A Year in Photos

My resolution in 2012 was to do Photo365.

I started a little before January 1, 2012 and took at least one photo nearly every day for the entire year. I know I did miss a handful of days (likely about 5, without going back to confirm), but many days I took more than one photo, resulting in 688 posts to the blog

Most of the photos were taken in and around DC, although there are also photos from New Orleans, rural Virginia, the Philadelphia area, the Jersey shore, rural Maryland, Indianapolis, Omaha, St. Louis, San Diego, Kansas City, Portland, Fort Lauderdale, Dallas, etc.

I tried not to take pictures of myself (two, neither of my face) or people in general (very few), my meals (although there are food photos), or my cat (less successful there).

So what did I learn?

I’m not much better as a photographer. But that wasn’t really the point. If it had been, I wouldn’t have been taking all the photos with the camera on my iPhone.

The point was to be the see-er, not the seen, and to document the world around me.

What I mostly learned was to notice things. A pretty flower. An interesting line. A great shadow. Beautiful light. Scenes from my neighborhood. The passage of time. Outlaw art. Big things. Small things. A fallen leaf. Great architecture. Stunning gardens. A funky tree. A bee. A spider. Holiday decorations. Funny signs. Sunsets. Clouds. House projects in process (everyone takes pictures when they’re done). Snow. Hurricanes. Birds. Doors. Interesting things on walls and sidewalks and streets.

Mostly, it made me SLOW DOWN and PAY ATTENTION.

What will you do to remind yourself to SEE in 2013?