Seeking: the creative habit

In Inspiration, Mobile
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Last month, I doubled up on daily photography projects. I’m 204 days into A Year of Us, my 365 photo/story project where I blog a daily photo and short story and finished my 31 day Story in a Frame challenge on Instagram.

Story in a Frame: Architecture | Nikki Gardner

I questioned whether it was too much but as I watched my hard drive and Dropbox folders fill to capacity, I understood something, this daily photo habit I’ve worked so hard to cultivate and inspire is real.

Story in a Frame: A good read | Nikki Gardner

When June 1 rolled around, I jumped in again. I hustled to write another 31 prompts (apparently it’s my go to assignment number plus you can take an optional day off on short months) for part two of the Story in a Frame challenge. Not everyone likes assignments, I get that.

Story in a Frame: Mistake | Nikki Gardner

I’m a fan and I even tire of them some days. The thing is, like them or not, they work.

Story in a Frame: Secret Identity | Nikki Gardner

Assignments help push ideas and technique. They keep the process fun so it’s easier to look through that viewfinder every day. So what about you? Yeah or nay to the assignment routine? What do you do to stay in the photo game?

Story in a Frame: Noise | Nikki Gardner

Nikki

p.s. Skip on over to Instagram and join the new Story in a Frame photo challenge (#storyinaframe)! You can also check out the Story in a Frame Facebook page for conversations, ideas, tips, and more. Photos too (of course).

6 Comments

  1. Sometimes I find assignments give me a reprieve from having to figure it all out myself. I like to see how so many people can take the same assignment and come up with a million different responses too! Great project!

    • Thanks, Holly! I agree, I like how assignments keep me open to new possibilities, approaches, techniques, etc that I may not otherwise consider. I also like to see so many visual interpretations to a single idea.

  3. I love your projects. I did a 365 with digital (before iPhone) and another on IG with phone photos only. The second project wasicj easier and I felt less pressure just using the phone to capture moments. I’ve tried the photo a day with specific prompts but wasn’t as happy with some of my images (feeling forced to photograph things that weren’t interesting to me).

    • Thanks, Leslie! Both of your projects are great accomplishments and the iPhone would definitely be easier to tote around…

      I completely understand how photographing prompts can be meh at times. I like to use prompts that challenge both the art and craft of the medium through pattern, repetition, light, shape, form, etc as well along with the varied aspects of storytelling. Really, it’s about the habit of picking up your camera and noticing…not so much about the specific call to action 🙂

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