Projects

I was thinking today about how really difficult it is to complete a project. When I look back over the last year or two, I realize how few projects I have actually completed.  And even those projects continue to take time to try and get them in front of an audience that would be interested in seeing them.  But, yet, there is something satisfying in the completion of a project, even if the efforts to market it go on. I think one of the reasons that projects are so difficult to complete, at least for me, is because of the part that occurs after the picture taking and post-processing (though that is difficult enough).  I am talking about the part that 'packages' it all.  Does the project get presented as an e-book, a self published book Blurb style......or both?  Should it get packaged as a group of photographs in a stand alone folio?  Should an attempt be made to submit it somewhere as a 'wall art' presentation, matted and framed?  Can a portion of it be written up and submitted as a magazine article?  Clearly some projects can be presented using multiple options from the list above.

The reason I personally find this portion of project completion so difficult is that it involves learning (to some degree) software that I am not familiar with and would not normally be using for other reasons.  This includes InDesign, Acrobat Pro, and any software that the self-publishing companies utilize, etc.  And, while one doesn't need to become an expert with any of the software, you do need to learn how to use it well enough to get professional appearing results, lest you degrade the appearance of the whole project.  And if a wall art presentation is in the works.....well, I find nothing more time consuming and boring than doing my own matting and framing (which you pretty much have to do if you want the cost to remain reasonable).

So, now that it is almost New Year's resolution time, I think that one of my goals this year will be to try to complete some project(s).  I have a few new ones in mind and some ideas for other things to do with some of the completed ones.  These include a project on the 528 boat ramp where I frequently photograph with my friends, black and white flowers, possibly doing a blurb book on my Carrie Furnace project and one or two others.  I don't want to bite off more than I can chew, and so I would be quite happy to complete just two of the above during the year.

We shall see what happens!