Photo projects help any photographer expand their capabilities by getting out of their comfort zone. It’s human nature to take the easy way out or the path of least resistance. As landscape photographers we exhibit this behavior by going out into the field when light and weather conditions are forecast to be great. We watch weather apps like Windy.com to see the predicted cloud cover, temperature and wind. We use sunset/sunrise prediction apps to get a feel for the potential for the best lighting and color conditions. All of these tools are valuable and should be utilized, however, they should NOT prevent you from heading out into the field. In my opinion defining a photography project is a great way to help break the habit of always shooting in the best conditions. To get better as a photographer you must stretch out of your comfort zone and learn to create great photos even when the conditions are not perfect. Never forget that a great photo tells a story and makes the viewer ask questions or wonder what was happening at the time. Great photos inspire thought provoking questions and intrigue on the location captured. A photography project is a great way to inspire you to get out in the field when conditions may not be the best and tell a story about your subject.

I’ve decided that my project for 2023 will encompass telling the story of various locations across the New Jersey Pine Barrens as the seasons change. The Pine Barrens have tremendous variety of flora, fauna and wildlife and all of it varies by the season. My goal in 2023 is to create a gallery of images that truly tells the story of how vast and beautiful the NJ Pine Barrens can be across each season. Please join me on this journey as I blog regularly on the details of each photography shoot and share the images I’ve taken.

I encourage everyone to define a photography project that will inspire and encourage you to get out into the field and challenge you to create provocative images!