At the start of the year, I read countless articles on how to make resolutions, and I felt confident that I had it all sorted. Now, as I review them, I can clearly see which ones I’ve stuck to—like reading one non-fiction book a month—and which have fallen by the wayside—like shooting a roll of film every month. Interestingly, the one project I started before the new year is the one I’ve managed to keep going.

That project is called Here and There, inspired by a column I discovered while researching W. E. B. Du Bois. I was digging through newspapers from 1901 when I came across this gem in The Colored American Magazine. The subheading immediately caught my attention and made me smile: “Under this heading we shall publish monthly such short articles or local news as will enable our subscribers to keep in close touch with the various social movements among the colored race, not only throughout the country but the world. All are invited to contribute items of general news and interest.”

Around the same time while trying out this camera, I found my love for diptychs returning. Back in the day, I even completed a 365-day project of diptychs, shot on both film and digital. That experience taught me a lot; my main takeaway was learning how to shoot in portrait mode while also developing a sense for structuring diptychs. Feeling ready to take on another diptych project—this time, something less formal—I decided to use Here and There as the title for a more relaxed photography project. 

There was no fixed start date, no monthly target, and no end date for this project. Unlike my previous diptych endeavours, this one was less about structure and more about capturing what I had been up to throughout the year. I didn’t feel the need to create diptychs daily; instead, I often processed them in batches, numbering them rather than dating them. It became a way of keeping memories, with a diptych twist. And as I look ahead, I can see myself continuing with this project in the months to come. 

I’m not sure where this project will lead, but for now, I’m enjoying the process and curious to see how it evolves.

Check in with me next year to see how Here and There has grown—and, in the meantime, share your own creative journeys and how they have evolved.

Kirstin