Well, fellow photographers, here we sit at a relatively uncommon juncture. Not only is it the start of a new year, it’s the start of a new decade. And, since this January 1st happens to fall on a Wednesday, I had to take advantage. Your mission this week, should you choose to stretch your photographic wings, is to create a diptych: depict a beginning and an end, in one photo or two.
You’re welcome to interpret the idea in whatever way you might find fulfilling, of course, but my intention is not necessarily to encourage grand resolutions requiring massive lifestyle changes. If you want to create a tearful memoriam to the donuts you’re swearing off forever, that’s fine, but I think the art gets lost in the intention when you’re busy trying to change your life. For this exercise, odds are that you’ll be better served by focusing on beginnings and endings that are smaller in scale or something beyond your ability to control, so you can focus on the expression. New sprouts and dying flowers are an obvious pair, but they’re always excellent subjects.
Not only are they very cooperative models with an infinite potential for variations on color and form, many plants have meanings attached or tend to be associated with specific events, making them fertile ground for symbolic representations.
Other ideas:
- The empty bottle from last night and this morning’s restorative electrolytes.
- Your favorite accomplishment of 2019 and a special goal for 2020.
- Assuming you got one of the coolest gifts of all this year, you could weave your beginnings and endings together: A photo of your new camera using your old camera, and a photo of your old camera using your new one!
If you got that new camera from us, I hope you’re looking forward to attending your exclusive seminar and taking advantage of that Perfect Picture Pak. Thanks!
Regardless of what you come up with, I hope to see some creative results. Share your efforts on our Facebook page or on Instagram tagged #mymikescamera #halfweekhomework. Happy New Year! Here’s to a year full of growth and great pictures.