what are your personal photography projects for 2013 ?

44 Comments »

1. 

   This is easy. I want a Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time.

         Comment by Shane — November 27, 2012 @ 7:50 pm

2. 

   I’m a London-based portrait photographer with a keen interest in sport. The imagery I saw during London 2012 got me thinking about the lead up to major sporting events and the aspects that spectators and sports fans don’t usually see.

   My project will be about boxers in training – seedy, sweaty gyms, hard lighting, black and white imagery. I plan to publish the finished product on Blurb :-)

         Comment by Ingrid Abraham — November 27, 2012 @ 7:53 pm

3. 

   I am in the planning process for a project I dreamed up a few weeks ago. There are quite a few homes around here with a small sign in the front window or yard that says “Proud Union Home”. I am lining up families to pose with the sign somewhere in the frame. I want to show the diversity of union households. I’m thinking more of a documentary/landscape project with this one and plan on making at least 50 pictures. No real time line on completion yet. If folks keep agreeing to work with me, this could go on for awhile!

         Comment by Jeff — November 27, 2012 @ 9:00 pm

4. 

   I am currently working on a Potraits of 100 Strangers Project (taken on the streets). I’m not the first to do this, but I felt like it could give me a confidence boost when it comes to approaching and communicating with people about what I love doing. I’m hoping some collaboration with the strangers will come up eventually.

   To give it a twist, after my first 50, I’m going demographic specific with the remaining in groups of 10. 10 business men, 10 blue-collar workers, 10 students, 10 elders, 10 artists, 10 buskers, or etc.. just to give it a twist and to up the challenge.

         Comment by Abcd — November 27, 2012 @ 9:29 pm

5. 

   My vision is now quite clear. Based on the fact I am here, on this blog it gives an idea of the technique I wish to use in my stills photography. The next issue is who! That leads into the HD Video aspect. I have chosen to document people who have a particular skill or hobby. My first serious video project is this weekend of a Violin maker. Previously it was just to be the video – but now it will include stills as well. Projects are likely to include:

   - Car Restorers
   - Mountain Bikers
   - Singers
   - Drag Strip Controllers

   Realistically the list is endless, but I want to aim for quirky and niche!

   2013 looks to be exciting for me!

         Comment by Jon Lloyd — November 27, 2012 @ 9:43 pm

6. 

   It’s a project I never got to finish actually. I’m photographing garbage by the side of the road. People throw some of the most mundane but sometimes the most unusual things out. I find it tells us quite a bit about ourselves really. We are what we consume, after all…

         Comment by Bogdan — November 28, 2012 @ 1:15 am

7. 

   I can so relate to your “Something for the soul” comment. I think at times we get too caught up in the commercial realities and forget to just enjoy our photography from time to time.

   Personally, I’m planning a “day in the life / slice of life” shoot for the new year — a friend owns a cottage in the country (4 poster bed with wrap-around veil type of setting, comfy couch etc), and I’m going to shoot a “boudoir style” series of shots that represent “a day in the life of a classy woman”, so asleep in bed – yawning on side of bed – peeking out the bedroom window – heading for the shower – getting dressed – putting on makeup – lunch date – at the gym – dinner date – bath etc etc etc. All done to look sexy, but tasteful.

   Final shots get printed and put into two leather-bound albums … one for me, one for the model.

   Just for the hell of it :)

         Comment by Colin Southern — November 28, 2012 @ 1:40 am

8. 

   A series of b/w portraits of local characters — maybe just one a month for a year. The kicker is that I want to do them with a 4×5 camera. I’m falling in love with film again.

         Comment by Brad — November 28, 2012 @ 3:41 am

9. 

   I want to make a new camera rig for kite aerial photography, and take some aerial photos in interesting places, such as boat marinas, industrial areas, and the like.

         Comment by Martin — November 28, 2012 @ 4:09 am

10. 

    For the past few Halloween’s I have been convincing myself I need to do a Zombie Apocalypse photo shoot near an old graveyard, complete with a human survivor . 2013 will be the year that I actually do something about it because I won’t wait until October to put it together (when I’m preoccupied with loads of sweets and other goblins).

          Comment by Ora — November 28, 2012 @ 7:08 am

11. 

    Neil, what is the boom to your right in the picture. I assume it is for the bride shot, but do you know what it is?

    John

          Comment by John — November 28, 2012 @ 10:37 am

12. 

    @John – Post 11. My guess is the ‘boom’ you refer to is Neil’s slider for his Timelapse – motorised to provide that extra dimension. It goes between the two tripods.

          Comment by Jon Lloyd — November 28, 2012 @ 10:45 am

13. 

    

    Jon is correct. That contraption to the right of me in the top image, is the motorized time-lapse dolly (made by Dynamic Perception).

    Here is the set-up where Erik and I were shooting footage in Times Square.

    Neil vN

          Comment by Neil vN — November 28, 2012 @ 10:54 am

14. 

    I have been considering starting a project recently that combines my photography with my passion for graphic design as well as my background as an architect. I finally got around to doing a trial of this with one of my favorite landscape photos taken earlier this year and am so tickled by the results and am really inspired to embark on this new project to see where blending my passions will get me and have hopes of creating a entirely new portfolio that can be used as an art outlet as opposed to doing mainly architectural work.

          Comment by Pete — November 28, 2012 @ 11:02 am

15. 

    My mom did move in a residence for older people here in Quebec, Canada. She is 83. Over 150 “mature” persons are living in this very nice place. So my project for 2013 would be to document there day to day lives. You know, playing Bingo, doing puzzles, watching TV, singing, eating at the restaurant, etc… I already talked to the activitys manager and she is very open to the project. At the end, I will have a beautifull album printed in black and white to show in the lounge of my mom residence. I will learn a lot from this project.

          Comment by Daniel — November 28, 2012 @ 2:06 pm

16. 

    Since stepping away from photography full-time (mostly weddings, but some portraits), I’ve fallen in love with it even more.

    My goal for 2013 is to learn to develop film. I started in 2011 a series of panoramas of life on the streets of Manhattan/NYC. I came across an old Fujifilm point and shoot camera which takes panoramas on 35MM film. It makes the process simplified and unique than I was accustomed to with DSLR’s. Want to get back to that series next year!

          Comment by Scott Bush — November 28, 2012 @ 3:14 pm

17. 

    I’m planning on doing a project on how my home town, a small tourist town on the west coast of Scotland, copes during the winter months when the tourists are gone, the pubs are empty and the ice-cream kiosks are peeling in the rain. It’s something I can shoot for quite easily whenever I have free time and the conditions are right and gives me something to shoot when the weather is bad. I don’t think it’s going to be particularly funny, unique or awesome but it might help keep me sane for the next few months.

          Comment by David — November 28, 2012 @ 4:20 pm

18. 

    I got into Photography because of the essence of What a photographer is/does. Capturing a moment in time – As a photographer you capture history in events, People, Locations. I want to make a Blog of Photography – Capturing all Events and places i visit throughout the Year — Housing diffrent themes on every adventure – not only capturing the event but the moments that lead up to the event – the people you meet the places you go.. the ambience .. This New Year ill be Photojournalistic on my own life and every aspect that falls in my path. I look foward to meeting new friends and places .. its going to be one hell of a ride .. Especially if it was anything like this past year. As Chase Jarvis says “the Best Camera you have is the one you have with you” .. Enjoy Capturing moments in time my friends i know i will.

    -Luke
    Lucas John Apice Photography

          Comment by Luke — November 28, 2012 @ 4:39 pm

19. 

    2013 will be the year I photograph Big Foot.

          Comment by Quin Rickman — November 28, 2012 @ 5:12 pm

20. 

    Tattoo Portraits is the name of my project. Everyone thinks a certain type of person would get a tattoo but in reality most of them are trying to make a statement or they are trying to remember someone or they want to honor a memory… the list goes on & on.

    I thought I would do a project for 2013 where I would walk to random strangers with tattoos and ask them to share the story behind their tattoo. I would take one portraits (close up of face)… tell a short story about the tattoo and then one picture of the tattoo if its in “Suitable for work” place on their body :)

          Comment by Bashar A. — November 28, 2012 @ 6:18 pm

21. 

    In 2013, I hope to complete a project I started two years ago, but never finished. Here’s the first (and so far only) picture in that project, which I currently use as a banner on my personal website: http://www.slu.edu/~goodson/images/banner.gif.

    That picture is a chalkboard drawing representing my research in sequential decision problems. I’m a professor at a university and I conduct research in the field of operations research and management science (for an introduction, see http://www.scienceofbetter.org or http://www.informs.org). The rest of this project would be to create more photo art representing my research.

    My quantitative background helps me appreciate the detail and rigor in Neil’s tutorials. But, and perhaps more importantly, taking photos is my creative outlet. And when it comes to “something for the soul,” I would get a lot of personal satisfaction out of completing this project. For me, completion of this project would represent a formal connection between two sometimes disjointed parts of my life — the part that thrives on logic and order and the part that needs to express itself without feeling bound by axioms and rules.

    Justin

    P.S. Lots of thanks to Neil for his blog and to the many who contribute via comments.

          Comment by Justin — November 28, 2012 @ 6:19 pm

22. 

    My son has been active in track and field throughout his grade school and high school years. I have always taken photos of the meets and given them to the school as I have tried to include as many of the participants as possible. This year I am going to include a second shooter to focus on the family and friends reactions as the events unfold. I think that the spontaneous emotions in the stands paired with the action on the field might produce a cool project.

          Comment by Dave — November 28, 2012 @ 6:45 pm

23. 

    Starting with the basics – I’d like to study portrait lighting and composition and create photgraphic versions of masters’ works, like Velasques and Rembrant. My first attempt was ‘Still life with Mr. Potato Head®’, so humour factors in :-)

          Comment by David — November 28, 2012 @ 6:52 pm

24. 

    When I moved to Melbourne (from Johannesburg) I started taking advantage of two things that living in a safer city afforded me – firstly, being able to commute to work by bike, and secondly a wider range of accessible cityscapes (aided by Melbourne’s prolific street art). I started using my ride to and from work as an opportunity to take photos.
    That reached a little bit of a plateau after really capturing a lot of the interesting things along my route.
    My goal for the new year is to explore further and cover locations that aren’t in my current route.
    So far in the last 3 months, I have cut 15 minutes off my ride time (by getting fitter and shedding weight), and the move from a mountain bike to a road bike should give me bit more time to play with to increase my reach and give me time for shooting some of the interesting scenes around Melbourne.

    My goal is to reach some interesting new locations and photograph them, using a bike as the transport for getting there. By necessity, this limits the equipment I can use – for instance, making a gorillapod the largest tripod I can easily carry (while still aiming for speeds in excess of 30km/h).

    Winter will be the best time to actually get results, as I ride through the golden and blue hours. That gives me the summer to get my training done and to scout locations, and then shoot them in winter.

    For me, this combines the goals of a good photographic challenge, maintaining my fitness, and exploring my adopted home town.

    So far this approach has led to other challenges – for instance, I commute over the Webb bridge every day I ride – this is a phenomenally photogenic bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/specular-images/7376541076/in/photostream). I now want to return in the summer with a the 5DII or 5DIII and decent tripod, and shoot some blue hour photos in the summer blue hour, when there will be fewer commuters around. I have a few images in my mind, now all I need is a cloudless day in December or January so that I can head out after the kids are in bed to bag the shot that I have in my mind’s eye.
    Oh, and I have already lost 4kg since I started focusing on my riding more!

          Comment by Geoff — November 28, 2012 @ 9:11 pm

25. 

    I am a professional musician and live by the sea and have for some time now been contemplating doing a series of images that marries these two elements together.

    Furthermore, I would like to use these final weeks of the year to take stock of my photographic life, where it is leading and what points I need to brush up on to improve myself.

    I would also like to add a special vote of thanks to you Niel for your very informative blog. I have learnt so much from it.

          Comment by Bernard — November 29, 2012 @ 10:04 am

26. 

    I only shoot weddings part time, 12-13 per year, and I do get great enjoyment from it, really wanted to start doing something for myself – you know something that I could hang on my walls at home. I hit on the idea of trying to shoot a single image that would tell the story of the commonly known fairy tales, fables, legends, etc. I started this year and have completed four (Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, and Snow White. My goal was to create images that were more my interpretation and not straight out of Disney. Projects that I am working on for the coming year are Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Alice in Wonderland, Gulliver, Poseidon, and Medusa. Again, being a part timer, my budget is very limited so my models are relatives, neighbors, and co-workers from my day job. Attached is a link to my facebook page with the Red Riding Hood interpretation.

    I only shoot weddings part time, 12-13 per year, and I do get great enjoyment from it, really wanted to start doing something for myself – you know something that I could hang on my walls at home. I hit on the idea of trying to shoot a single image that would tell the story of the commonly known fairy tales, fables, legends, etc. I started this year and have completed four (Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, and Snow White. My goal was to create images that were more my interpretation and not straight out of Disney. Projects that I am working on for the coming year are Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Alice in Wonderland, Gulliver, Poseidon, and Medusa. Again, being a part timer, my budget is very limited so my models are relatives, neighbors, and co-workers from my day job. Attached is a link to my facebook page with the Red Riding Hood interpretation.

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bracht-Photography/108343152545982#!/photo.php?fbid=423112004402427&set=a.423111977735763.92801.108343152545982&type=1&theater

          Comment by Rick — November 29, 2012 @ 10:40 am

27. 

    B&W Infrared food and also still life with a 50mm CCTV lens on a micro 4/3 camera. Also family portraits with an old 1953 Agfa Isolette II – a beautiful camera with a Compur Rapid shutter I picked up over the summer.

    My personal work goals seem to be seasonal, not necessarily by calendar year. Over this past spring summer, I documented all of the silly yard ornaments the family has gifted me with over the years.

    http://ohnostudio.com/2012/07/backyard-follies/

    The family coffee table book is in the final stages and I actually should wrap it up tomorrow.

          Comment by Libby — November 29, 2012 @ 3:44 pm

28. 

    In 2013, I want to photograph Quin Rickman photographing Big Foot.

          Comment by ysphoto — November 29, 2012 @ 11:42 pm

29. 

    I live in Ethiopia. I am just an enthusiast photographer. In 2013, as personal project, I want to take picture which uniquely discribe Ethiopia without being conspicously Ethiopian. For now, the theme I have in mind is skilled hands. My hope is my picture will contain unique skills to Ethiopia such as crafts, pottery, fabrics and the likes. I want my viewer to ask “Where are these skills from?” types of questions.

          Comment by Yisehaq — November 30, 2012 @ 2:42 am

30. 

    I started last month shooting projects to get the camera in my hands everyday.

    I am doing 12 projects in a year, because a year of something would not be fun, and I also want to explore where I really want to take my photography, part of my 5 year plan to go pro.

    I recently wrapped a series of food photographed from a-z which proved incredibly addictive. I had to actually keep from doing multiple shots in a day.

    Currently I am in self portraits for December, but going for more environmental.

    I have a spitball list of upcoming ones.
    Winter sports, month in a life, 30 strangers….
    The nice thing about doing spurts is it gives me a chance to alter based n where my mood is heading and time for that matter.

    Cheers!

          Comment by Chris whitpan — November 30, 2012 @ 9:15 am

31. 

    i live in Fort Erie, Ontario Canada which is a small little border town… our population is roughly 30,000…

    Just recently, we have endured a big hit to our economy… our ER hospital has closed, we lost our famous Racetrack, we have lost numerous small businesses, our outdoor community pool, our only mini-mall is now empty, and the list goes on and on…

    if you take the time to look around you, there are sooo many “closed for business” signs around that its rather scary… i dont know what is to come but it doesn’t look good for our town…

    i have decided to start a little community project and document all these loses… i would ultimately like to create a book with photographs of all these places… maybe even photograph the people that are directly effected by their closings… once i have this created, i was thinking of maybe getting the towns assistance and selling these books to the community and donating the money to help restore our beloved town…
    i’ve been here 95% of my whole life and its a shame to see it falling apart… i want to document it and help in anyway i can…

          Comment by Matthew — November 30, 2012 @ 3:43 pm

32. 

    @Matthew – The Crystal Beach closing 1989 was the worst for me.

          Comment by Libby — November 30, 2012 @ 5:03 pm

33. 

    My biggest creative project in volume is happening over the next month. Travelling the Philippines, Washington DC and New York with just my Fuji X100. Planning for asian street photography, american cityscapes and environmental portraits. But next year, I’m already thinking about things I’ve never tried:

    1. Start playing with double exposure. Experiment mixing portraits and textures…
    2. A photo-series of long shutter speed cityscapes. Using ND and tripod in the streets to capture a ‘river’ of pedestrian flow.
    3. Organise a photoshoot with professional dancers. I’ve shot live dance events and gotten a lot of positive feedback, but I want to shoot a ‘definitive image’ with lighting and strong poses that captures the spirit of a dance.
    4. No specific goal in mind, but start getting involved in creating my own curves – including unique curves for each colour – to expand my looks as I rely too much on contrast and vibrance.

          Comment by Alex — November 30, 2012 @ 11:21 pm

34. 

    My project is easey, just keep going.[Mountains,Parks,River,Familey get togethers,
    Sunday rides.] The going gives me an excuse for a camera and the camera gives me an excuse to go. Sometimes I even take pictures!

          Comment by Doug — November 30, 2012 @ 11:23 pm

35. 

    My personal project goal was to shoot more. Shoot stuff that matters. That might have an impact. That could not be reshot. To shoot under pressure. Shoot in difficult lighting. Shoot more creatively. To be influential through my photos. The subject I chose was the Phoenix Children’s Hospital and the concept was to tell multiple A Day In The Life stories at the hospital. I approached the marketing and communications department 3 years ago with the idea. I called every month for a year and a half. I persisted. I met with them. Again and Again. Eventually, they said “let’s do it”. That began 9 months of negotiating with lawyers over rights and contracts. As my photographer friends found out what I was doing they asked to shoot parts of the project. My little personal project grew to a cadre of 40 photographers, photo editors and retouchers all volunteering their time and skill to celebrate in photos the miracles that happen at the hospital every day. We’re following the stories of infants having open heart surgery, of toddlers with cancer and kids that have inexplicably become paralyzed. We’re exposed to fear and triumphs, to medical failures and victories. It’s real life and reminds me on a daily basis how precious and fragile life is. We began shooting in October and will continue through mid January. At the completion of the project we will have taken 20,000 images. From that archive, the photo editors will pick 200 images to be published in a coffee table book given to each of the hospitals donors. It will show the donors how their donations affect the lives of children too small to say thank you.

          Comment by Corey Schwartz — December 1, 2012 @ 2:28 am

36. 

    Corey,

    I just have to say this, that is without a doubt one of the most selfless acts of compassion I have seen, and just the negotiating that would have gone into it would have left us mere mortals trembling at the steps of the hospital.

    Well done!

    Trev

          Comment by Trev — December 1, 2012 @ 6:15 am

37. 

    Having recently had my first tatoo at the age of 46! I am planning a tatoo based project. The twist, hopefully is to find people who cover up during the day due to there work envoiroment etc…
    My background is sports photography on a part time basis, now I have moved in to weddings and portraits, portraits in particular are becoming a passion and trying to find peoples personalities. I feel tatooes say alot about people for whatever reason and ultimately I would like to find the bank manager who has a full sleeve tat and shoot him at hid desk. That type of thing. Its probably been done before but it’s something i want to do.

          Comment by Rob Grist — December 1, 2012 @ 7:27 am

38. 

    Quite simply my project for 2013 is “An exercise in Black and White”. Last year I spent every day taking a “cell phone photo of the day”. I took 365 and then made a book of them. I miss it and found it so inspiring to take everyday moments and items and turn them into a piece of art. I want to continue that, but this year I will just shoot in black and white. For this round of photos I will not limit myself to my cell phone (a cell phone is great because sometimes the best camera is the one you have on you), I will use my Nikon as well. I encourage everyone to do exercises like this, it really helps to open your eyes and ignite the creativity within.

          Comment by Mindy Hill — December 1, 2012 @ 1:45 pm

39. 

    Totally late on this one.. And it’s not really just for 2013 either. But we’ve decided that for each city we visit we’re going to do a panorama of the city at dusk. I’ve got some thinking to do on personal projects though, as I really need to do more work “for me”

          Comment by Nick Beaulieu — December 3, 2012 @ 8:42 pm

40. 

    Hi Neil, I think you’re on to a great idea for 2013. Personally for me, I have a personal project of doing environmental portraits of people in my community who contribute to the ‘good of the hood’ in some way or another. So far, I have photographed a music teacher, a few artists, a local business owner who provides my family (and many others) with fresh, organic fruit on a regular basis, and a musician. I want to get back in to this and start a blog to let people in my area know about all the awesome talent and services my community has to offer.

          Comment by John A. — December 3, 2012 @ 8:54 pm

41. 

    Hi Neil, thanks for being an inspiration for so many photographers around the world … Living in West-Africa / Mali, my goal for 2013 will be to live each day with “grace, thanksgiving and joy” and to shoot one creative image each day to show that to family, friends and others … It can be anything: nature, people, small things, etc. I do believe by living that way, it will make us happier no matter where we are. I am so privileged to work in a country where the people show me this can be done, despite very difficult circumstances!

          Comment by Ewien — December 4, 2012 @ 5:31 am

42. 

    My personal photography project for 2013: one self-portrait a day. Before I know the world, know myself. Before I see others, see myself.

          Comment by Angelica — December 4, 2012 @ 10:34 pm

43. 

    The contest part of this thread has now closed, and a winner has been selected:
    Corey Schwartz – his inspiring story was picked as the best entry: comment #35

    Even though the contest part is closed, further discussion and entries are still very welcome though. I like the idea that we might inspire others.

          Comment by Neil vN — December 5, 2012 @ 3:16 am

44. 

    I shoot weddings as a part time job and I have started a project in which in each wedding I have the couple sitting side by side and take a classical formal shot of them. It’s just a project I thought about and I will see at what conclusion I will get to. At the moment I only have 2 or 3 weddings since I have started it.

          Comment by Mateisescu Alexandru — December 5, 2012 @ 7:06 am

RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URL

Leave a comment

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Website

Filed under: contest,general photography,personal work — Tags: personal photography projects — Neil vN @ 7:25 pm