'Sounders' 16 March 2016, 10:13 - 1/200, f/8, ISO-200 What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Hiking on Diana's Peak, St Helena with the crew off yacht, Totem.

‘Sounders’
16 March 2016, 10:13 – 1/200, f/8, ISO-200
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Hiking on Diana’s Peak, St Helena with the crew off yacht, Totem.

PROJECT 366, THE FIRST 100 DAYS | Darrin Henry

It’s a bit like playing fetch with a young Border Collie; no matter how often or how far you throw the ball the dog will drop it back at your feet in a flash, demanding more. That’s how it feels shooting our first Photography Project 366 – it has its playful moments but there’s a pressure we hadn’t expected.

What Is A Photography Project 366

It might sound like the easiest thing to do, a Project 365 (or Photography Project 366 in a leap year), which means taking one (interesting) picture for each day of the whole year.

'Lost' 21 Jan 2016, 17:40 - 1/80, f/11, ISO-400 What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Abandoned toy car on the wall near Longwood House, St Helena.

‘Lost’
21 Jan 2016, 17:40 – 1/80, f/11, ISO-400
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Abandoned toy car on the wall near Longwood House, St Helena, photographed on Day 21.

 

Photography Project 366 - An abandoned toy car we found on the wall outside Longwood House helped turn a grey, overcast afternoon into a productive trip with the camera.

Photography Project 366 – Day 21, An abandoned toy car we found on the wall outside Longwood House helped turn a grey, overcast afternoon into a productive trip with the camera.

 

Day 1 was a doddle; we were raring to start. After seeing out 2015 on the town the night before, New Year’s Day pancakes was an easy and tempting way to get 2016 started – in more ways than one!

But on the second day, with grey, miserable skies outside and football on TV, the reality of the project began to kick in. Luckily a spider’s web that had caught the raindrops out on the balcony came to our rescue.

One Picture Every Day For 2016

Amazingly we’ve now completed the first 100 days, a milestone achieved on 9 April.

I get cold sweats from the possibility we might simply forget one day to take a picture. It would ruin the whole project, but it’s so easy to do. Sharon carries her smart phone everywhere (even though we aren’t connected to the mobile network) making use of the excellent built in camera. I have a new appreciation for camera phones and mobile photography.

Making good use of camera phones with our Photography Project 366, capturing 2016.

Making good use of mobile photography with our Photography Project 366, capturing 2016.

 

Photography Project 366 - Day 59. Camera phones come into their own as a low profile accessory to capture impromtu, candid moments. The tip with these cameras is to shoot wide-angle, choose well lit scenes and hold the phone very steady.

Photography Project 366 – Day 59. Camera phones come into their own as a low profile accessory to capture impromtu, candid moments. The tip with these cameras is to shoot wide-angle, choose well lit scenes and hold the phone very steady.

 

'Mobile' 13 Feb 2016, 14:58 - 1/640, f/3.3, ISO-100 What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Kids swimming off the Jamestown wharf steps on St Helena.

‘Mobile’
13 Feb 2016, 14:58 – 1/640, f/3.3, ISO-100 – Panasonic Lumix FT5
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Kids swimming off the Jamestown wharf steps on St Helena.

Photography Project 366 - Day 44. We try to carry our compact with us whenever we can; its size has many advantages over the DSLR plus it's waterproof. On Day 44 by chance we found ourselves watching kids swimming off the wharf in Jamestown. It was too good a picture opportunity to miss, so I stripped down to my shorts and jumped in! Good thing we had the compact in the bag.

Photography Project 366 – Day 44. We try to carry our compact with us whenever we can; its size has many advantages over the DSLR plus it’s waterproof. On Day 44 by chance we found ourselves watching kids swimming off the wharf in Jamestown. It was too good a picture opportunity to miss, so I stripped down to my shorts and jumped in! Good thing we had the compact in the bag.

 

'Groceries' 26 Feb 2016, 12:03 - 1/1000, f/8, ISO-200 What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Pipe layer platform, 'Castoro 7' being towed past St Helena Island.

‘Groceries’
26 Feb 2016, 12:03 – 1/1000, f/8, ISO-200
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Pipe layer platform, ‘Castoro 7’ being towed past St Helena Island.

 

Photographers all over the world attempt the Photography Project 366 (or 365) challenge every year. It’s a fun exercise and I guess the level of creativity in the daily offering is up to the individual.

Theoretically you could just point the camera out the window – ‘click’ – and you’re sorted for the day. But if you enter into the spirit of the challenge and have a genuine passion for photography, then there’s a real desire to come up with something fresh and interesting each day – and that’s where we are!

Ok, Let’s Be Honest About It

Using pictures captured from a different day is not an option for us; that would be cheating.

I know some photographers do this (some openly) but it defeats the whole concept of the 366 Project (or 365) as far as I’m concerned. It’s a bit like social media accounts that fake popularity by buying Likes or Followers. I would be embarrassed to tout success that I knew to be a false.

Hopefully we won’t miss our picture a day target, but if we do we’ll post a blank ‘no image’ graphic and see out the remainder of the year.

'Number three' 25 Jan 2016, 21:41 - 1/125, f/9, ISO-200 - studio lighting What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Photoshoot with first time St Helena model, Gemma Lawrence.

‘Number three’
25 Jan 2016, 21:41 – 1/125, f/9, ISO-200 – studio lighting
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Photo shoot with first time St Helena model, Gemma Lawrence.

 

'Valencia' 30 March 2016, 11:08 - 1/60, f/7.1, ISO-800 What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Security staff training on baggage scanning machines at the brand new St Helena Airport.

‘Valencia’
30 March 2016, 11:08 – 1/60, f/7.1, ISO-800
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Security staff training on baggage scanning machines at the brand new St Helena Airport.

 

'Full flush' 12 March 2016, 18:21 to 19:02 - 1/320 to 1/25, f/8, ISO-200 What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Time-lapse photograph of High Knoll Fort on St Helena at sunset.

12 March 2016, 18:21 to 19:02 – 1/320 to 1/25, f/8, ISO-200
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Time-lapse photograph of High Knoll Fort on St Helena at sunset. This was our first attempt at this type of picture, all because of Project 366 and trying to create something different.

 

The 'shoot quickly' hour :)

The ‘shoot quickly’ hour 🙂 Creating the time-lapse photograph of High Knoll Fort on Day 72 – behind the scenes.

 

On a few occasions we don’t upload until the next day. This is often a consequence of conserving our limited internet allowance when we’re already over our daily quota. People who live in world of unlimited, high speed broadband won’t understand what I’m on about!

All that said, we’ve had it easier than most as we’re working as a team.

We’ve been using the DSLR mostly, but the camera phones and our compact have been getting a good look in. In fact, in some instances, these smaller cameras have proved a more useful option than the DSLR.

The Best Thing About A Photography Project 366

There has been another big surprise with this project, a real positive one this time; it’s improved our photographic eye! Shooting a Photography Project 366 really pushes you to look at everyday life from a fresh standpoint and we’ve both benefitted enormously from these first 100 days.

Photographing still life has not normally been my strong point. Much like wildlife photography, the tediousness conflicts with my fidgety nature! But this project has definitely improved still life photography skills for both of us over the first quarter of 2016.

'Dolly' 28 Jan 2016, 07:33 - 1/125, f/10, ISO-200 + flash What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Match being lit.

28 Jan 2016, 07:33 – 1/125, f/10, ISO-200 + flash
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Match being lit.

 

'Stand tall' 1 Feb 2016, 17:06 - 1/125, f/3.2, ISO-100 + flash What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Robertsons colourful spice bottle tops.

‘Stand tall’
1 Feb 2016, 17:06 – 1/125, f/3.2, ISO-100 + flash
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Robertsons colourful spice bottle tops.

 

Photography Project 366 - Searching for inspiration on Day 32 the spice bottle tops suddenly became an attractive subject with their vibrant mix of colours. This was the simple setup to create the shot using a little diffused, off-camera filler flash controlled with a homemade gobo. Yes, it's a cereal box!

Photography Project 366 – Searching for inspiration on Day 32 the spice bottle tops suddenly became an attractive subject with their vibrant mix of colours. This was the simple setup to create the shot using a little diffused, off-camera filler flash controlled with a homemade gobo. Yes, it’s a cereal box!

 

I’ve used the macro lens more. I spent nearly an hour striking matches and trying to capture the moment of flare. The frustration was quickly forgotten when the surging spark and curling wisp of blue smoke appeared on the camera’s LCD screen – the perfect shot for Day 28.

Guess What Happened On St Helena in 2016

The project has also become a surprise diary of the year for us. On Day 9 Sharon photographed the wet swings on Longwood Green; for those who know St Helena, this foggy, wet weather in the middle of the afternoon in January was certainly unseasonal. This project makes sure we won’t forget it.

'Navigate' 11 Jan 2016, 11:54 - 1/400, f/9, ISO-200 What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 Hokule'a voyaging canoe navigating the globe by traditional stars and sun methods only - no modern technology. Here she is calling at St Helena.

‘Navigate’
11 Jan 2016, 11:54 – 1/400, f/9, ISO-200
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
Hokule’a voyaging canoe navigating the globe by traditional stars and sun methods only – no modern technology. Here she is calling at St Helena on Day 11.

 

Hiking Diana’s Peak with the Gifford family from yacht Totem on Day 76; having a beer in Sandy Bay with a man called Sandy Bay on Day 50 and the Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe, Hokulea, visiting St Helena on Day 11 are now great memories from 2016 preserved in pictures.

So after the first 100 days that included matches, pancakes and dogs, we are now into our second, 100 days. Fingers crossed we don’t forget to click!

'Roar' 11 Feb 2016, 17:18 - 1/160, f/10, ISO-100 What The Saints Did Next - 2016 Project 366 The Dutch tall ship, Gulden Leeuw, (translates: Golden Lion) visiting St Helena with her Class Afloat students from the USA and Canada.

‘Roar’
11 Feb 2016, 17:18 – 1/160, f/10, ISO-100
What The Saints Did Next – 2016 Project 366
The Dutch tall ship, Gulden Leeuw, (translates: Golden Lion) visiting St Helena with her Class Afloat students from the USA and Canada.

 

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Project 366 - a single photo taken every day of the year for 2016 by What The Saints Did Next.

Project 366 – a single photo taken every day of the year for 2016 by What The Saints Did Next.