I posted a few weeks ago about big changes with H. Parker Photography, and how I am now specializing in newborns and babies through their first year of life. Even though I am excited with the new direction for my business, I definitely don’t want to give up on practicing my photography skills in more real world situations (natural lighting, moving subjects, grouchy subjects—hehe). To continue practicing my skills and provide a creative outlet, I’ve decided to begin a 365 Project this year. A Project 365 is where you take a photo every day of the year (technically this year has 366 days due to it being a Leap Year, but I digress). Some people choose to follow a theme, but the main purpose is to get out your camera and shoot real life stuff. This isn’t for clients or for money. It’s just a personal pet project unconstrained by my professional life. I hope that this project helps me grow creatively. I also hope that it forces me to capture more of the everyday, simple details that make up the bulk of life. I want to look back at the photos from this project and recall moments in time—for the photos to freeze a second and bring me back to the sights, smells, sounds and emotions of what was happening. This project should tell a story. I’m trying to be realistic about this. I know that I won’t have time to post photos every day, so my goal is to take a picture every day and then post them altogether once a week on my blog. I’ve been looking at other photographer’s 365 Projects online for inspiration and I’ve even pinned a few theme lists. I’m trying to keep my camera and my most versatile lens (Sigma 50mm f/ 1.4) at the ready. Now I feel like a kid on the first day of school with my blank slate notebooks, sharpened No. 2 pencils and perfect pink erasers at the ready. I actually began this journey on January 1, 2016, so I am less than one week into it, but I want to go ahead and make my first post now because I know that the weekdays when my son it at school are my best times for getting anything accomplished. Things I’ve learned already:

1. This is hard.
2. I feel woefully inadequate at lifestyle photography with my own family. I am hoping that enough practice and inspiration from other photogs will help me beef up in this area.
3. My house does not get a lot of good lighting in the winter.
4. I failed at sticking to a weekly theme. I think what I may do is use the themes as a backup. If I’m facing a day where I can’t think of anything to photograph and need that extra nudge then I have a theme in my back pocket.

I’d love to be in community with others who are on a similar 365 journey, so whether you are professional photographer or want to use your cell phone to snap a daily picture, I’d be honored to follow your blog (just email me). You can always find me here, or on Instagram (@hparkerphotography) and I’ll be using #365hparkerphotography if anyone feels like sharing their journey with me. Now without further delay, here is the first installment of my H. Parker Photography 365 for 2016:

Heather of H. Parker Photography is a Ft. Worth Newborn Photographer also specializing baby and child photography in Forth Worth, Texas and surrounding areas including but not limited to Dallas, and Roanoke.