Photographer of the Week:
Pat Glennon and Project 365
By Pat Glennon
Rockland
Do something every day for a year and you're bound to get better.
It was in this spirit that I began my "Project 365."
In its simplest form, Project 365 involves taking a photo every day and publishing it online for, you guessed it, a year. I'm sure versions of this have been around as long as photography itself, but thanks to digital photography and the Internet, capturing a year in images has never been more possible.
I first heard about the idea last year. However, I had only recently started to take an interest in photography, so I didn't jump right in. Yet, as time went on and I learned more about the project, I began to feel it was something that I had to do.
Perhaps inspired by Bill Murray and his wonderful movie, I started my project on February 2, Groundhog Day. It seemed the perfect day to start doing one thing over and over and over.
(To see large versions of Pat's photos and read complete captions and explanations, check out the Flash gallery at the bottom. Click on the "full-screen" link.)
I hoped the project would improve my skills behind a camera, and it has. Along the way, the project has provided other benefits, too.
This is a wonderful way to chronicle a year and it has changed the way I see the world around me. I've noticed my appreciation for subtle moments each day has grown. I am tuned into the little things in the pursuit of images that preserve memories that might otherwise leave me when my head hits the pillow.
When you step back and look at the images, interesting patterns emerge. I appear to be far more comfortable taking photographs of things than people (the introvert in me, I suppose). I'd do just about anything to shoot without using a flash. And unbeknownst to me, I have an affinity for shooting shoes!
As I progress through the 365 days of the project, I have tried to capture "event days" as you might imagine. However, very often I have tried to do so without being obvious about it. For Valentine's Day, I chose to shoot a bank of cards at the local card shop. For a trip to Fenway, a standing room only sign and, not all that shockingly, my feet.
But there are other days when I look back on my work and smile, broadly. What's more, I find that when I go back months later and look my pictures, I am far less critical of them than I was at the time.
I have become a big proponent of the project. It is not just for -- or perhaps especially not just for -- avid photographers. You don't need expensive gear. I have completed my journey to date with a point & shoot camera, a Kodak Z650. It's not even my camera, but that's another story! On more than one occasion, the photo I published was taken with my camera phone.
Don't get me wrong: I'd love to get my hands on a nice DSLR. The point is, you don't need it to take on the project.
The beauty of digital photography is that you can just shoot and shoot. There's no film or developing costs to eat into your enjoyment and make you second-guess choices. Just shoot. You will learn. You will improve. You will have fun, and you will capture images that are meaningful, interesting, and valuable to yourself and to others. Just keep shooting.
 | About Pat Pat Glennon, 36, has built-in subjects for his photography: Four kids. He's a lifelong resident of the South Shore; he grew up in Weymouth and now lives in Rockland with his wife of nearly 13 years. He works evenings in the finance industry, which allows him to be at home during the day with his children. You can see more of Pat's photography on his blog, Annoyingly Boring?, or on his Flickr account. |
To learn more about Project 365, visit Flickr's Project 365 group or read a tutorial on Photojojo.
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Cool shots ... nice variety like the self-portrait from the mailbox. And nice perspective/composition in the train platform & 'extra innings'.
Pat is an amazing and inspiring photographer. His tenacity in keeping up with the 365 endurance challenge is nothing but impressive.
Photographer of the Week? Try Photographer of the Year! :)
I remember back at BC High, many years ago, when one of the priests said, "Glennon, not only are you annoying, but you're also boring!"
And thus, a photographic movement was born...
Pat is an awesome photographer and he comes by it naturally. You can't ask for anything better than that if you want to see the World through another person's eyes.
No one has more admiration for the 365 days project than someone who gave up. After about four months, I threw in the towel. I think I let an accomplished photographer's sneer deter me. Then I saw Bill Brett's book - another accomplished photographer's take on the matter. And now I see and enjoy Pat's work. Bravo!
Excellent! I love the perspectives you shoot from. Your pink crayon had my vote in the monthly get close contest. Very nice work indeed.
I've been doing the picture-of-the-day thing for over 3 years now, and I can say that it's both hard to keep doing it and hard to stop. Having to come up with something picture-worthy every day forces you to take a fresh look at things around you. You're always on the lookout for something that will capture the essence of the day (and then there are those days when you have *two* pictures ...).
Great Job, Pat!
Outstanding....Nice job Pat.
Pat, so proud of you! Your photographs are not only amazing, but capture life at its best!
Shows your playful spirit ... Cool stuff Pat!
WOW, let's just say that I am completely blown away by these pictures. As much as I LOVE the crayon picture, my favorite one is the M&M photo. Not only am I a fan of close-ups, but I also absolutely adore M&M candies. My life partner enjoyed looking at the crayon picture more because bright pink is his favorite color and he just goes bonkers over anything that has to do with that color (you should see our restroom -- every towel, carpet, and bar of soup is bright pink). Anyways congrats to the winners, all of the pictures were FAB U LOUS!!!
Love the pics! I did the same thing last year, if anyone's interested.
http://cheezweazl.deviantart.com/gallery/#A-Picture-A-Day
Tom Swift that temped at E*Trade in '06?
If so... How the heck are you?!
Oh, and thanks all for the kind words. I appreciate all comments. Love to hear what you all think.
Well, I love the golf club shot. It's my favorite by a mile, and I may just borrow this idea! like "Asleep" as well, it's so real. Congrats for keeping it going.
Pat, this is awesome--great work. I never realized how tough it is to take photos until this summer when I started reading about it and trying to learn myself. I'm impressed--this is inspiring.
Really great to see your daily pics.
A great concept, and some really beautiful pictures. In a similar vein, I'd like to point out my friend Jamie Livingston's 'Photo of the Day' project. A collection of SX-70 pictures pretty much every day from March 1979 to the day he died (Oct. 25, 1997): http://photooftheday.hughcrawford.com/
Some of these photos are really interesting. He makes me want to do this project! Great idea.
A project like this not only forces a photographer to find and capture different images and learn to get the best out of a camera, it is also a terrific way to practise and stay in (shooting) shape.
"If I don't practice for one day, I know it; if I don't practice for two days, the critics know it; if I don't practice for three days, the audience knows it."
- pianist Ignacy Paderewski
Now if I can only follow my own advice :-)
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