365 Sunlight
Last updated 2/19/2025
There is one simple rule: Each photo must feature natural sunlight.
I intend to keep updating this blog as a living document until December 31st, 2025. There will be new images and thoughts added weekly and monthly respectively until then. While the first month of this project has been posted on Instagram stories, I want to move away from that platform (and most social media) to try to get traction elsewhere for my storytelling passion project. If you have any suggestions or ideas on how to do that while also engaging new/other readers, please drop a note in the comments or via email to cody@markhamadventures.com. Thanks in advance!
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January
My original intent for this project was to document sunrises and sunsets wherever I may be, every day, for a year. In Colorado alone, in the last year I’ve missed countless photos of gorgeous sunrises and sunsets because I wasn’t mindful about capturing their beauty on camera. That is changing. Within the first few weeks of this effort, I have been able to capture beautiful moments in the golden and blue hours just because I’m more mindful of the light and the time.
This project is also beginning to evolve after just a few weeks. Instead of only shooting landscapes at sunrise or sunset, I’m playing more in alternate photography genres (like travel, urban, and even food) to keep the compositions fresh and interesting. I’m also beginning to see some wildly unexpected benefits from this project on a personal level. I had no idea going in that this project would lead me to shoot fewer photos, that it would encourage me to find new compositions outside of my usual style, or that it would make me more willing to shoot and edit the seemingly mundane on my phone. I’m sure there will be many more discoveries in the coming year, but just the first few weeks of this endeavor have been eye opening.
Now, you may understandably be wondering “Why would fewer photos be a good thing for a photographer?”. I asked myself this very question when I realized I wasn’t shooting as much and I think the gist is I am being more deliberate with my shots and trying to capture the essence of the light itself. This is a departure from previous years where I overshot many of my subjects while not taking time to think about what I’m truly trying to convey. So, while I’m taking fewer pictures, I also feel I am also making significantly higher quality images. I think this is ultimately a win!
Creatively, this project has been fascinating for me as an artist. Some of the most difficult things I’ve encountered so far are days with “flat” or low light (I.e. snow days). If you’re trying to capture interesting sunlight, and there isn’t sunlight available, what do you do? Being determined to still get shots daily I started playing with different styles of photography from my normal landscapes and wildlife. Funny enough, chain link fences have become a staple for this winter season as three of the first 31 photos of the series have featured them. I am trying to avoid repeating elements like this as it doesn’t seem like creative growth to shoot the same thing day after day, but I also acknowledge that it might just be one of those things since it’s impossible to get national park level photos on the daily unless you live there.
The last evolution of my photography to mention for the first month is my sudden willingness to shoot on my phone. It is hard to carry a bulky “real” camera everywhere you go and, while it would be ideal to use it and a tripod all the time, that just isn’t always feasible. Some days you’re flying at sunset and others, you’re wanting to play with more difficult terrain/maneuvers on skis. Whatever the case may be, a phone is a GREAT tool since it’s easy to fit in your pocket regardless of what’s going on. So far, probably around half of the images in this series have been shot on my iPhone! Crazy since I’ve NEVER gravitated towards phone photography in the past.
So where will this series take me? The sky is quite literally the limit! Check in regularly to this page to stay abreast of updates as they come :)
February
This month will be a little more of a journal format as I’m figuring out how I want to share this project away from the likes of Instagram. I don’t really fancy daily posts on this page as that just seems like a lot. We’ll see how the weekly updates (publishing on Wednesdays) go for now. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Feb 1 - 5
I confess, I almost missed a couple of days of the project in this five day period from feeling uninspired. Somehow the light popped at just the right time though and roused me when I was feeling ready to skip shooting and I still managed to get nice images. While I’m still very much enjoying the project, if i’m not out somewhere special, it is hard to feel motivated to shoot just near my apartment every day. I probably could do with scheduling some hikes/photoshoots with friends to help spice it up... That said, we have had some absolutely SPECTACULAR sunsets this week. You may notice that four out of the five images are clouds - these sometimes feel like a rarity so I was quite pleased to get the time out to capture them. Without further adieu, here are the images :)
Feb 6 - 19
This was a hard period of time for me with this project as I broke my streak for the year. It’s hard to make noteworthy images every single day it turns out and, while I’m still getting shots more days than not, I might think of evolving this project to be more of a year theme mindset over a daily project. In this period I’ve noticed that I’ve felt utterly uninspired to shoot on a few days. While this is normal for all creatives to go through phases like this, it’s something I’m actively working to sort out. I’m excited for warmer weather and later sunsets to make getting out for hikes easier and I’m champing at the bit to break out my backpack for the year. I’ll be out shooting some Sandhill Cranes in just a few weeks so keep an eye out for a blog relating to that shortly!
