Documenting the Everyday with a 365 Project: A Guide for Everyone | Los Angeles Documentary Family Photographer
What if you could look back and see a snapshot from every single day of your year, capturing the essence of each day, documenting those fleeting moments that define our lives? A 365 project can help you do just that. As a Los Angeles Documentary Family Photographer, I’ve found immense value in this practice, and I’m excited to share how you can start your own 365 project to capture the beauty of everyday life.
What is a 365 Project?
A 365 project is a year-long photography endeavor where you commit to taking one photo every day. It’s an incredible way to document your daily life, capturing moments that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Why You Should Try a 365 Project
Appreciate the Little Things: The charm of a 365 project lies in its ability to highlight the everyday moments that often pass by unnoticed. By taking a photo every day, you start to see the beauty in the mundane – the way the light filters through your kitchen window in the morning, or the joy on your child’s face as they play.
2. Improve Your Skills: Consistent practice leads to improvement. Whether you’re a seasoned photographer or just starting, a 365 project will enhance your technical skills and artistic eye. You’ll learn to adapt to different lighting conditions, experiment with composition, and find creative ways to tell a story. This year I have been playing with diptychs (diptych photography is a technique that involves placing two separate images side by side to create a variety of effects). See the images below.
3. Create a Visual Diary: At the end of the year, you’ll have a comprehensive visual diary of your life. This collection of photos will be a treasure trove of memories, allowing you to look back and see how much has changed and what has stayed the same. I had what I call extended slow time with the pandemic in 2020, (my mini was in kindergarten), but now I really feel how fast time is moving. I love to look back on the past 4 1/2 years of 365s.
Diptych photos
Diptych Photography
Tips for Your 365 Project
1. Set a Daily Reminder
Life can get busy, and it’s easy to forget to take your daily photo. Until your daily photo becomes a habit, set a reminder on your phone to prompt you to snap a picture. It doesn’t have to be at the same time each day – flexibility is key.
2. Use What You Have
You don’t need a fancy camera to start a 365 project. Your smartphone is more than capable of capturing beautiful images. The goal is to document your life, not to create professional-grade photos. For me as a photographer, I have a DSLR that sits on a table ready to go in the living room, always with a full battery and a memory card in it. My everyday carry around camera is a Fugifilm x100v and of course my iPhone. I use them all, but like I said before… your phone is an amazing tool.
iPhone (edited in Lightroom)
3. Capture Everyday Activities
Photograph your daily routines – making breakfast, the commute to work, playtime with your kids. These moments might seem ordinary, but they collectively tell the story of your life.
Fugifilm x100v
4. Play with Light and Shadows
Experiment with how light interacts with your environment. Early morning and late afternoon light can create stunning effects, but don’t shy away from using artificial light or capturing shadows and silhouettes.
Fugifilm x100v
5. Get in the Frame
Don’t forget to include yourself in your project. Use a timer or a remote shutter to take self-portraits or candid shots with your family. These photos will be precious memories for both you and your loved ones.
Canon 6d with Sigma 35 art
Common Questions About 365 Projects
Do I need any special equipment?
Nope! Use whatever camera you have on hand, even if it’s just your phone. The best camera is the one you have with you.
What if I miss a day?
It’s okay to miss a day. Life happens. If you miss a day, just pick up where you left off. The goal is consistency, not perfection.
There are days that I miss and there are days that I use photos from 3 separate activities to fill in the blanks. It’s your project, you make the rules.
How should I organize my photos?
Consider creating a dedicated folder on your phone or computer for your 365 project photos. You can also use photo organization apps that allow you to tag and categorize your images. At the end of the year, you might want to create a photo book or a slideshow to showcase your project.
I have a dedicated folder on my desktop as well as a dedicated album in my phone. I also post them in my INSTAGRAM stories, them put them in a highlight for repeat viewing. I use Chatbooks to print out a yearly book. They are a treasure trove of beautiful memories of our everyday life.
