On being a quitter…

By curiousillusion ( October 5, 2009 at 6:48 pm) · Filed under photography,

Day ???/365 - The End.

I wasn’t raised to be a quitter.  Plus I tend to be really stubborn and determined, which can be good because it means I usually have good follow through.  That being said, I also feel like I have a short attention span and that I tend to get obsessive about certain things… and then just as quickly, I lose interest.

Either way, this thought has been in my head for the past few weeks and this past weekend I made the decision: I’m quitting project 365.

I haven’t had my heart into the project for the past few months, ever since I moved to Houston.  I haven’t had any inspiration or imagination and all my pictures have been lame, to put it lightly.  I’ve been taking pictures every day, I have yet to miss one, but something occurred to me: the project is not about just taking a picture every day for a year.  I’m supposed to be learning about my camera, taking better pictures every day, TRYING.  Lately I’ve been using my phone to snap a quick shot before I go to sleep and as a result, they all suck.

Btw, I think part of the problem was that I pulled away from Flickr.  My Flickr friends motivated me, encouraged me… and then I just got overwhelmed by it all, by how time consuming it was to visit every one of my 100 contacts’ streams and comment on their pictures.  I took a break, and then another, and then Flickr just became a place to store pics, instead of a support group.  It’s my fault, I should’ve kept it up.

Anyway, I feel a bit sad about quitting my project but I realized that there’s not much point in continuing.  I haven’t posted a 365 on my blog in ages and that’s because I’m embarrassed by them.  I want to take good pictures and I want to be proud of them and I haven’t taken a picture that I’m proud of in months.

So as of today, I’m done.  I’m stopping.   I’m disappointed in myself because I’m only 3 months shy of reaching the goal, but I don’t want to complete the project like that.

My plan is to hopefully buy a dslr for Christmas and start taking pictures again.  Maybe I’d like to do a project 52 – one picture a week for 52 weeks – but we’ll have to see.  But for now I’m going to take a break from taking pictures.  I’m 100% sure I’m not taking pictures for good… I just need to find the time, the right subject to shoot and the right camera. :)

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  • Beth
    I plan to do 52. Once I move into the house and such... now is a bad time for me to undertake such an... undertaking (just kidding.. I mean task!)

    We should start around the same time. We can motivate one another?

  • TotallyHeather
    I apparently just quit blogging and commenting all together... But a Project 52 seems a lot more reasonable.
  • There's no point in continuing if you're not getting anything out of the project. You're absolutely right, it's not about merely posting any old picture - it's about learning to use your camera and taking the chance to be creative. You've had too much upheaval in your life lately to force yourself to continue to do something that you don't really care about.

    Hope to see you about Flickr again soon, when that DSLR arrives!
  • I waited to start my 1st 365 project until I'd bought a new camera. My canon point and shoot. And I started out well, like you. The plan was to get my year printed into a book at the end as a rememberance of the project, but when I started to compile it I realised all my pictures sucked. So I never did it. That was what motivated me to do year two (with my new dSLR). And I think I'll be happy to get the book made this time. So I completely understand where you're coming from. The only reason I completed the 1st year was because I had Gary pushing me on. I think you've managed to do so well, and remember that even though you had flickr people inspiring and spurring you on this time, we'll all still be there next time for whatever project you decide to do - or even if you just continue to put snaps up as and when. Your pics are great when you're motivated, and don't you forget that :)

    You don't like to feel like a quitter, but remember how hard it was to make that decision. You're not the first and you won't be the last :) xx
  • I know what you mean - I decided to take a photo every day of September and I couldn't even manage that. It gets to be a last minute, what can I take a picture of chore instead of being fun and stretching your creativity. For the record though I'm totally impressed that you kept it up so long and the photos I've seen I have loved.
  • :'(
  • italiabella210
    I must say I have always thought that your pictures were awesome! I can understand I have been overwhelmed with so much. I have slacked on my blog and even twitter, but I am back, and I am coming back in full force.

    You will find the will and creativity again, you already know you are awesome, at least I do!!
  • Quave
    You're right. The 365 project should be a consequence of your experiences that day, not a cause.
    Good on you, tough decision, but you do what's good for you.
    Anyway, you already know what I think... or you should! :p
  • ddiemont
    Hey Ari,

    Just wanted to stop by and let you know that you will be missed... I completely understand the need to pull away from the 365 project. When I first decided to take it on I really thought that it was going to be fairly easy... and at the beginning it actually was. But as time goes on and you inevitably get better, you start gettin more and more attention, which means more and more of you time needs to get devoted to flickr... and it drains...

    ... i mean it REALLY drains in a way that no one that has really invested themselves in a 365 completely understands. it literally takes hours and hours away from you each day if you let it... and the more and more time you put in, the worse it gets.

    but the key is to get better... go out there. be inspired by what you see. and when you have a picture you really like and want to share, then go to flickr. get back to enjoying photography again... if it steals that away from you (and it has from me a bit), then it is probably not worth it.

    I've enjoyed keeping up with your stream and i look forward to the pics you will inevitable post in the future :-)

    take care,
    Derrick
  • Laura Castle
    What, I'm the first to comment, on the blog, that is? Don't be too hard on yourself. I'm not sure that you can get much better with your point and shoot than you already are. My goodness, girl, look at all the explored pictures you got! That's something to be proud of!

    I like what you've posted. I think they're clever. At least keep using flickr to store your pics, you can always make them private so no one can look at them and occasionally send one to a contact that you know might like it, hint hint hint.

    Keep the link to your blog on your flickr page until I figure out how to get to your blog by myself. On some things computer, I need to be taught like I was a preschooler. hehe. Later sweetie.
  • Rob
    Well, I can understand...I gave up 365 as well...I figure a project 52 might be better, but in all honesty, I was forcing the 365 and just want to concentrate on getting a good shot rather than try to do something every single day. Getting the kind of shots that interest me can't happen, for me anyway, every day. I wish you the best...you'll figure it out...maybe the DSLR will help, if that's what you want. I know it did for me.
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