It's bittersweet when a project comes to an end. After a year of weekly assignments I was ready to be done. That said, seeing the improvement and variety in my work as a result of pushing myself outside of my comfort zone made me want to keep going.
In reality I kept up for a few weeks with assignments but missed one in February. After that, my participation became very occasional, which has been nice. I take pictures for enjoyment and as therapy. To continue to force myself to shoot past the end of the project would have made it seem like a job.
I still shoot assignments on occasion when the subject presents and idea or opportunity, but there is no pressure to perform other than my desire to create interesting work.
This shot is indicative of the end of a project in that the end is also a beginning of what comes next. I began my search for the next project shortly after I fed the meter in this shot. It's a renewal on my search for interesting themes and subjects in my work.
In the end I was extremely happy with my results from this effort and I now realize the value in imposing limitations on your workflow. The focus and creativity required produced results that were both unexpected and satisfying in ways that my process before the project weren't.
This photo of me renewing my meter is a solid metaphor for my desire to get back on the clock, pushing to find new ways to see and express my vision. It was a great year and I am happy to have these shots to look back on and be proud of the work I put into them.
On Taking Assignments
I frequently listen to the On Taking Pictures (OTP) podcast, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for good conversation about creativity, especially as it related to photography. In January 2014 the hosts, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris, began a new segment of weekly assignments that they gave to listeners. Results of the assignments are posted on the OTP Google Plus group. I decided that I would commit myself to the assignments for a year without interruption, and that I would complete each one before the next assignment was announced on the show each Tuesday morning. My 'On Taking Assignments' blog posts are the culmination of my year-long focus on these assignments.