I've been quietly waiting for someone to give me the assignment: "Photograph the places you’ve already forgotten."
Old neighborhoods, abandoned corners of my hometown, places I once passed every day but never really saw. I’ve always thought someone else would prompt me to go back and document them as if I needed permission. But I’m realizing I could just start. Quiet streets, faded paint, all the small ghosts of memory. A personal archive of the overlooked.
Love this and needed this (gentle yet loud) reminder!!! My project is interviewing the elders around me and documenting photos, recipes, and anything else they're willing to share from their personal archive. I've been wanting to start this for a long time but getting out of my head has been hard. Thank you for the push.
Less of something that I was waiting for someone to give me permission and more just doing the dang thing that I said I wanted to do. That thing is I started a film photography club and I’m planning our first photo walk to happen by the end of the month. I’m super excited.
One of my longest (and silliest) dream photo projects is making photographs on and around Maine’s smallest mountains. I found a list of all of the mountains in Maine and I was fascinated by the ones at the bottom of the list. Bigger than a hill but barely a mountain. I’ve been waiting for “permission” to do this project because I would literally need permission to access most of them because many don’t have public access or trails and I would need to be on private property to visit them.
that's such a fun and funny concept. And hard to shoot! I like this idea A LOT. I bet most folks would be happy to give your permission if approached in the right way.
Reading your post feels like confirmation that I’m heading in the right direction. I took an unexpected break from photography for a few months. During this break, I realized that I love to tell stories and that I really enjoy when my shots feel like they came out of a movie. I gave myself some prompts to follow for the next 4 weeks to help develop my style and to build momentum just like you mentioned. After I’ve completed my prompts, I am planning on using songs as my reference. I want to create photos that are inspired by their messages.
I’ve shot portraits of people, and I really enjoy it, but there’s something so special about bringing this vision to life. Thank you for the opportunity to share 🌸
Hi Wesley and cheers from Poland! My project doesn't have a title, but work has started. I'm photographing people doing all sort of sports in the city landscape. It's keeping me busy and with a purpose when I travel for work and have some time on my hands. I love to do sports myself so I'm always looking for busy-sporty areas to photograph. I see it in a zine once I have 20+ pictures taken in different places that I'm happy with :)
I've been trying to build up the courage to take portraits of the people in my neighborhood. We have such an interesting, diverse group of people and businesses, and it needs to be preserved and shared. I just need to start!
Please, please, please START Zach. I know this feeling and I know how much fun you will have doing this and how much it will be appreciated not only as you do it but also for long after, by the people and their families and communities.
Waiting can feel safe, but in that safety, time slips away and the spark starts to fade. The longer I wait for permission, the quieter my voice gets. I’ve learned (sometimes through frustration) that the spark often shows up once I’ve already begun, and most especially when I least expect it. That’s why I’m starting a new project this week, which I’m very much excited to share with everyone! I couldn’t wait any longer. It’s time.
Don't wait...my approach completely. Just start doing and making stuff. You have to make things happen for yourself. A wise lesson I learned years ago. Thanks for sharing.
I started a long term project photographing the Dutch coast (500km). No one asked for that but I just wanted to do this.
I wanted to share this today because thanks to one of your previous newsletter that was about giving yourself the jobs you want to have later, I started hotel photography that was always a dream of mine.
I paid to be in places I wanted to shoot, someone noticed me and gave me my first collaboration. Opened the door to many other collaborations that allowed me to create a portfolio. 6 months later (last week actually), I was contacted for 2 paid contracts for the first time. I wanted to thank you for empowering us to start :)
I’ve been wanting for some lifestyle projects to be assigned to me, they never really came my way but instead I started photographing my own life and everything in between and little by little it’s turning into a thing!
I’ve been thinking about starting a project that focuses on photographing the objects people carry with them every day: keys, notebooks, charms, worn wallets, crumpled receipts - the small, overlooked things that tell stories about who we are. I’ve always thought it would be fascinating to document these items alongside simple portraits, creating a visual narrative about identity, memory, and the quiet details of daily life.
Oh yea brilliant idea, not only because it’s interesting but also because there is a MASSIVE community online around the concept EDC (every day carry).
I've been taking photos of handmade street signs, especially the "no stopping" ones. Usually displayed in front of garages. It's a very common culture here in Brazil and the interesting thing is the different styles and approaches haha
I’ve always thought a publication or gallery might ask me to explore the invisible architecture of loneliness. Things like empty chairs, unmade beds, half-eaten meals, spaces where absence feels louder than presence.
I've been quietly waiting for someone to give me the assignment: "Photograph the places you’ve already forgotten."
Old neighborhoods, abandoned corners of my hometown, places I once passed every day but never really saw. I’ve always thought someone else would prompt me to go back and document them as if I needed permission. But I’m realizing I could just start. Quiet streets, faded paint, all the small ghosts of memory. A personal archive of the overlooked.
I hope you start Jie, that sounds like a meaningful project! Thank you for sharing.
Love this and needed this (gentle yet loud) reminder!!! My project is interviewing the elders around me and documenting photos, recipes, and anything else they're willing to share from their personal archive. I've been wanting to start this for a long time but getting out of my head has been hard. Thank you for the push.
You can do it! Just start :) That sounds like a SUPER cool project. Let us all know how it goes :)
Less of something that I was waiting for someone to give me permission and more just doing the dang thing that I said I wanted to do. That thing is I started a film photography club and I’m planning our first photo walk to happen by the end of the month. I’m super excited.
oh snap! that is awesome, in which city? Let folks know here in the comments, maybe there are others where you are.
In Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
One of my longest (and silliest) dream photo projects is making photographs on and around Maine’s smallest mountains. I found a list of all of the mountains in Maine and I was fascinated by the ones at the bottom of the list. Bigger than a hill but barely a mountain. I’ve been waiting for “permission” to do this project because I would literally need permission to access most of them because many don’t have public access or trails and I would need to be on private property to visit them.
that's such a fun and funny concept. And hard to shoot! I like this idea A LOT. I bet most folks would be happy to give your permission if approached in the right way.
Reading your post feels like confirmation that I’m heading in the right direction. I took an unexpected break from photography for a few months. During this break, I realized that I love to tell stories and that I really enjoy when my shots feel like they came out of a movie. I gave myself some prompts to follow for the next 4 weeks to help develop my style and to build momentum just like you mentioned. After I’ve completed my prompts, I am planning on using songs as my reference. I want to create photos that are inspired by their messages.
I’ve shot portraits of people, and I really enjoy it, but there’s something so special about bringing this vision to life. Thank you for the opportunity to share 🌸
That is very, very cool Jailene. And I love the moviescene/song notion about it too. Go you! Thank YOU for sharing!
Hi Wesley and cheers from Poland! My project doesn't have a title, but work has started. I'm photographing people doing all sort of sports in the city landscape. It's keeping me busy and with a purpose when I travel for work and have some time on my hands. I love to do sports myself so I'm always looking for busy-sporty areas to photograph. I see it in a zine once I have 20+ pictures taken in different places that I'm happy with :)
I dig that! Cheering you on from the other side of the EU!
To be honest, I am leaving a comment here for give away.
HAHAHA yoooooo
I've been trying to build up the courage to take portraits of the people in my neighborhood. We have such an interesting, diverse group of people and businesses, and it needs to be preserved and shared. I just need to start!
Please, please, please START Zach. I know this feeling and I know how much fun you will have doing this and how much it will be appreciated not only as you do it but also for long after, by the people and their families and communities.
Waiting can feel safe, but in that safety, time slips away and the spark starts to fade. The longer I wait for permission, the quieter my voice gets. I’ve learned (sometimes through frustration) that the spark often shows up once I’ve already begun, and most especially when I least expect it. That’s why I’m starting a new project this week, which I’m very much excited to share with everyone! I couldn’t wait any longer. It’s time.
Awesome!!!
Been waiting to get commissioned for shooting musician portraits… maybe I need to get out and collaborate and create that work for free!
Do ittttt
Don't wait...my approach completely. Just start doing and making stuff. You have to make things happen for yourself. A wise lesson I learned years ago. Thanks for sharing.
I started a long term project photographing the Dutch coast (500km). No one asked for that but I just wanted to do this.
super cool Janko!
I wanted to share this today because thanks to one of your previous newsletter that was about giving yourself the jobs you want to have later, I started hotel photography that was always a dream of mine.
I paid to be in places I wanted to shoot, someone noticed me and gave me my first collaboration. Opened the door to many other collaborations that allowed me to create a portfolio. 6 months later (last week actually), I was contacted for 2 paid contracts for the first time. I wanted to thank you for empowering us to start :)
AMAZING!!! Congrats on the hard work and what it led to!
I’ve been wanting for some lifestyle projects to be assigned to me, they never really came my way but instead I started photographing my own life and everything in between and little by little it’s turning into a thing!
Congrats on that leap Johnny! Step by step is the way.
I’ve been thinking about starting a project that focuses on photographing the objects people carry with them every day: keys, notebooks, charms, worn wallets, crumpled receipts - the small, overlooked things that tell stories about who we are. I’ve always thought it would be fascinating to document these items alongside simple portraits, creating a visual narrative about identity, memory, and the quiet details of daily life.
Oh yea brilliant idea, not only because it’s interesting but also because there is a MASSIVE community online around the concept EDC (every day carry).
I've been taking photos of handmade street signs, especially the "no stopping" ones. Usually displayed in front of garages. It's a very common culture here in Brazil and the interesting thing is the different styles and approaches haha
love hand-painted signs! great idea Henrique!
I’ve always thought a publication or gallery might ask me to explore the invisible architecture of loneliness. Things like empty chairs, unmade beds, half-eaten meals, spaces where absence feels louder than presence.
Just start and do it yourself :)