so I started when the idea struck, Dec 28, 2012. And i thought that it would be too perfect to start on the new Year, you know? Anyway, here's a link to my blog:
http://jennyephotography.com
I'm currently working on Day 10, but I can feel it bringing me down ever so slightly. I will try with all of my might to pull through this and keep working.
I'm doing a 52 Project - a bit less daunting - and hoping to host a link-up.
oops! the link to my 52 project: http://seamlessdays.wordpress.com/category/project-52/
I'm itching to start a 365 project but can't quite decide whether to do it on my blog, Flickr, Tumblr or Instagram. Can anyone advise what they've found best / easiest?
Yes I'm doing one, and I'm really excited about it. I've wanted to the last couple years but finally decided to go for it this year. The easiest way for me is with my iphone, then post to Instagram with a hashtag so I can look back. The InstaCC app is great too since it shows your photos in calendar format and will send you a reminder to take a photo.
We did one for my son's first year, so not a calendar year, but he was born December 10th, so close. After his first birthday we compiled the photos into a myPublisher book for the grandparents for Christmas. Huge success. I wish I'd had the time to caption them the way some people are, but I'm happy with what we were able to do.
Photo set at a glance here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kristenandtodd/sets/72157628385166089/
i've been doing a 365 project since 2011 and it's been such a wonderful challenge for me. while my 365 isn't primarily about my child, he is featured in it a lot and i hope that it is something that he enjoys looking back on as he gets older. i know that i already do. :)
http://www.sarahretzloff.com
This is a great blog! Thanks for sharing all this wonderful info.
I just shoot with my iphone and am pretty new to photography. Someday I'll move up to an SLR... :)
I like the Photo365 app, it's great for keeping track of my pictures. And I love instagram and snapseed for editing.
Camera+ is a great replacement for the iphone camera, as it gives you focus AND exposure controls seperately. PLus it has cool filters, etc,.
An app that I really like through is a photography assignment app. It gives you ideas for taking photos!!!! Perfect for when you get stuck for something to shoot or just want to try something different. The app has tons of assignments, but also a bunch of random objects, places, techniques, and also a scavenger hunt list. It's a great app, I'd recommend it!!!
There are version for people who shoot with iphones, and those who shoot with slrs or point and shoots. Even the free version has tons of assignments, great to try it out! But the app is only 99 cents for iphone shooters and $2.99 for slr people.
i've been having a blast shooting my photo365....just not ready to show the results yet... :)
Jenny
oops, forgot the link to the apps!!! :)
https://itunes.apple.com/artist/noel-chenier/id566645905
i suck at the internet...
Camera+ is here: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id329670577?mt=8