At the start of last year, I decided to double down and commit to a personal project that I’ve been working up to for years now. My new year’s resolution was to make one self-portrait a week with my family. Then, a global pandemic broke out. As such, with the exception of a wee bit of outdoor client work, making self-portraits is what I did in 2020. I seldom picked up my camera otherwise.
It’s universal. One of the most basic of human needs. Instantly recognizable, yet infinitely nuanced. And it’s what I’m most passionate about documenting for families who trust me to. Yes, love. I like to think I bottle it up for my clients.
So what have I been up to this past year?? And more importantly, why do I do what I do?? Read on to find out!
I have an overwhelming urge to preserve the charm and uniqueness of our little town for my children. I haven’t been able to shake the idea since it popped into my head and as things continue to change I keep kicking myself, wishing I had photographs of how things were. So this coming year, regardless of how busy I am and how many other things I have to do, I’m finally setting out to capture ‘the Faces and Places of Marlborough, CT’ as a personal project.
![[Another] Personal Project · My Summer in Pictures](https://i0.wp.com/annaholdenphotography.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/chilling-with-her-doll-anna-holden-family-photographer.jpg?fit=960%2C626&ssl=1 "[Another] Personal Project · My Summer in Pictures")
Have you ever seen those amazing, mythical photographers that complete 365 projects? No? Me either! While I’ve known of many who have started or been in the midst of them, I can count on one hand the number I know who have finished them! For those of you who don’t know, a 365 project is where you take a photo every single day for a year and share it. I’ve been wanting to do one for awhile now, to document my childrens’ lives (they grow and change so fast). It sounds simple enough, but man is it HARD