Can the Project 365 iPhone app make you a better photographer?

Photographers have always known that the more pictures you take, the more you learn about photography. Digital photography has made it easy and inexpensive for photographers of any experience level to take as many photos as they want. In addition, the advent of fairly high-resolution phone cameras has added the touch of having a camera with you almost all the time.

In 2004, a chap by the name of Taylor McKnight started taking one picture a day and posting the photos as a way of chronicling his life and what was important to him. Over the year, he also found that he become a better photographer. The classic photography website Photojojo published his post about the process in 2006, and the rest is history. There are now thousands of photographers who are shooting their way to better pictures one day at a time.

Developer Alvin Yu has made it possible for any iPhone owner to create their own Project 365 portfolio through his free Project 365 app [iTunes Link]. The app is quite simple; launching Project 365 shows you a monthly calendar with a blank area for each day. Tapping on the date allows you to add a photo, either by taking one or adding it from your photo library. Once you've chosen the photo, you can add a caption, then send the photo either to an email address, to Facebook, or to Twitter.

I chose to send the photos to my Facebook account, and was pleased to see that the pictures and captions end up in their own Facebook album. They'll make a fine collection to look at in the future. Since I'll be shooting at least one photo a day for upload to the account, I'll probably spend more time looking for interesting subjects and composing my photos properly. The result? My photography skills will improve.

The app is supported by AdMob advertising, which shows up on the bottom of the iPhone screen when you're viewing a photo. It's unobtrusive and a great way for the developer to make some money while giving away the app for free.

I'm sure that it's going to be difficult to take and upload at least one photo per day, but seeing the Project 365 app icon is a good reminder to do so. There will probably be some bad photos in my collection, as well as some prize winners. Being able to chronicle each day of my life in pictures is priceless. Be sure to check out the gallery below for some screenshots of the Project 365 app in action.
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