Week 51: ME & The Holidays OR ME: Looking Forward
Since there are only 2 weeks left in the project for this year, and I already know what I want the last theme to be, I'm giving you a choice this week. You can capture a self portrait about your holidays, or you can capture one that explores your hopes/goals/feelings going into 2017.
One thing I really want to stress to you is if you are spending time with family for the holidays, make the effort to get in the frame with them! Capture one with everyone smiling sweetly at the camera, but also capture some when people aren't looking. Capture the joy, the laughter, the craziness, all the little things that make your family so special. Remember that the greatest gifts we can give to others are the things that are free... the gift of our time, our appreciation, our love.
**For those of you who don't know yet, this round of "The ME Project" is coming to a close very soon. I have loved running this project and I have to admit that like a lot of the members, I've become a bit addicted to self portrait photography and don't want to give it up. I felt like I really wanted to attempt a different Project 52 in 2017, though, so I decided to do both. (All you current members of The ME Project, nothing would make me happier than to continue to learn and grow with you in 2017!)
Starting January 1, 2017 a monthly version of The ME Project will begin. There will still be themes given, but on a monthly basis, rather than weekly. Members will be able to post 1-4 self portraits based on the theme each month.
The new project is called the Thankful Heart Project. It is a Project 52 that has 2 parts. You can do just one part or both. One part is to take a photo each week of something, or someone that you are thankful for, based on the theme. Part two is to write a short thank you note to someone in your life and take a photo of it to document it. Like this year, with The ME Project, I believe the Thankful Heart Project will be just as life changing. It will help us to focus on the good in people and in our lives.
As much as I have enjoyed running The ME Project this year, it was work. I put my heart and soul into it, which is what I plan to continue doing, but I realized that due to the amount of time and work that I needed to start charging a small fee. It will be $5 a month, or you can make a one time payment of $50/year, to join Club Shutterbug, which will be the home of both projects, plus a whole lot more. So if you are a female photographer and have been thinking that you should do a photography project in 2017, please consider joining. Go to www.clubshutterbug.com to find out more and join a sweet, supportive, and talented group of women who will be learning, growing, and supporting each other in 2017. Please let your other photography friends know about it, and follow along on FB, Instagram, and Pinterest. **