I know vision boards and New Year’s resolutions work for some people, and I genuinely love the idea of them. But if I’m being honest? They’ve always fallen flat for me.
What has worked, though, is giving myself a year-long creative project, something that lives quietly in the back of my mind, gently pushing me forward even when life gets busy or inspiration runs low.
The Project That Started It All
Two years ago, in 2024, I challenged myself to shoot at least one self-portrait session every month. It doesn’t sound like much, right? Just twelve sessions over twelve months. But that’s exactly why it worked. At the time, I was coming out of an incredibly toxic job and was drained mentally and emotionally. I had nothing left for photography and needed a way to spark some creativity back into my life without being too overwhelming.
The key to any challenge like this (whether it’s a photography project, a resolution, or a personal goal) is finding that sweet spot between challenging and achievable. A monthly self-portrait series hit that balance perfectly.
Was it difficult? Sometimes, absolutely. There were months when I was swamped with work, or months when the last thing I wanted to do was turn the camera on myself. But that forced consistency was powerful. Even when I didn’t feel inspired, I still showed up. And those sessions, the ones where I had to push through resistance, often taught me the most.
This Year’s Challenge: One Session Every Week
For 2026, I’m raising the bar. My goal is to shoot at least one photography session every single week.
Depending on your perspective, this might sound wildly ambitious or surprisingly modest. For full-time photographers shooting multiple sessions daily, one per week probably seems almost too easy. For others juggling photography alongside other commitments, it might feel nearly impossible.
For me? It’s exactly the right amount of challenge.
I don’t think I’ve ever shot this consistently before. Sure, 2024 came close; I was volunteering weekly with an animal shelter on my side of Nashville, photographing adoptable dogs. If you add those sessions to everything else I was shooting, the numbers probably line up. But this feels different.
Those shelter sessions absolutely counted, and I’m proud of that work. But this year’s challenge is about something more intentional. It’s about building a sustainable creative practice, pushing my skills consistently, and showing up for my craft week after week, no matter what.
Why Weekly Sessions Matter
There’s something powerful about weekly repetition. Monthly check-ins give you breathing room, but they also allow gaps, spaces where momentum can stall or inspiration can drift. Weekly sessions create rhythm. They build muscle memory, not just in your technical skills, but in your creative thinking.
When you commit to shooting every single week, you can’t wait for perfect conditions or ideal inspiration. You have to create anyway. You learn to see opportunities everywhere. You become more resourceful, more adaptive, more confident in your ability to make something beautiful regardless of circumstances.
That’s the growth I’m chasing this year.
What “One Session” Means
I’m keeping the definition of “session” intentionally flexible. Some weeks it might be a full client shoot. Other weeks it could be a personal creative project, a collaboration with other artists, or even experimental work testing new techniques or concepts.
The goal isn’t to add pressure or turn this into a rigid obligation that drains the joy from photography. It’s about consistent practice, continuous learning, and staying connected to why I fell in love with this art form in the first place.
The Challenge Ahead
Will every week go smoothly? Definitely not. Life happens. Schedules shift. Some weeks will feel effortless, while others will require real determination to show up.
But that’s exactly the point. This challenge isn’t about perfection, it’s about persistence. It’s about proving to myself that I can maintain creative consistency even when it’s hard, even when I’m tired, even when I’d rather do literally anything else.
And if my 2024 self-portrait project taught me anything, it’s that showing up on the difficult days often leads to the most meaningful work.
Beyond the Numbers
At the end of 2026, I’ll have at least 52 photography sessions under my belt. That alone is exciting. But the real value isn’t in hitting a number, it’s in who I’ll become as a photographer along the way.
More experienced. More versatile. More confident. More connected to my creative voice.
That’s what year-long projects do. They don’t just produce work; they transform the person doing the work.
Your Own Creative Challenge
You don’t have to be a photographer to benefit from a year-long creative project. Maybe you want to write every day, cook a new recipe each week, learn a new skill monthly, or finally tackle that hobby you’ve been putting off.
Whatever it is, remember: the goal is to find your sweet spot between challenging and achievable. Make it specific enough to measure but flexible enough to sustain. And most importantly, make it about growth, not perfection.
If you’re working on your own creative challenge this year, I’d love to hear about it. What are you committing to in 2026?
Want to follow along with my weekly photography journey? Check out my portfolio to see how this challenge unfolds, or reach out if you’d like to be part of one of my 52 sessions this year.
