What is 365?

Over the last couple of years, I have found myself fascinated by cameras and the art that is photography. But, while I have played around with a couple of cameras, I have never really had a camera of my own that I can experiment with. Sure, I have had my little digitals, the point and shoots that take decent shots, but it never seemed worthwhile to learn the intricate details of the craft while I was working with them. And then my boyfriend and I decided that it was time for a change. He wanted to do some astral photography, I wanted to learn more. Together we decided to invest in something more worthy of our time and patience, something that required more effort to perfect. And so we bought our baby - a Canon 550D (also known as Canon Kiss x4 in Japan and Canon T2i in America.)

Since buying the camera, I have taken a number of photographs and have started following a number of photography blogs, wanting to learn how to use the camera to it's full ability. I have been studying hard, but there is a saying that I feel is very appropriate in my situation - practice makes perfect! And I want to practice. I want to be comfortable with using my camera on a daily basis and I want to be comfortable with using the techniques I have been reading about. I am never going to learn unless I try it out for myself. So I am starting a project that has been inspired by Ashley Harding, a friend that I made here, and encouraged by Bryan Killay, another "Korean" friend. That project is 365.

This blog will document my first year with my camera (well, my first year and a month since I am starting this a little late) with a photo taken of a different subject every day and, hopefully, using various techniques. The photos on here might not always be taken with my baby, since it is not particularly safe to take her on rafting trips and the like, but in those cases I will not relent - photographs will be taken instead with my other less favourite child (yes, I choose favourites!): my Fujifilm Finepix Z37. The first photograph will be uploaded on August 28, 2010 and the last (for this blog) will be on August 28, 2011.

I have misgivings about the project, of course. I do not want this to be something that I start and never finish. But I think that my desire to learn and the encouragement that I have already been receiving from friends will pull me through. Wish me luck, and come back on Saturday for the first picture!