Doug Daulton

Storyteller (Words & Images)

Project 365 Redux

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Back in 2008, my buddy Joe Lindsay introduced me to Project 365. In a nutshell, Project 365 is a way for an artist to grow and learn by committing to creating new art; once a day, for a full year. It began with photography and has been adapted by other creative disciplines since. My 365 is photography.

My initial 365 was very short-lived. When I was away from my family in San Francisco, it was easy to make time to shoot. When, I got home; not so much. My firstborn was six months old. It was a busy time. So, it fell by the wayside.

While shooting Bokeh last summer, I got to know Briene Lermitte and Kat Gatti, two very talented young photographers on Team Bokeh. Both of them were planning 365s and have since started and maintained them. As they have done so, I’ve watched with a mix of admiration and envy.

Back on January 16, I wrote Ship or Shut Up over on PhotoFocus. Check it out if you need a kick in your creative pants from Seth Godin. In that post, I put myself on the spot to launch a new 365 by March 1.

Today, I’ve met that goal.

If you are interested in following my progress, have a look at 365-dougdaulton-com.dougdaulton.com. I’ve also added a link in the menu above.

The first rule of 365 …

Post something original each day.

Some methodologies call for carrying taking a processing a new photo each day and, I’ll admit that is probably the best use of the 365 project to force growth in a photographer. However, I have work and family constraints which make that scenario, if not impossible, highly unlikely. In addition, I have a huge back catalog of unprocessed images from the last five years of traveling the globe for work and fun. I need to find the best images of the bunch and assemble them as a portfolio.

With that in mind, here are the goals of my 365 project.

  1. One new image posted each day.
  2. Newly made images will have been processed and posted within the week they were shot.
  3. Initially, I am shooting for a 2:5 ratio of new:back catalog images. As the back catalog is cleared, the ratio will start to favor newly made images.
  4. As my initial focus is clearing my back catalog, new images will not be shot within subject themes (e.g. wildlife, portraiture) or technical constraints (e.g. 50mm, slow shutter).
  5. Once, the back catalog is cleared, I will start working on monthly, if not weekly, photographic theme designed to push me to do one or more of the following:
    • Develop a new technical skill (e.g. strobes, sound/light triggers).
    • Explore a new subject theme (e.g. astral bodies, pets, silhouettes).
    • Fill a hole in my portfolio.
  6. Coming from video production, I reserve the right to use video projects as 365 posts. Video posts will fall within the same constraints listed above.

So, there you have it. I am looking forward to this journey. If you are a friend or new follower, I look forward to your comments and critiques of the photos I post.

Sean Bobbitt, BSC, on Shooting Handheld

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Sean Bobbitt, BSC, has a long list of cinematography credits including, most recently, “12 Years A Slave“. This seminar, sponsored by ARRI, shares some great tips for shooting handheld for both narrative and documentary work.

The Art of Visual Story Telling with Alex Buono

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Yesterday, I attended Alex Buono‘s seminar … The Art of Visual StoryTelling. Buono, DOP for SNL Films, is responsible for some of the best short film and parodies in recent memory. Nothing that comes out of SNL Films looks like it was made for television; everything looks and reads like film. Clearly, Buono was someone from whom I could learn.

The video posted above gives one a great overview of what one can expect. But, the video does not really do the program justice. Buono packs a ton of information into the day and it never feels rushed. If you have the opportunity to attend, do so. Be sure to sign up for the evening session on “Visual Structure”. It is a lot of theory. So much so that it will be hard to take it all in, but it is very much worth the additional cost.

Eventually, you will be able to pick up DVDs which cover the entire seminar. Do so. They should provide valuable, post-event reference.

20 Photographers To Follow on Instagram

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As a photographer, I find I am encouraged to shoot more by looking at the work of other talented photographers. The following is a list of the professional photographers I currently follow on Instagram.

  1. Stephen Alvarez
  2. Pamela Chen
  3. Jimmy Chin
  4. Robert Clark
  5. Melissa Farlow
  6. Ken Geiger
  7. David Alan Harvey
  8. Aaron Huey
  9. Charlie Hamilton James
  10. Ivan Kashinsky
  1. Peter McBride
  2. Joe McNally
  3. Paul Nicklen
  4. Randy Olson
  5. Matthieu Paley
  6. Cory Richards
  7. George Steinmetz
  8. Gordon Wiltsie
  9. Michael Yamashita
  10. David Yoder

All of these folks are members The Photo Society, a collection of nature/travel pros who shoot for National Geographic. You could cheat and just follow NatGeo or TPS, but I recommend you follow both the channels and the individuals.

I aspire to creating this sort of work, which is why I’ve created this initial list of folks. Later, I’ll follow up with a list of friends, peers and influences from other genres/subjects who also inspire me.

10 Tips for Creating a Personal Photo Project

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  1. What can’t you help but photograph? What are some of the common threads in the images you’ve made up until now? Think about these questions and mark down any ideas that come to mind.
  2. Make a list of some of the best photo experiences you’ve had. Then look for links between them that might lead you to similar great photographic experiences to pursue in the future.
  3. Do you have special access to an interesting place, person, or story through a personal connection or through work, relatives, or friends? Are there story ideas there?
  4. Make a list of places near where you live that you like to spend time. Do any of these places have opportunities for photo projects? How do they change when viewed at different times of the day? Do you regularly pass by places that make you intrigued to see what’s there?
  5. Make a list of photographers whose work you admire and see if any of the stories they pursue might be a direction you want to take. Look for small stories in newspapers and magazines to develop into projects.
  6. Come up with some photo shoots you think would be fun. It could be anything, anywhere; money is no object— let yourself go. Don’t think too much, just mark stuff down. Come up with a list of subject matter that you think will inspire you. It could be anything, anywhere, no limits.
  7. Is there a group of people or a person you admire who might make a good day-in-the-life or portrait series? Are there issues you are passionate about where you can aim your camera to communicate and promote awareness of that issue?
  8. Make a list of dream jobs for the future. They don’t even have to be photographic. Talk-show host, chocolate factory taster, anything. Any story ideas there?
  9. Go to a place that has newspapers and magazines from around the world and look for ideas to pursue from stories you find. If it’s not the specific story, maybe you can find a way to localize and work on a similar story.
  10. Go to a big bookstore with a great photo book section and get lost in those shelves for a couple of hours and make notes in your You Book or iPad

    11. From “The Passionate Photographer: Ten Steps Toward Becoming Great” by Steve Simon

The list above is from one the most thought-provoking photography books I’ve read in a while. I am only through the first chapter and I already have four concrete ideas to improve my photography and lots of additional food for thought. This book is about purpose, not technique.

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