Lesson 22: Beginning a Project

Revisit of Brainstorming and Planning

This week is a continuation of last week’s lesson. It’s also the last lesson of the ‘semester.’ That’s right! You’ve made it halfway through the course. Pat yourself on the back, and take pride in the fact that you’ve managed to stick with it this long! Before we step into our summer (or winter, for our Southern Hemisphere friends) break, let’s discuss next steps. 

Last week you started brainstorming your personal project. We tried to make it very clear that what you did last week may be, but doesn’t have to be, the framework for your final project. Planning personal projects takes time, and it’s unreasonable to expect that you were able to do it all in one week. Your assignment from last week was just to get you thinking about the entire process and move the mindset from week-to-week assignments to long term projects. What that means is that you may need to do the process again. In fact, we’d expect that you would do it again. The time during the summer/winter break is to give you the opportunity to really think about and work on your project. 

Beginning Your Project

With all that said, let’s assume that you went through the brainstorming and storyboarding process, and came out on the other side with an idea and a course of action. Now it’s time to implement those ideas. When diving into a long-term project, you should think of yourself as the Project Manager. Of course, you’re every other role, as well, but putting on that PM hat will set you up to approach the project in an organized way, which will ultimately allow you to focus on the photography when the time comes. 

Step-by-Step Plan for Your Project

1. Define Clear Objectives: Establish what you aim to achieve with your project. Are you focusing on a particular theme, technique, or subject matter? Write down your goals and what success looks like to you.

2. Create a Timeline: Break down your project into manageable phases. Set deadlines for each phase to keep yourself on track. This could include research, shooting, editing, and final presentation.

3. Gather Resources: List the equipment and materials you’ll need. Consider any additional items like props, lighting, or software you may need.

4. Scout Locations: If your project involves specific locations, plan visits to scout them out. Take note of the lighting conditions, possible angles, and any logistical considerations. I find it helps to document the scene when scouting. I’ll often just take dozens of shots of the entire space with my phone as reference photos. Be sure to note the time of day you were there as well as the weather conditions.

5. Build a Shot List: Outline the specific shots you need to capture to fulfill your project’s objectives. This will help you stay focused and organized during the shooting phase.

6. Plan for Contingencies: Consider potential challenges and how you’ll address them. This could include weather conditions, equipment failure, or scheduling conflicts.

Implementing Your Plan

Now that you’ve laid the groundwork, it’s time to start executing your plan. It can be difficult to stay on track, especially when a project spans a long period of time. To keep yourself focused, try to do the following:

• Stay Organized: Keep all your notes, shot lists, and schedules in one place. If you’re an analog-type person, grab a new notebook and use it only for your project. There are also loads of apps to help you stay organized. Some project management apps include: Trello, Asana, and Notion. Popular note taking apps include: Evernote, OneNote, and Google Keep. Task management apps include: Todoist, Microsoft To Do, and Any Do. Calendar apps are also useful and you probably already have an efficient one on your phone.

• Regular Check-ins: We will have regular check-in meetings on the discord where you can share your progress with teachers, mentors, and peers. I would also suggest teaming up with one peer to keep yourself motivated and on track. You can also just check-in with yourself. Adjust your plan as necessary based on what’s working and what’s not.

• Stay Inspired: Keep your creative juices flowing by seeking inspiration from other photographers, art, or nature. Don’t be afraid to pivot if a new idea excites you more than your original plan. Your brainstorming can always be revisited as a baseline for your process. 

• Seek Feedback: Share your work with peers or mentors throughout the process. Constructive feedback can provide new insights and help you improve your project. We will also have regular feedback sessions throughout the summer and remainder of the year.

Finalizing Your Project

As you near the end of your project, begin to think about how you will present your work. Keep in mind that you have until the end of the year to finish your project. This is not something we expect you to be actively engaged in just yet. We’re talking about it now just so you have all your resources together in one place, and can come back to it as a reference point. When thinking about finalizing the project, consider the following:

• Culling and Post Processing: Later in the year we will go more in depth about culling and making sure you’re presenting your best work in the manner in which you intend. To make your life easier later on, when importing photos for your project, go through and label ones which you’re considering for your final project. Culling in smaller batches makes it less daunting later on. Just keep in mind that months down the road, your project may have taken a turn and some of the photos your disregarded earlier on may fit your new scope. Be open to revisiting and re-analyzing your culls. When you get to the post processing step, approach it from a holistic perspective, thinking of the project as a whole, and not individual photos. This doesn’t mean slapping on the same preset and calling it a day, it means being open to different approaches for each photo in order to draw attention to the cohesion of the project.

• Presentation: Decide how you want to showcase your project. This could be an online portfolio, a physical photo book, a zine, an exhibition, et cetera. When considering how you’d like to present, think about who you want your audience to be and how you want them to consume your work. 

• Reflection: Reflect on your process and what you’ve learned. During the summer, jot down learns and challenges in your learning journal. Documenting this can be valuable for your personal growth and future projects, as well as making final decisions when it comes to which photos you’ll present and how.

By going through these processes and revisiting them regularly, you should be able to remain on track for your final project. Remember to regularly check in with yourself and your peers. 

If you are interested in being in a peer group, fill out this form. Peer groups will be smaller groups of other participants. You will have private discord channels where you can have regular voice meetings or just keep each other accountable and share feedback. It’s a great way to have other photographers to bounce ideas off of and stay on track. Keep in mind that peer groups will be organized through discord, so if you’re not in the discord server yet, it’s best that you join it. Here is an invite link. 

Next week we will address how the summer will play out logistically and set you up with a set of exercises that you can complete during the time off.