Two Hundred Days of Photographs

Episode TitleThe Photo Challenge That Just Kept GoingEpisode DescriptionLaura Davis returns with an update on the daily photo challenge she introduced last winter. What started as a 100-day commitment with a friend has taken on new dimensions, including a second participant and a fresh set of discoveries. Laura reflects on what she found when she looked back at months of daily images, and how the practice has continued to evolve.You can see the photos described in this podcast episode here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/p/8feb3699-80e5-43d0-8817-92e8f7620e2bWhat Laura Covers in This EpisodeA quick recap of how the original 100-Day Project concept worksAn update on where the challenge stands now, well past the original 100 daysThe simple rules that have kept the practice sustainableHow a friendship and an impromptu photography lesson on a pilgrimage sparked the original ideaThe decision point at day 99 and what came nextWhat Laura discovered when she reviewed her second hundred imagesHow a second friend joined the practice and added her own creative voiceThe role of community, accountability, and small daily commitments in creative lifeEpisode HighlightsLaura revisits the origin of the 100-Day Project and the well-known author's virtual creative hour where she first encountered itThe specific three rules that have kept the challenge sustainable over many monthsA story from the Camino de Santiago involving tortilla de patatas, pimientos de Padrón, and an unplanned photography lessonThe moment on day 99 when Laura asked her friend a simple question, and the answer that kept the project goingWhat Laura discovered when she looked back at her second hundred images and realized what the practice had quietly becomeHow a chance conversation over a game of mahjong led to a second version of the same challenge with a different friendThe way two people photographing the same moment can create an unexpected "conversation"Laura's reflection on what centers a day around "one tiny beautiful thing"About Host Laura DavisLaura Davis is an acclaimed author and writing teacher with more than 35 years of experience helping people find their voice through the written word. She is the author of the award-winning memoir The Burning Light of Two Stars, winner of the 2021 BookLife Prize, and co-author of the landmark bestseller The Courage to Heal.Laura teaches writing in all its forms through weekly classes, workshops, and retreats around the world, and leads international pilgrimages, including her Creative Camino program on the Camino de Santiago. She is the host of The Writer's Journey podcast and writes a companion Substack publication exploring the craft of writing, creativity, and living a full, examined life.Resources Laura MentionsSuleika Jaouad's Isolation Journals — creative hour sessionsMichael Bierut and the 100-Day Project (Design Observer)The Courage to Heal by Laura Davis and Ellen BassThe Burning Light of Two Stars by Laura DavisLaura's Creative Camino pilgrimage programCommonweal Cancer Help Program, Bolinas, CaliforniaThe Writer's Journey SubstackKey Takeaways from This EpisodeA simple, repeatable creative practice can offer stability and possibility, especially during difficult seasons of lifeAn accountability partner can make the difference between abandoning a creative practice and sustaining itKeeping the rules of a creative challenge minimal makes it far more likely to lastLooking back at a body of daily creative work can reveal patterns and shifts a person didn't consciously notice while living themCreative practices can expand naturally, drawing in new participants and taking on a life of their ownEpisode Call-to-ActionListeners are encouraged to consider starting their own version of a 100-day creative practice, choosing any medium that appeals to them, and reaching out to a friend to join as an accountability partner. Laura invites listeners to subscribe to The Writer's Journey on Substack to follow along with future updates on the ongoing photo challenge and other reflections on creativity and craft.Connect with Laura DavisListeners can follow Laura's writing, classes, retreats, and pilgrimages at lauradavis.net, and subscribe to The Writer's Journey for regular essays, curated poems, and updates on Laura's creative life.The Writer's Journey with Laura Davis is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support her work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. You'll receive regular posts like these, as well as beautifully curated poems and nature photos, essays on life and the craft of writing, and more.You can subscribe here: https://laurasaridavis.substack.com/Learn about Laura's writing classes, books, workshops, and international retreats at: https://lauradavis.net/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit laurasaridavis.substack.com/subscribe