Lost your mojo? Want to learn something new? Take on a project.

Do you ever feel that you have lost your mojo for a pursuit that you love and you need a boost to rekindle your passion, or you would like to try something new?  I think it has happened to many of us.  Do you have a yearning to learn something new? Try something different? It could be the beginning of a wonderful new path in your life towards a passion you don't even realise you have yet. Be open and take a chance. And don't let me hear you say you are too old! never! 

A project can be a great way to start.  Recently our photography group ran a fun 12x12 project. The task was to photograph 12 set topics in a 12 hour period over a particular weekend.  The topics were: 

1. moving subject, with background blur

2. repetitive shape (must be edited to black and white)

3. let's eat

4. things that float

5. sports action

6. 3 (Three)

7. minimalist

8. human hand/s

9. creepy crawlies

10. closer than a metre

11. makes my heart sing

12. my most amazing photo


 

Here are my images. Some of them I just did in my garden, some took a bit of planning, like the moving subject, others just happened, like the breakfast for "let's eat" - we had planned to have breakfast in a cafe so it was easy! 

 For my most amazing photo I had a play around in my garden, rotating the camera as I clicked the shutter button. I don't know if it is amazing, but it was just a bit of fun really and I like the effect. 

I have also this year taken part in a 52x2 challenge. Regular readers to my blog might remember I completed a 365 challenge in 2014. You can see the results by clicking on "Project 365" tab at the top of my blog. At times it certainly was a challenge a times to continue and complete the project but I found that after taking photos every day for a year I found it hard it stop. 

The Western Australian Photographic Federation are running a continual 52x2 project for members. The object is to take 2 photos per week - one colour and one mono. I don't do a lot of mono photography, so I thought this might be a good way to delve into mono photography. 
By way of definition, mono is not necessarily black and white, it can be shades of one colour.  This can be achieved by changing the image to black and white and then going to the "split toning" tab in Lightroom.

I have used split toning with this agapanthus. Here is black and white, and below is split toning shades of green. 

So anyway, December is now here and I only have 4 weeks of my 52 x 2 project left. Here are my November's pics.
As you can see 2 of the images were also in my 12x12 project.

This blue one above here is  the Australian Chamber Orchestra audio-visual interactive installation currently on at the Bunbury Regional Art Galleries until 17th January. It's fabulous. There is a key pad so you can bring the different instruments in and out of the orchestral pieces. They encourage you to have a play!

Once this year is over I think I will take a break from projects....maybe...or maybe not....
These 2 photos are part of a personal project "in a jar" - placing objects into a square, round mouthed jar, and taking a photo. Here you can see daisies and drinking straws. I have put the jar on a piece of perspex with a light underneath in a box so the light shines up through the jar.

Never think you are too old. Experiment and have fun! Be open and in the moment to see and seize opportunities and try new ideas.

There are some great summer school classes out there on a huge range of topics. Check out what is happening in your region. Summer School if a great way to try different things over a morning, day or weekend, or you could studying externally if there is nothing happening in your area. Here is a couple of links in Western Australia - 
 Bunbury Summer School
University of WA Extension - summer school 

And a couple of blogs which might start you  thinking....
Lifestyle Fifty
50 Shades of Age 
Starts at Sixty 

And me? I need to spark up my food photography mojo so I've just enrolled in an on-line food photography course with internationally published & acclaimed food photographer - Penny De Los Santos (I love her work - PennyDeLosSantos) - over at Creative Live - Creative Live

Click on the link to see what is available, some classes are even free! (and no I am not sponsored to promote them). You might like to make a cooling drink to sip while you consider your options. 

Penny said at the beginning of her class "self assign your dream assignment, create your own projects, and have the courage every day to keep trying". 

Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope I have given you some inspiration to rekindle your passions by starting a new project. Have you got a project going on at the moment? Perhaps you would like to tell us about it.  I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday
Travel Photo Mondays
Lifestyle Fifty Monday Linkup 
Our World Tuesday
Through My Lens 
Image-in-ing
Wednesday Around the World at Communal Global
Worth Casing Wednesday
What's It Wednesday
Travel Photo Thursday
The Weekly Postcard