Project 365

In February of 2005, I started this blog. Blog and I have been through a lot together, and I can truly say that blogging has changed my life: I’ve made new friends, visited new and interesting places, and even changed jobs because of my blog. Most importantly, though, blogging taught me to think about the world, and myself, in a different way.

In January of 2009, hoping to do for my mad photographic skillz what blogging had done for my writing skills, I launched a new project. I took and posted to the interwebs (at least) one photograph each day for an entire year; thus, Project 365. I’ve always loved taking pictures, but I wanted a reason to take out my camera other than excursions with the family or special occasions.

A bit of the back story behind this project is here, but the gist of it is that I wanted to do with photography what I’d been doing all these years with blogging: I wanted to flex my creative muscles and to learn to see the world in new ways. Each week I wrote about the challenges I faced, things that inspired me and some philosophical questions about photography in general, so you can take a meander through those in the Project 365 posts.

I finished Project 365 in January 2010. In fact, I miscounted, so there are 366 pictures in my 365 project! Who knew that the hardest part of the project would be counting to 365?!

If you’d like to see the full set, or see the captions I’ve included with each of the photos, you can take a closer look on Flickr. And of course, I blogged about what I learned and loved about Project 365, and included ten of my very favourite shots of the year. Here are three of them:

I think this is my fave of the year. I love everything about this picture — the hand, the way the pear seems to be reaching for Lucas, the reflection in the table, the depth of field, the back lighting.

270:365 The Creation of Adam

Fun and silly, but eye-catching. I like the story I was telling as much as the image: “Deep in the Orion Nebula, baby stars grow in translucent eggs until they are ready to hatch and float away…”

274:365 Star incubators

I developed a love of vintage cameras — and typewriters! — during my 365 project. And I fell madly and deeply in love with through-the-viewfinder (TtV) photography. (You can see more of my TtV favourites on Flickr!)

265:365 100 days to go!

At the half way point and at the end of my 365 project, I was even interviewed about the project on CBC Radio Ottawa’s All in a Day. You can listen to that interview here. What fun!

Project 365 redux
For about a year after I completed my 365 project, I took a picture more or less every day. I called it The Thousand Picture Project, and I took pictures when I felt like it, hoping to make it to 1,000 pictures within three years or so. As the year went on, though, I was more easily distracted and the lapse between daily pictures was longer and longer.

Just after Christmas 2010, I decided I wanted to do another 365 project. I counted back and realized I had taken a picture every day since December 24 and so that was my starting date. You’ll find both the new set of 365 in progress right here on Flickr.

Looking back: a year in pictures

Project 365:  one-tenth of the way done!

1. 1:365 Snowglobe, 2. 2:365 Peek!, 3. 3:365 The morning commute, 4. 4:365 Club soda, 5. 5:365 Lucas and me in the colander, 6. 6:365 Lego StarWars Family Portrait, 7. 7:365 Comfort food, 8. 8:365 Lucas in the morning light, 9. 9:365 Snowy night, 10. 10:365 Sunlight, snow and shadow, 11. 11:365 Coloured pencils, 12. 12:365 Snow removal crew, 13. 13:365 Happy Birthday Simon!, 14. 14:365 Icicles up high, 15. 15:365 Picture window, 16. 16:365 Icicles in the sun (3 of 4), 17. 17:365 Toes, 18. 18:365 Cornstalks in the snow, 19. 19:365 Happy Birthday, Lucas!, 20. 20:365 Friends and family at Lucas’s birthday breakfast, 21. 21:365 Winterlude on the Rideau Canal, 22. 22:365 Bored room, 23. 23:365 Melty, 24. 24:365 Vote for me!! Vote for me!!, 25. 25:365 Mooning the Peace Tower, 26. 26:365 Snack time!, 27. 27:365 Winter day at the park, 28. 28:365 Pest, 29. 29:365 Parliament in pink, 30. 30:365 Vote for our Mom!, 31. 31:365 President Obama’s afternoon motorcade, 32. 32:365 Me in the fancy elevator, 33. 33:365 Long exposure skating lessons, 34. 34:365 Poladroid Lucas, 35. 35:365 The artist at work, 36. 36:365 Mardi bokeh and the thief

365 Monthly Mosaic for March 2009


1. 71:365 The wonders of spring, 2. 70:365 Fool’s Gold, 3. 69:365 Slinky, 4. 68:365 Back in the day, 5. 67:365 Sunrise on Mooney’s Bay, 6. 66:365 vanishing point, 7. 65:365 Sisyphus, 8. 64:365 Bongo dude, 9. 63:365 Please play again, 10. 62:365 Deserted barn, 11. 61:365 Paintbrushes, 12. 60:365 Happy Spring!, 13. 59:365 Bike shadow, 14. 58:365 Lunchtime!, 15. 57:365 Chucks up, 16. 56:365 Dead apples, 17. 55:365 Barn cats, 18. 54:365 In his eyes, 19. 53:365 Coffee break, 20. 52:365 Sussex Street, 21. 51:365 Don’t panic!, 22. 50:365 Look Ma, Wii’re famous!, 23. 49:365 Spring is fickle, 24. 48:365 Fence posts 2 of 2, 25. 47:365 Fun with slow-sync flash, 26. 46:365 Me, 27. 45:365 Keyed up, 28. 44:365 Toy train self portrait, 29. 43:365 Missing my muse, 30. 42:365 The one where Lucas imitates Hitchcock, 31. 41:365 Jade and shadow

April mosaic, project 365


1. 101:365 Falling water, 2. 100:365 Day 100!, 3. 99:365 Katie, 4. 98:365 Bee’s-eye view of daffodil (1 of 2), 5. 97:365 Feeling daffy, 6. 96:365 Hoser, 7. 95:365 Weedy, 8. 94:365 Flower vendors in the Market, 9. 93:365 Musical bokeh, 10. 92:365 Baby blankets, 11. 91:365 Bitter!, 12. 90:365 Hogsback Falls, 13. 89:365 Gears, 14. 88:365 Suburban sunrise, 15. 87:365 Pizza night, 16. 86:365 First wildflowers (1 of 3), 17. 85:365 Tristan in motion, 18. 84:365 Brothers, 19. 83:365 Mischief in the pantry, 20. 82:365 Easter candy, 21. 81:365 Colouring eggs for Easter, 22. 80:365 Selfie in granite, 23. 79:365 Orthodox, 24. 78:365 Winter’s last blast?, 25. 77:365 Beach in a bottle, 26. 76:365 Empty cradle, 27. 75:365 Rainy bokeh, 28. 74:365 Spring sun, 29. 73:365 Starbucks revisited, 30. 72:365 Just dropping by

May mosaic

1. 131:365 Baby toes, 2. 130:365 Tristan’s bubbles, 3. 129:365 Maman the spider, 4. 128:365 Spinning brelly, 5. 128b:365 Naptime, 6. 127:365 Iris, 7. 126:365 Morning in the market, 8. 125:365 Yeah, mommy, as a matter of fact I AM about to eat this rock, 9. 124:365 At the fair, 10. 123:365 One in a million, 11. 122:365 Notre Dame, 12. 121:365 Lilacs, 13. 120:365 The colour of taste, 14. 119:365 Tortoise, 15. 118:365 Lily of the valley, 16. 117:365 Falling like dominoes, 17. 116:365 Rideau Canal locks, 18. 115:365 Umbrellas, way down there, 19. 114:365 Message in a bottle, 20. 113:365 Bistro, 21. 112:365 Fair Jeanne reflecting, 22. 111:365 Happy Mother’s Day, 23. 110:365 Puddles, 24. 109:365 Another day, another dam(p) flower, 25. 108:365 Apple blossoms, 26. 107:365 Out of roundness, 27. 106:365 Primary Entrance, 28. 105:365 Tulips and the Peace Tower, 29. 104:365 Lucas on the path, 30. 103:365 A good book, 31. 102:365 Tulip artist

June mosaic!

1. 162:365 At Niagara Falls, 2. 161:365 Road Trip!, 3. 160:365 At the waterpark, 4. 159:365 Clematis, 5. 158:365 The US embassy in Canada, 6. 157:365 Reflective, 7. 156:365 Ice cream, 8. 155:365 Mystery flower, 9. 154:365 Scotland or bust, 10. 153:365 Scoop and Wendy, 11. 152:365 Summertime on the swing, 12. 151:365 Crazy coloured dock, 13. 150:365 Wet peony, 14. 149:365 Jump!, 15. 148:365 Pansies, 16. 147:365 Fingers, 17. 146:365 Lukey’s Boat, 18. 145:365 Grassy feet, 19. 144:365 Bixi bikes, 20. 143:365 Madly red berries, 21. 142:365 The yellowest house, 22. 141:365 Eggs, 23. 140:365 Polka man, 24. 139:365 Canisters, 25. 138:365 Shoes, 26. 137:365 Sand and water table, 27. 136:365 Lukey in b&w, 28. 135:365 Garden tour, 29. 134:365 Tilt-shifted Alexandria Bridge, 30. 133:365 Morning at the farm

July mosaic

August mosaic

September mosaic

1. 253:365 Tea-T-V, 2. 252:365 Umbrella madness, 3. 251:365 Homework time, 4. 250:365 TtV apple, 5. 249:365 Hockey skates, 6. 248:365 Pucker, 7. 247:365 …something even more bizarre and inexplicable, 8. 246:365 The Gunslinger, 9. 245:365 Bathtime toes, 10. 244:365 Maple leaf, 11. 243:365 Seed pod, 12. 242:365 Tristan, 13. 241:365 I’m stumped!, 14. 240:365 What’s the story?, 15. 239:365 Perfect porch, 16. 238:365 Sunrise in primary colours, 17. 237:365 Mums, 18. 236:365 Tristan in the tree, 19. 235:365 Last of the coneflowers, 20. 234:365 Laurier Avenue Bridge, 21. 233:365 Leaf, 22. 232:365 Lucas at the park, 23. 231:365 September grapes, 24. 230:365 Mud Lake dock, 25. 229:365 Last kiss of sun, 26. 228:365 Sleeping toes, 27. 227:365 Balloons over the Market, 28. 226:365 Sunrise at the crossing, 29. 225:365 First blush, 30. 224:365 Show me your melons!

October mosaic

1. 284:365 Trick or treat!, 2. 283:365 Shadow-leaves on the sidewalk, 3. 282:365 Fallen leaves, 4. 281:365 Indian corn and acorns, 5. 280:365 Rusty bench, 6. 279:365 Leaves on the York Street Steps, 7. 278:365 My little chickadee, 8. 277:365 My littlest one, 9. 276:365 Urban sunrise, 10. 275:365 Lucas and the trains, 11. 274:365 Star incubators, 12. 273:365 Fair Jeanne in dry dock, 13. 272:365 Autumn sunshine, 14. 271:365 The cutest pumpkins in the patch, 15. 270:365 The Creation of Adam, 16. 269:365 Tractor wheels TvT, 17. 268:365 The path to the bridge, 18. 267:365 Rain on leaves, 19. 266:365 Autumn colours, 20. 265:365 100 days to go!, 21. 264:365 Picadilly Theatre, once upon a time, 22. 263:365 Lucas at the park TtV, 23. 262:365 It was a full-bodied wine with a colourful finish…, 24. 261:365 Autumn TtV Collage, 25. 260:365 Colour wheel, 26. 259:365 Acorns, 27. 258:365 TtV crabapples, 28. 257:365 Aiden, 29. 256:365 Lucas’s purple flower, 30. 255:365 TtV Byward Market collage, 31. 254:365 Sigh

November mosaic

1. 314:365 First snow!, 2. 313:365 Christmas card outtake, 3. 312:365 Typewriter keys, 4. 311:365 TtV lamp post, 5. 310:365 November TtV, 6. 309:365 Playing with trains TtV, 7. 308:365 Katie TtV, 8. 307:365 @ work, 9. 306:365 TtV digger, 10. 305:365 November flowers!, 11. 304:365 Touch typing, 12. 303:365 Pencils, 13. 302:365 An autumn TtV collage, 14. 301:365 Patterson Creek Bridge, 15. 300:365 Tall grass at sunset, 16. 299:365 You lookin’ at me?, 17. 298:365 Strawberries, 18. 297:365 Lucas meets ChuckECheese, 19. 296:365 Frosty leaf, 20. 295:365 Bubble breath, 21. Lucas in the land of chalk drawings, 22. 294:365 Waiting for Winterlude, 23. 293:365 Lucas laughing, 24. 292:365 TtV camera family portrait, 25. 291:365 Postcards from the Mothership, 26. 290:365 More wet leaves, 27. 289:365 Lucas high key, 28. 288:365 Lucas on his hog, 29. 287:365 "Oh no!" you groan, "Not already!", 30. 286:365 Migration, 31. 285:365 Eye see you

December mosaic

1. 345:365 Songs in the key of life, 2. 344:365 Christmas light painting, 3. 343:365 Kodak Junior Six-20, 4. 342:365 Lucas at play TtV, 5. 341:365 Icy grass, 6. 340:365 Ice world, 7. 339:365 Christmas cheer, 8. 338:365 / 430 pm, 9. 337:365 Balls!, 10. 336:365 Spoon malfunction, 11. 335:365 I am Canadian, 12. 334:365 The Snowman, 13. 333:365 High-five, 14. 332:365 Old barn in winter, 15. 331:365 Wintry morning TtV, 16. 330:365 I’m so cute I can barely stand myself, 17. 329:365 Macro silver star, 18. 328:365 Ice fog, 19. 327:365 O Christmas Tree, 20. 326:365 TtV Christmas baking, 21. 325:365 Train trestle, 22. 324:365 All I want for Christmas is some peace and quiet…, 23. 323:365 Awww nuts!, 24. 322:365 I’m 22 months old today, 25. 321:365 TtV Christmas mouse, 26. 320:365 TtV Christmas lights, 27. 319:365 Guess what we did today?, 28. 318:365 Happy birthday, my Beloved!, 29. 317:365 Hugs, 30. 316:365 Christmas cactus TtV, 31. 315:365 Sunset in the afternoon

And here’s the whole damn thing!

Project 365: A year in pictures - plus one!

13 thoughts on “Project 365”

  1. Interesting project and some really nice shots! How do you decide what to include in your mosaic? Do you pick the best shot per day or a medley of favourites from the month (but could have multiple “bests” for a day?)

  2. This is fantastic. I got to see it occasionally on Flickr and loved the whole concept. To see it finished is great.

    Lee-Ann

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