how to start your photo project TODAY

[@lancechinnian4043]

This guy's voice is like honey! Could listen to him all day.

[@Daniel_Zalman]

I read something recently that was really wise in an article by Douglas Murray for The Free Press called "Things Worth Remembering: C.S. Lewis on Keeping Calm in Chaos." The article focuses on the wisdom in Lewis' a sermon he gave at a church in London in 1939. Anyhow, the quote from the article that moved me was: "...Essentially, it is this: do not put off what you have to do in your life until the times are optimal. Because they never were optimal, and they never will be." This goes well with what you are saying: if you have an idea that you are passionate about, don't put it off.

[@poohstevenson6301]

Great video Matt. I finished a project about my town called Owosso: A Love Story which I started after our youngest daughter moved away to college and I turned a sentimental eye towards the town where my husband and I built our farm and raised our kids. The bakery we went to after preschool pickup, the buildings we always passed, the local barber shop, the parking lot we pulled into where our oldest needed to puke (you get the picture). It's in an exhibition locally and I am super happy. Your love for Chillicothe influenced my work and the idea of commitment to a project. The day the exhibit got hung, I found myself committing to my next project. Thank you for your work Matt.

[@don7117]

Been thinking about this lately. I retired earlier this year and now have the time to spend on my photography, but I need a focus. This will give me that. The opportunity to get out, take photos, and preserve the history of my community. I live in an area where we have 'The Loop' which is a collection of seaside communities with long and storied histories and wonderful people. Stories worth telling and preserving through photos. Your video was a great inspiration. Thank you.

[@photog12345]

I’ve had an idea for a photo project and it starts at the end of this month. I have always wanted to go to local drag strips and dirt tracks and photograph the local racers out there just for fun. I picked out 6 race tracks within 100 miles of my home and I will go to each one at least 3 times between March 30 and the end of October of this year. I have no plans on how I will share the photos. But I want to share them.

[@CHRISTOPH-B]

Thank you, Matt! That's such a healthy, unpretentious attitude that I miss in many well-known, successful photographers. Far too often, they just talk about elitist approaches. Photography is for everyone and everyone has something very special and unique to say or show. ... Everyone can have fun with photography and creativity without asking the old-timers for permission. Thank you for this video. ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻

[@prithusunil380]

Thanks Matt. I’ve been following your work for a few years. I just want to say that I feel you’re one of the very few YT photographers who are out there to share your thoughts and ideas with a genuine intent to inspire and add value to people. More outward facing than in. It is clear as Day ;)

[@HenrikMeng]

Matt, this is great advice and exactly what I, as a massive procrastinator and over-thinker lol, needed to hear. Appreciate you and your channel! Cheers 🍻

[@Daniel_Zalman]

I agree, Matt. There's a saying in Russian (my parent's mother tongue) that roughly translates as: "What is new is nothing but the well forgotten old." I guess a similar English saying is "There's nothing new under the sun." What, because Sally Mann published the masterpiece "Immediate Family" nobody can ever take arty images of their children? Obviously not. Because HCB made a memorable image of a dude jumping over a puddle, I can't stand close to a puddle and wait all day for someone to jump over it? Obviously not. Because Irving Penn forced people into corners and then took black and white pictures of them I can't do the same? Well...maybe I can't force them...but...

[@2071photo]

I was literally talking about the new project I want to start and sounded so excited about it, as soon as I was asked if I had started yet I sadly said no but I’m definitely gonna be changing that asap 😄✌🏽

[@ChristineWilsonPhotography]

That long shot of the road with no cars at 6:50 , I love it , that's the cover 😊 of the book, best thing is you can fit it in around the family. I'm doing something similar around the small towns in regional Vic, Australia, but realised recently that already have a stack of photos for it . I'm about to head out today for a trip 2 hours from here to take shots of a small town , and what I find on the way

[@MegaSoundscapes]

Starting rather than thinking , thankx Matt for the input ! .... Amazing collection of photobooks on that backshelf !!!!

[@TheFilmFellow]

Hey Matt great advice! Shooting project based always gives you a reason to shoot. I really love the idea of you shooting that stretch of route 50. It should make for great KZbin videos and another great book. Very excited about this Matt.

[@small.towns.open.spaces]

Well this was the butt kicking I needed to get started on a project I've wanted to do for a while. Let's go! Thanks, Matt.

[@willmccleland2383]

Really appreciated this video Matt and something I really needed to hear today thank you ❤

[@richardjames3022]

You mentioning wanting to the parts of Route 50, made me think that I would like to do a similar project with a road here in the UK the A38 which connects where I currently live in Devon with my 'home' city of Nottingham, 470km distance (about 300 miles). Parts are over Roman and Saxon roads, so that fits in with archaeology (I worked as an archaeologist before retiring), but looking at the maps, it's now motorway/trunk road (duelled I think you would say) so less characterful. I had already look at doing a project on old routes down here, some have been done, but as you said many have been done, but not with my take. Thanks for that.

[@adventureStaley]

This is the way

[@Oxbowphoto]

Just the video I needed to see today! Thanks Matt

[@monochromebluess]

Thanks Matt for some inspiration. I had strands of an idea and as I listened to your thoughts it all came together. So now it’s developing it fully with a more structured photography plan.

[@jasonpohlig_photo]

Thanks Matt! I have been collecting images of the Hawaiian islands since living out here and I have some ideas with them, but can get stuck sometimes in too many ideas. It’s good to hear these words of encouragement… just doing it is the first steps! Thanks bro for always inspiring this photography community.

[@SamuelElkinsPhoto]

So well said.

[@Daniel_Zalman]

Matt, I really love your channel. You inspire, you teach, and you share your humanity! All the best to you and your family! If you are ever in NYC, I'd love to maybe go on a photowalk or go to Strand Bookstore and look at their amazing collection of photography books.

[@balintshootsfilm]

Increadibly helpful and inspiring thoughts Matt, thank you so much!

[@petere7396]

Great video Matt. Just do it! “Don’t stop yourself before you start” So true

[@AbrahamMusalem]

Thanks Matt!! This is just what I needed.

[@brendonwilson1318]

Thank you for making this video. I have an idea for a project that has the media and equipment used tie heavily into the subject matter and final product, and on top of having some doubts in myself about whether I can make this work I've been stressed about what the final product is to be. I would love to have a live gallery to display the camera with the final images, but also to have a book to sell locally and possibly online. Both the project itself and making the final product feels so daunting. I guess it's just taking it one step at a time and have faith it will work out.

[@suzannepedersen1856]

Great video! Seeing this just made me think of something I could focus on for a project! I definitely am one of those people that talk myself out of some ideas lol.

[@scottsymes]

So motivating, exactly what I needed

[@eddie_g]

Thanks for the motivation Matt

[@63MacGuy]

Great video Matt! Very inspiring.

[@Bill_eu]

Maybe just a project with a phone? I started with analog 40 years ago. Now I have digital cameras as well as a phone that that is available and can render content in the same spirit and in a similar way. I’m not sure I need a camera anymore. What do you think?

[@samhardy2038]

Thanks for the jumpstart kick in the pants! On my way.

[@johnd1710]

This is great! Thanks Matt!!

[@user-M.O.]

Can you make prints on watercolour paper etc . How big can you go.. grrat video

[@Daniel_Zalman]

I don't have 2 Leica M6s, though? Kidding...Matt. I love your channel.

[@ctrivin]

Hey Matt, great video as always! Question: what book printing service you use/recommend? Took a trip abroad with the family recently and I’m sorting through all the pictures from the trip…. Wanted to put them together into some book that I can toss onto the coffee table or book shelf to look at whenever we want. Doesn’t have to be to cray, was just wondering what service you would use/recommend. Thanks dude 👊🏼📸

[@ThePhotoDept]

That shirt goes incredibly hard.

[@ChristineWilsonPhotography]

We all do that don't we stop before we start 😊

[@WesleyVerhoevePhotography]

Yes yes yes to all of this

[@rjbiii]

Fine, I'll do it lol. I've been toying with the idea of documenting what it's like as a pedestrian in a horrifically car dependent neighborhood of San Diego that I live in. Hopefully to show people a perspective that they often ignore.

[@hmuz8388]

My current problem is that i don’t know how to finish a project of mine. Been working on this project of portraits of pets and their owners for 3 years now and have enough (more than enough) photos to edit from and make a book, but I just dono when to end it😅

[@Seanonyoutube]

I have very specific ideas but they all involve very specific models with very specific costumes in very specific locations all of which require time and connections and effort and bureaucracy and outgoingness that i’m not sure where to muster from..

[@TheRiotousMind]

Sounds like a cool project. Just make sure you have a body of work to show potential collaborators and go from there. If the main project sounds overwhelming, then scale it down and consider it practice. You got this!

[@josephmontez879]

👏👏

[@johnshiever2998]

You somewhat neglected the hardest part of a project. Putting it all together after you have the photos. This is the hardest thing I have ever done. I have 9 books and none of them really lived up to my expectations. Taking photos - easy, organizing into coherent series - OMG! Thinking up projects (yes plural) I can do. Finalizing, not good!

[@SkylerKing]

Second?

[@Seanonyoutube]

Hard disagree about “everything out there has been done” Everything mundane has been done. There is so much more really great photography the world has yet to produce.