How to Survive… March

Another month in the bag? Well done!
However, ready for the bad news?, this is one of the hardest months. I think most people tend to give up between February and May. I would assume the reason is because the dark, damp, miserable weather starts to feel like it will never end; and the sheer enormity of the undertaking properly hits you.

Positives of March

Spring flowers start to pop up. Use this to your advantage! Dip into your next doors garden if you don’t have nay of your own 😉 (Assuming you get on), or go to your local ‘Botanical garden’ if your city has one, or cheat and get to a garden centre!
The weather starts to improve. Hurray!
The light is defiantly getting there. Double hurray!
Easter(?). OK so this year Easter is in April, but some years you have Easter to break March up too!

Negatives of March

The weather. Normally spring is a bit showery, so make sure you take a brolly out with you.
December is still a million miles away. It’s closer than it was this time last month, but it is still 3/4 of a year away. Focus and self dicipline are key, because the novelty of the project will well and truly have worn off

How to survive March

Focus. The novelty of pretty much everything to do with the project will probably have worn off, or be starting to ware off. This is where those who had a reason for starting the project (Eg. Improving their photography) need to remind themselves of that every day. What do you want to achieve? Will you get there if you give up? No, of course you wont. If need to bribe or reward yourself for each shot you do. Will power is key.
Get one in the bag. Remember those ‘banker’ shots? Keep at them, you never know when one will save your bacon.
Don’t be afraid to document your life. I know for me, the project was (and still is) about improving my skills, so I feel like I am cheating when I take a documentary shot. However, when you look back on the project at the end of the year when you are done (;-)) these shots will have meaning rather than just snapping anything for the sake of it. No matter how small, if it’s an achievement get it in the project!
Relationships – keep commenting! If you’re starting to get a bit fed up of shooting then interacting with others about it can be just another thing to make you feel overwhelmed. It’s OK to just comment on a few peoples rather than going crazy. Remember that others will probably be feeling the same as you, so that comment which took you all of 10 seconds might just be the boost they need. If you never managed to build up relationships for whatever reason, show them to friends and family members – other people being interested in your shots should motivate you.
Buy back up props. Flowers are good things to have in (Plus, you get bonus points if you say they are a present for your significant other!), as are unusual fruits (One of your five a day when you’re done with them)
Look for inspiration. Get on Google and search for places near you that you can visit, look at the work of other photographers and get inspired by the great work out there. By no means am I suggesting that you just copy other peoples work, but it might give you an idea, or just motivate you to stick at it so that you improve