2023: My Year in 52Frames

Since May of 2015, my mom has texted me every Sunday night two words..."52 Frames??" She knows I've submitted a photo every week for the past 8 years to this special project and if I missed a week after all this time, I'd be devastated.

52Frames is a weekly photo challenge meant to foster creativity and hone photography skills. I started submitting to the project shortly after I started my business, when I realized a few months in that I had stopped creating artwork for myself entirely. Every ounce of my creative energy was being spent on my clients and I had nothing left for my own personal work. If it went on much longer, I was going to burn out on photography. I came across this group and it gave me a way to force myself to be creative at least once a week, so I would never fall into that rut again.

At least once every single week I grab my camera to shoot the weekly challenge. Sometimes it's well thought out, sometimes it's rushed at the last second on Sunday night (often after my mom texts me), but for the last 8 years I've committed to shooting something for the sheer love of the art of photography. Some weeks can be incredibly challenging (especially "portrait of a stranger" week), but it's always rewarding. It's made me a better photographer. It's made me friends, both in person and online. I love it so much, I've even become a patron of the project, and I volunteer on the Whittling Committee and run their Pinterest account. 

This year I put together a collage of all 52 of my photographs I took for the project in 2023. If you want to see any of them larger or read the stories behind them, you can check out my 52Frames profile. And if you're starting your photography journey, or want a way to stay creative with your camera, the new year is a great time to start. Join us!