Project 52 (Suggestion and discussion)

[Tringa]

A good idea.

I'd favour the photo being taken during the period of the particular challenge.

A possible theme for the challenges, if it is felt a theme is needed, is the alphabet. All interpretations of "A" for the first week, etc.

It would run out in the middle of the year, but if it was one challenge every two weeks (which could help those with less available time) it would last the full year.

Dave

[ScoutR]

Yes, agree with a brief comment about your photo, if you want this, but not compulsory.

But what about comments from other people? If we aren't careful a project like this can get a bit 'messy' with photos and comments scattered all over the thread. Possibly say no comments etc until the next day so we get all of the photos together which can then be followed by any replies, which can sometimes get a bit long winded when we get replies to replies to . . .

yes I was thinking the same thing. I remember trying to follow the feedback on the Photo A Day thread and it became very difficult to keep up with.
I was wondering if it might be possible to set up a Project 52 Category and then under that category each participant could enter their project in a seperate thread. Not sure how much work that would be but I'm thinking it would be a cleaner way to keep track of things.

Should it be only photos taken that week (slightly loosely)? We would need to allow for international date/time variations. And give one or two days leeway to allow for someone who can only photograph at weekends to choose 2 photos, shot on Saturday, but post one on Sunday and the other on Monday of the following week.

I've said it before but I'll say it again, I think it should be open to any photos that we want to post. In my mind Editing is as big a part of this as taking the shot so if we want to try some editing then I think the project would be a good place to post it.

The thing which always worries me slightly about any challenge like this is that if it is possible for a few of the best photographers to simply display 52 of their very best shots taken over the past couple of years we will get a stunning display. But newcomers could be discouraged from showing their efforts which they may consider inferior. Much as Ian previously mentioned.

It needs to be made clear that everybody should be welcomed; particularly the less experienced.

A stunning display from some of the best photographers does not worry me at all, I need the inspiration. I like the idea of this project and keeping it open to our choice of where we want to go with it.

For some it can be a place to display their best work. For some it will be a place to post their disasters and get feedback and learn. For some it might be a theme that they want to work on. For others just a random shot. For some it might be a place to display an editing technique they worked on and want to share, for others a place to find out how to edit something they are stuck with.
If we keep things open without too many rules, there will be so much variety and so many chances to learn, and so many opportunities to share information. Even relative newbies like myself might be able to help someone who is just starting.

So, that's my 2 cents on the subject. I'm still in though whatever is decided

Wendy

[Ricco]

Wow, seems like a bunch of keen people. I only expected a couple.

So far I think we have these guidelines, feel free to correct me if you disagree.....
- the project is about challenging yourself, Not a competition as such therefore you need to consider what will make this a stretch challenge for you. If you are a retired professional photographer, you may want more of a challenge than some of the rest of us.
- you need to take the photo in each week. I think you need to strive towards completing that photo in that week, otherwise you will end up in a backlog however i don't think this is essential.
- in terms of themes, I think this would be best left to the individual (refer point 1). I am personally going to go with the variation on the cic themes of people, nature, animals and man made and rotate that per week.
- if you can, provide details about the shot taken, settings, lighting etc. hopefully the photos speak enough to the content.

I think the neatest way would be to capture one thread per person. That way by the end of the year, you can flick through that entire thread and see all the photos and the progression. You can also see any comments, suggestions for improvement and then the photographer can try and rectify in future shots. If we do this, you can then edit the first post in your thread to add links to other people and even to this thread so others can get background.

Most importantly, the new year starts in a couple of days, so get ready to start shooting.

[Ryogenetic]

So we are individually going to start a thread "Project 52 (insert name here)" and post to it once a week? Sounds good, I am in. I like that it has no themes.

Ryo

[Goldcoastgolfer]

So we are individually going to start a thread "Project 52 (insert name here)" and post to it once a week? Sounds good, I am in. I like that it has no themes.

Ryo

Sounds like it might need its own category...

[kezmal]

Im in, sounds like good fun and a great opportunity to learn.

[Dave Humphries]

Yes, thinking about it, a single thread per person, with all their pictures in, is a better idea, for reasons stated above by several members;
It will avoid 'competition', since different member's images won't be side by side
It will encourage self improvement
It will avoid having too many threads to keep track of*
Timely encouraging comments cannot be confused with other's images

* Assuming less than 52 members participate (?), there will be less overall than one per week (meaning 52 by the end of the year)
If we had one per person per week, I think it would quickly get unmanageable and need a separate section, but if just one thread per person, building in length over the year, that's manageable, either in Nature and Architecture, or perhaps in Meet the Members?

If everyone has their own thread, they can bookmark/favorite it on their browser to quickly find it again.
If you are challenging yourself to improve; the results are there to see as time goes on

I think the thread naming convention should be; Project 52 by <insert name here>, this will make them easy to find in Latest Threads and the forum.

Members could start their own thread with a 'mission statement' (if they wish) saying what they will do and what they want to achieve during the year; call it a resolution

I will start an Index thread with links to every particiating member's "Project 52" thread and sticky that at the top of the chosen forum, I'll also housekeep any wayward threads and do the normal mod stuff.

Under the circumstances, it would probably be better if, unless specifically invited by the thread owner, other members do not "rework" images in these threads.

Cheers,

[shreds]

Sounds like we have a plan! Just need to keep the resolution through the year.

[Geoff F]

Under the circumstances, it would probably be better if, unless specifically invited by the thread owner, other members do not "rework" images in these threads.
Cheers,

Yes, it will be easy for anyone who wants specific advice or examples of how to improve a photo etc to post the same image in another thread where anybody interested can comment; while the main individual 52 photos appear mostly together.

Because of the general confusion caused by a mixture of everyone's photos and comments during the previous Photo a Day Challenge I placed copies into a separate folder. https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/fo...hp?albumid=429

This current proposal will hopefully produce a similar effect.

[Dave Humphries]

Here's the link to the main FAQ and Index thread

My thanks to everyone for their ideas above, which have all contributed in some way to the result.

[allenlennon]

i believe this isa great idea, but i dont think i will do it, not this time anyways, i got way too much on my plate to do it at the moment. But i will be watching out for everyones Project 52 threads

[Rohn]

Like your idea - don't like the idea of having to adhere to a theme - too restrictive (I think) - if you don't have a shot that week that fits the theme, you have no entry for that week - I would rather supply a short narrative such as where, when, what and maybe any other info that might be of interest to members viewing the shot - I'm just saying - whatever you decide I will participate no doubt - I like the idea of including the number of the week in the post

[speedneeder]

Sounds interesting.
I don't know why people don't want themes? I have suggested themes/assignments in the past and I think this will make you stretch more than anything.
If you don't have a submission for the 'chemical release' theme/assignment, then so be it! lol
No harm done.

[Dave Humphries]

Like your idea - don't like the idea of having to adhere to a theme - too restrictive (I think) - if you don't have a shot that week that fits the theme, you have no entry for that week - I would rather supply a short narrative such as where, when, what and maybe any other info that might be of interest to members viewing the shot - I'm just saying - whatever you decide I will participate no doubt - I like the idea of including the number of the week in the post

Hi Rohn,

Indeed, and there is no theme, the 'go live' set up is explained here; Project 52: Index and FAQ

We look forward to seeing you in 2012

Cheers,

[blakemcguire]

I'm interested.

[Harpo]

Im a little behind in my reading here... I think this is something I NEED to do. Just got a new MacBook and Aperture so I can finally do the things people here suggest to my images. Im going to be learning how to do PP as I go as I also picked up the Aperture "classroom in a book" manual to help me along. This will hopefully give me the incentive to actually get out and do it regularly.

[Sahil]

Brilliant Idea. I feel so embarrassed/disgusted when I look at my Flickr photostream and see that last time I uploaded a 'picker' was like a few months back
Project 52 will get me going. I am in.
Thanks for the much needed 'Push'

[MiniChris]

Project 52...I had a similar goal in mind, only I want one wall-hanger per day - probably more a challenge than I can realistically bite off, but with Christmas over, my office space back to a studio/computer room and not the gifting room, I can put the black plexiglass back in place along with all the new lights, flashes, diffusers and other stuff I've pieced together and do gloomy weather stuff indoors. No excuses not to shoot or experiment.

This is my collection of work from January 1. I have two keepers in this lot, but only one which will hang on the wall and even then as a Palladium print from a digital negative I will create. My art serves two masters in my pithy little brain: film and digital...what to do, what to do.



The print in the upper left, I really like as I do the duck and the pinetree needles. I could possibly even make the bottom right birds a keeper with a bit more work.

[Letrow]

I am giving this a try. I like the idea of one a week. What I notice is that with the weather being what it is over here (lots of rain and dreary days) and the lack of adequate (natural) light I tend to shoot a lot less in the winter period.
This project will keep me more involved during the period that flowers and insects seem to have disappeared.

[Dave Humphries]

PM received from Bill;

Not sure if anyone has thrown this idea out there, and I know in the past that suggestions to start new thread category areas on the forums has been refuted (and with very clear and understandable reasoning each time), but I figured I would toss this idea out there...

I was wondering what you thought of a 'Special Projects' category added to the forums. Kind of like the same level as the Mini Comps and such. That way it might be easier to track all of those kinds of things. It could either be setup like this:

- Special Projects
-- Project 52 by ABC
-- Project 52 by CDE

or like this:

- Special Projects
-- Project 52
-- Project 52 by ABC
-- Project 52 by CDE

It is just a thought, so if it isn't a good one, don't hesitate to say so.

I am planning on joining in on the Project 52 thing here soon - just working on my first set of photos I will be posted to start it.

My original thought was that each member would have their own thread and that would last for the year. However, the level of interest and replies each is attracting, there is a risk they may all turn into "mega threads" that are slow to load and overly long. That said, one new thread per week would be too many and not show progression.

My current thoughts are by quarters (4 off, each 3 months) or like school terms (is that semesters in US?), so (3 off, each 4 months).