I’m the sort of person who tends to have multiple unfinished projects going on at once. Garden projects. House projects. Endless lists of items waiting to get checked off. I have big plans to “get on it” but usually dive into a book or go for a long walk instead. Don’t get me wrong, the important things get done. But the non-essentials? Well, they happen when they happen. So the fact that I’ve been capturing my morning cup of coffee #fromwhereistand on Instagram – mostly in my garden – for the past 3000 days is something to celebrate.

To be honest, I’ve thought many times of calling it quits – usually in the winter when I don’t have my garden for inspiration – but also when I’m feeling like I’ve “been there, done that” if you know what I mean. Daily projects can get stale, and of course our creativity ebbs and flows. In the beginning, things were still fresh and new. After passing the 500 day mark, it was clear that I had staying power; I thought maybe I’d make it further, and 500 days later I did! I’d made it to 1000 days. And 1000 days after that, I was still going strong. That’s when I decided to make it “official” creating an Instagram account, @themugchronicles, devoted to the project. You can see the first 2000 on my regular account, @soupatraveler.

This week marks another milestone. Another 1000 days have passed, and on Saturday, I’m celebrating day 3000. Now, in all fairness, I did miss one day when my husband was in the hospital. And if I’m being brutally honest, I’ve miscounted again – I celebrated day 2000 on day 2004. The truth is, Tuesday was the actually 3000 mark, but why split hairs, right? After all, it’s my project; I set the rules.

So today, I thought I’d share Ten More Tips for Shooting a Daily Photo Project to share what else I’ve learned and show how my project has evolved:

1. Nobody’s Perfect
Allow yourself to slide when it comes to creativity or composition. Remember, sometimes just staying the course is enough

2. When in Doubt, Improvise
It’s okay to switch things around with a daily themed project. Stick to the general idea, and you’ll be just fine.

3. Change of Season
We all do it. Go back to the basics when seeking inspiration. For me that’s nature and how it affects my surroundings.

4. Supporting Characters
Enlist a cast of supporting characters to join you along the way.

5. Deviate from the Course
Look for new surroundings to keep things fresh.

6. Repeat Performance
What works once, will often work again and again and again!

7. Get Real
Showcase your actual life from time to time. It doesn’t always have to look pretty.

8. Experiment
Try new ways of editing, new perspectives, new apps. It’s okay to have a tried and true method most days, but experimenting is fun!

9. Take the Show on the Road
Traveling to new locations presents new opportunities to try something different.

10. Remember Who Matters Most – YOU
Aim only to please yourself and you’ll never go wrong.

And of course, make sure you have FUN along the way!

I hope these tips can help you with your own photo project, or maybe inspire you to start a new one. As for me, I don’t have a specific end day in sight, but I’ve thrown out the number 5000 and 10,000 in my head, but I don’t know. That’s a really long time from now. It’s taken over 8 years to get this far. I might make it to 5000, but I doubt I’ll make it to 10,000. Then again, I never thought I’d where I am today. We’ll just have to see what happens!

I hope you’ll consider following along with me over on Instagram. Please be sure to say hello, and feel free to join the party and capture your coffee from where you stand too!

Until next time,
Holly ~ Soupatraveler ~ The Mug Chronicles