150 Projects...

I recently was browsing on Amazon.com and found this book mentioned in a review. "150 Projects To Strengthen Your Photography Skills" by John Easterby. As I am most often intrigued by these types of books I made a note to check it out of the library. Well, my library did not offer this book so instead I trekked to my local Borders store and found it one of their many shelves. I have found that most times when this happens I find the book I was looking for, flip through for a few minutes, becoming more unsatisfied as time passes I place the book back on the shelf and leave. Not this time. I sat there for about an hour skimming this book. I couldn't put it down. So I did the one thing I love doing in Borders, and I bought the book. Aside from camera manuals it has now become my photography bible.

Throughout his book John Easterby gives little projects or homework to do. I've decided to list them here because they are now going to be my photography to do list, if you will. I'm hoping that with the classes I am currently taking at NYIP and this book I can improve my skills and become a better photographer. Obviously the steps listed in the book show background info and examples which unless you have the book, frankly might make little sense to you. I should also point out that the book gives amazing feedback and knowledge on techniques that may play a part in completing one or more of these steps, it does not however just simply list these in number format and that's it. These little steps are listed throughout as little snippets.

I've decided to not specify a timeline for completing these steps. I've also decided that all my previous work will not fulfill any of these steps (with the exception of #7 & #140). I'm excited to get to work and become a better photographer.

1. Practice framing your scene (using pointer finger & thumb to create frame)
2. Use your mind as a cognitive camera
3. Do your homework
4. Shoot on a cell phone
5. Build a scrapbook
6. Compile a series of leasure images
7. Start an online photo account
8. Give your online account a professional edge
9. Don't let the camera rule you
10. Practice guessing the light meter reading
11. Practice daytime long exposure
12. Practice framing your scene (with an actual frame)
13. Practice negotiating permission
14. Involve your subjects
15. Study a model release form
16. Practice capturing human interactions
17. Try the paradoxical approach
18. The art of remaining unobserved
19. Build a makeshift studio
20. Read up on the basic studio setup
21. Create a portable studio
22. Shoot on location
23. Setup a professional shoot
24. Create fashion magazine mockups
25. Mimic the masters of the genre
26. Traditional still life
27. Create a low budget still life
28. Photograph domestic wildlife
29. Photograph wildlife at your nearest zoo or safari park
30. Small is beautiful
31. Practice field photography
32. Visit well known scenes depicted in art
33. Photograph landscapes black & white
34. Shoot a protest or demonstration
35. Look out for events and festivals
36. Photograph a local sporting event
37. Try different lighting setups
38. Reflecting light
39. Using natural light in portraiture
40. Create an interesting self-portrait
41. Set up a portable studio
42. Photograph a family member
43. Shoot an informal series of portraits
44. Research photo essays
45. Shoot a photo essay
46. Edit your photo essay
47. Write a synopsis of your photo essay
48. Shoot your new photo essay
49. Write a list of basic equipment
50. Clean all your equipment
51. Look into equipment rental
52. Make a backup of your pictures
53. Practice using your cable release
54. Create a panoramic photograph
55. Practice shooting in square format
56. The "desert island" lens game
57. Learn about lenses
58. Explore color temperature
59. Daylight and color
60. Learn from advertising
61. Use a polarizing filter
62. Take your camera night clubbing
63. Experiment with different color filters
64. Customize the white balance
65. Look for a scene with a single hue
66. Playing with white balance presets
67. Shooting film noir
68. Use a bounce card for better flash control
69. Flash and portraiture
70. Practice outdoor fill flash
71. Compare light situations
72. Experiment with flash and daylight
73. Experiment with flash and angles
74. Learning to see in black & white
75. Research great black & white photography
76. Shoot a series with tonal variation
77. Explore Ansel Adams' zone system
78. Shoot a historical photograph
79. Practice shooting in black & white with a red filter
80. Shoot with long exposures
81. Capture ambient city light
82. Shoot landscapes by moonlight
83. Practice capture fireworks
84. Explore different papers and finishes
85. Calibrate your monitor
86. The beauty of work prints
87. Explore Photoshops creative features
88. Tape up your screen
89. Catalog and index your files
90. Store your images online
91. Storing files
92. Practice color correction
93. Practice exposure and contrast control
94. Same subject, different lens
95. Understanding depth of field
96. Depth of field in portraiture
97. Practice with your 35mm lens
98. Shoot in the golden hour
99. Use shadows for dramatic effect
100. Explore the early morning light
101. Portraiture on an overcast day
102. Practice using silhoutte and shadow
103. Same place, different time
104. Experiment shooting with strong artificial lights
105. Be creative with available lighting
106. Test the compositional theories
107. Adding depth
108. Test the compositional theories (using frosted overlay or Photoshop)
109. Reproduce the chiaroscuro effect
110. Find the best vantage point
111. Explore perspective
112. Conveying contrast
113. Harmony and balance
114. Frame within a frame
115. Practice looking for the moment in everyday life
116. Turn the other way
117. Search for the peak opportunity
118. Explore relationships between two people
119. Photograph a relationship with power balance
120. Observe negative interactions
121. Think about emotions
122. Capture a primary emotion
123. Express your own emotions as photographer
124. Photograph a white-collar worker
125. Photograph a blue-collar worker
126. Photograph an outdoor worker
127. Generate a concept for a series
128. Know what's going on
129. Start an ideas book
130. Find out what the market wants
131. Be a collaborator
132. Create a multimedia piece
133. Customize your internet home page
134. Reedit your work
135. Make work prints
136. Practice identifying the end shot in a series
137. Source archive "establishing shots"
138. Familiarize yourself with Photo Mechanic
139. Reasearch existing blogs
140. Start your own blog
141. Send your blog link on for feedback
142. Visit college open houses
143. Research college courses
144. Research college alumni
145. Prepare for your interview
146. Pre-interview techniques
147. Be positive at interview
148. Make a plan, and action it
149. Build up your work experience
150. Lay your career foundations