365 days, 52 weeks, thousands of moments.

A year ago I sat on my couch surrounded by the remanence of Christmas feeling a bit lost. Frustrated that my photography business wasn’t growing at the pace I wanted it to. Lost in the world of social media management for businesses. Feeling the urge to bring more creativity to my life. More expression. More depth.

I knew from the photography classes I had taken and the countless blogs I had read that practice was the only way I would improve. Improve my skills, improve my focus, improve my craft. I was at a point where I was ready to give real focus and attention to the art of portrait photography even if I didn’t have a long list of clients knocking down my door.

I started reading more about how to enhance my craft while also sharing my images. I stumbled across the 365-day photography challenge. A photo for every day. I was blown away by the idea – and secretly terrified. I had two young children, a full-time corporate job, and a new photography business. How could I take and edit a meaningful image every single day? How could I find growth in the stress of a self-imposed deadline?

Honest answer, I couldn’t! It was too much. I knew that I would likely start the project and quickly let it go just like most of my new year’s resolutions. A twelve-month challenge seemed too basic. Like I wasn’t pushing myself enough. Then, I found a list of 52 topics for 52 weeks. The idea of a 52-week challenge resonated with me. 52 images...a year of images week by week. I rolled the idea around in my head and talked about it non-stop to my husband. It just clicked (photography pun). 52 weeks, 52 images – I could do this! So, with some reluctance, I started.

When I finally gave myself permission to jump into such an exciting project, I was already behind. And, I put it off even further because my first photo topic was a self-portrait. Scary! I spent an entire nap-time one afternoon trying to take cute Instagram worthy pictures of myself. I hated them all. The panic set in quickly – I wasn’t even one week into the challenge and I was already struggling. So, in a last-ditch effort, I snapped a picture of myself in my front hall mirror. To many, the image likely looks basic, dark, and boring. To me, it shows fear, perseverance, and determination.

Learnings

‘Just do it’ became my motto for the rest of the challenge. Just try it. Learn through action. I realized, rather slowly, through the weeks that I had many of the tools I needed. An eye for light, color, and emotion. The ability to edit an image to enhance it without overdoing it. And, the ability to delete truly horrible images off my memory card!

What I had been missing was the push to try something new. To live outside my comfort zone. My 52 topics included more than just portrait work. It included flat lays, culinary images, micro images, and macro images. The list included topics that were posed and some things that I just had to be ready for. My camera became a staple in our living room. It was always close by. And when it wasn’t, you’d likely see me sprinting for it seemingly out of the blue.

So what have I learned:

- I confirmed that portrait photography is where my heart lives. Taking pictures of beautiful meals, houses, or landscapes just is not my jam. Thank goodness someone likes photographing those things!

- Snap less, focus more – When I first started I was worried I’d miss an image so I hit that shutter button as fast and as often as possible. I still occasionally do that, but I’ve learned to pause, focus, and steady myself. The right image comes and you only need one click to get it. You just have to be ready.

- My family is beautiful! That seems so silly to say when talking about a photography challenge. But, my family was often the subject of my photos. So, I was able to pause regularly and reflect on a special moment, a funny story, or beauty in the ordinary.

I learned so many things from this challenge, but these 52 weeks reminded me that it isn’t about how fancy the camera is or how many beautiful props you have – portrait photography, is about capturing the moment. The exact feeling or stage people are in. If you’ve had a session with me recently, you may have even heard me say this. A toddler who doesn’t want to smile or a teenager who is just done hugging their sibling. These are stages of life that can supply really beautiful photos while also portraying the reality of life. Capturing those sweet moments that (when we least expect it) defines our lives.

Discomfort

I was uncomfortable 90% of this challenge. I always had in the back of my mind the subject for the week. It would weigh heavy on my heart if by Sunday I still had not snapped the right photo. Or, even a single photo. There were weeks where I would capture several weeks’ worth of photos easily. And, there were weeks that I skipped altogether. Yes, there are still a few subjects I just didn’t do. 5 pm for example. I mean...does anyone really care what my dashboard looks like?

There were days that I would post an image that spoke volumes to me, but it would not get a single social media reaction. And then there were images that felt very blah that had all kinds of feedback. I regularly questioned if I should be sharing so many images of my children and life. Or if I should be getting so personal.

I lived on the edge of discomfort and found that it pushed me. Pushed me to try again, to understand what brought on strong reactions, and to balance out my feelings on social media.

Next

With the close of the year comes the close of my 52-week challenge. Looking back at the 365 days, 52 (ish) images, and thousands of memories I can’t help but smile. I’m proud of how this crazy project has turned out. Proud of how I’ve grown my skill, my craft. But most of all, I’m proud that I stuck it out. Sharing the good and the bad along the way.

Now, I sit on my couch with the explosion of Christmas all around and ponder what’s next. I’m not sure if I’ll take on another 52-week challenge. Instead, I’m hoping to focus on growing my business because I confirmed that I really love sharing these sweet moments in the lives of others. Graduations, babies, engagements, families...you name it, I want to photograph it! I’m excited to be booking sessions into the new year! So, if you know anyone having a major life milestone or just wanting to capture their every day – I’m their girl!

I’ll leave you with this...my last challenge, my 52nd week...a photo of me at the end. This might look a bit familiar. Now, instead of seeing a basic, dark, or even boring image I hope that you see a strong woman, an entrepreneur, a wife, a mom, a photographer.

Did you miss following along with my 52-week challenge? Check out my Facebook and Instagram pages @jbryantphotos to see all the images. Or, #jbryantphotos52weeks.