100 days of black & white

100 Days of Black & White: Day 100 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #091-100

Photography

I made it!

And I did it in the 12-14 days I said I would! (This roundup is happening about a week late, because the last week has been a bit of a mess.)

I am really happy about how this project turned out. When I finished my 365 project, I was struck by how much my photography had improved over the course of the year and the project. This 100-day project has been a concentrated version of that same experience: a shorter project, with specific constraints, has improved my work even more.

Obviously, I’m going to start another project. I’m in the process of figuring out what that’s going to be right now (though I’m always looking for new possibilities! If you have a suggestion—or especially a project that you’ve enjoyed in the past—let me know in the comments), and I’ll be starting as soon as possible.

100 Days of Black & White: Day 84 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #081-090

Photography

Ten days to go!

Or, knowing me and the way I’ve approached this project, probably closer to 12-14 days to go! (Remember when I said this project was going to end on 9 June? And that I’d use a real camera more than my phone? Good times.)

That said: I have started carrying a real camera more often, this last week or so. And I am incredibly happy with these photos. (Most of them, anyway.) I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do after I wrap this project (as always: I welcome your suggestions! Leave a comment if you’ve got any ideas for me), but I know I want to keep going with black and white. I’ve fallen in love with it (again) in the past few months, and I’m not ready to go back to colour full-time.

100 Days of Black & White: Day 74 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #071-080

Photography

I’m a little bit late with this roundup. And I was a little bit (but not quite as) late getting through this particular group of ten photos. (Between the heatwave and whatever I did to my back—which does seem to be better now—I spent a couple of days not doing much at all except hiding from the outdoors. And that doesn’t lend itself to interesting photos.)

I’m still not sure what my next project is going to be. If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments!

100 Days of Black & White: Day 70 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #061-070

Photography

I’m still missing a day here and there, but that’s fine. I haven’t let the project stall again, so I’m happy.

I’m also starting to think about what comes after I hit Day 100. I’ve established that I need some kind of project like this to keep me motivated. And, like last year’s 365 Project, I really love what this project has been doing for my photography in general. I kind of don’t want to go back to mostly-colour work; I’m having too much fun exploring black & white, and I don’t think I’m finished with it.

So… I’m not sure. I’ve got thirty days (or a little more than thirty days, probably) to think about it. I’ll come up with something interesting.

100 Days of Black & White: Day 54 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #051-060

Photography

I’m honestly starting to freak myself out with this. Just a little.

I’ve managed to stay (mostly) on schedule for more than one week in a row!

And, yeah, there are a couple (or four) photos in this particular group that I’m not really happy with. And, despite my best intentions when I began this project (and I had so many good intentions when I began this project), I’ve been relying on my phone for an awful lot of these photos. (And I’m starting to feel the limitations of my current phone, when it comes to photography.)

But this batch of photos also contains one of the very best photos I’ve taken… possibly ever.

I can live with that.

100 Days of Black & White: Day 47 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #041-050

Photography

I’m not a superstitious person.

At the same time, I’m really reluctant to talk about how well this project is going. I feel like if I do, if I talk about how I’m finding a rhythm, I’ll jinx it.

But I’m not a superstitious person, and this project is starting to go really well. Not every single day, but on the days when it does go well, it’s kind of amazing. I’m happy with this project specifically, and I’m thrilled with my photography in general lately.

100 Days of Black & White: Day 37 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #031-040

Photography

This is what happened: I thought I was done putting too much pressure on myself with this project. And then I missed a day (lack of inspiration, or motivation, or something else… I can’t remember at this point), and then two days, and then I started feeling anxious about how the project had stalled….

Anyway!

I’m working on it again. I’m going to try very hard to stay on track for the next two months.

100 Days of Black & White: Day 13 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #011-020

Photography

Ok, so: I’m not going to try to take a photo every. single. day. That was the original plan, but this past week (and a half) reminded me how much that kind of pressure stresses me out and makes me resent the entire process.

I’m still going to take one hundred photos, in as reasonable a time frame as I can manage. That’s enough.

 

100 Days of Black & White: Day 2 | Reghan Skerry

100 Days of Black & White: #001-010

Photography

I might have freaked out—just a little—when it came time to actually start this project.

It shouldn’t have been so intimidating. It had only been two months of downtime—hardly any time at all. But that first day was terrifying. Partly because it was the first of March, and this week has been kind of terrible as far as weather (and light) goes, but partly just because… because. I didn’t feel remotely ready.

But once I got over that initial hurdle, things picked up almost immediately. Like last year’s 365 project, I’ve been phoning it in some days, but my good photos this week have been good. I’m really happy with how it’s going so far.