Personal photo projects
Claire Gillo and some of the AP team share their experiences of shooting personal projects and the benefits it can bring to your practice
Whether you are an amateur or professional in your photography practice, there is always room for a personal photography project. There are many benefits to shooting a personal project – from there being no client restrictions or approval process to getting as creative as you like. A personal project can also greatly help you grow and develop as a photographer as it enables you to refine your style and ideas rather than just snapping away making random images that have no connection.
There are many ways you can approach a personal photography project and for this feature we have gathered together some ideas and top tips so that you can make a start on your own project.
Where to start?
Before you begin any personal photography project, it may sound like an obvious thing to say, but you need to have an idea! You might be the type of person who has endless ideas (with little time to complete them), or you could be the type that has just one small idea and it grows from there. Either way, neither is wrong or right, but having some type of theme or starting point as well as allocated time set aside are vital if you are going to succeed.
But what happens if you are struggling to get going? We suggest you do some
research. Look at the type of work you admire and make a note about what it is you are drawn to. For example, if you like landscape photography explore the great landscape photographers of the past and present – from Ansel Adams to Edward Burtynsky. Think about how, instead of just photographing random and idyllic landscapes, could you create a project that explores the land and our connection with it? For example, you could look at the relationship between man and nature by photographing abandoned structures in the land, or how climate change is altering the landscape in a chosen location. These are just a couple of starting points to demonstrate that you don’t need anything substantial in order to get going.
When it comes to doing your research remember there is a fine line between plagiarism and taking inspiration but don’t let that put you off looking at others. Understanding your contemporaries as well as having a history of the subject, and where your practice sits in relation to it, is important if you are to grow as a photographer.
Once you have an idea or a seed of an idea, we recommend a good brainstorming session before you pick up your camera. Make note of where you might like to take the project, what logistics you’ll need to consider and think about the final presentation of the images (we’ll return to this aspect later on in this feature).
Get feedback
Shooting and editing a personal photo project will take you time and it’s important not to rush; it’s important to develop it as you go. We suggest you schedule regular evaluation meetings (for instance, every four weeks) so you can make sure you are progressing. It can be extremely useful to get feedback from your peers, friends and family (the latter could be more biased, but they can still prove valuable). Social media websites and group pages are a good avenue
although be prepared that not everyone may be constructive in their criticism and feedback, and if you are sharing your images with strangers be mindful that you don’t know their credentials.
Also consider organisations like the Royal Photographic Society and LensCulture that conduct professional portfolio reviews. If you feel ready it can be worth investing in expert feedback. Although it can feel overwhelming and vulnerable putting yourself in a position where you are open to critique, it really can help you progress to the next level when you do it.
The end point
As well as checking in with your project every so often you will also need to consider how you want your project to finish. Whilst we advise you to take your time and to let your project grow it is also a good idea to envisage an end goal (this could be six months, a year or two etc. after starting), which in turn will put pressure on you to keep it going. Sometimes, however good our intentions, we can drop the ball and let things slide or fizzle out. Think about how you might want to present your body of work. It could, for example, end up as an exhibition, on a website or in a book.
Presenting your images is something that also takes consideration. Think about the implications of using one image or multiple images together. Could multiple images in a row or a grid address your concept better to the viewer? Or does each image need to stand alone?
You also need to think about the project title, image titles and the use of text. Even if your image is called ‘Untitled’ this says something in itself to the viewer. Does the viewer need additional information to understand your project, or can the image(s) speak alone? Again researching work you admire will help you with this aspect. Go to other photography shows, read photography books to get inspired to see how you might like to take on your own photography project.