The first On Taking Pictures assignment was Roll 24. the premise was that you were to post 24 shots in a row with minimal editing and no omissions to show your progression through a subject or subjects.
The post was meant to be similar to a contact sheet from the days of film where you or an editor might work through the thumbnails of your images to choose selects for printing.
For my process, I have grown accustomed to the excesses of digital shooting, and as such worked through a series of four compositions in 33 shots of a goose on a roof of the defunct Blue Heron Paper Mill. I posted these shots as my first submission, selecting 4 compositions from the set.
Many of the shots I took were to try and ensure my focus was solid, which made for several duplicates. That is common for me. I would rather over shoot than miss a shot completely, but as time goes on I find that my technique is making this process less necessary.
I was pleased with my first assignment, and while none of the shots were earth shattering, I felt I met my objective of showing the absurdity of the goose on the lush green mossy roof.
On Taking Assignments
I frequently listen to the On Taking Pictures (OTP) podcast, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for good conversation about creativity, especially as it related to photography. In January 2014 the hosts, Bill Wadman and Jeffery Saddoris, began a new segment of weekly assignments that they gave to listeners. Results of the assignments are posted on the OTP Google Plus group. I decided that I would commit myself to the assignments for a year without interruption, and that I would complete each one before the next assignment was announced on the show each Tuesday morning. My 'On Taking Assignments' blog posts are the culmination of my year-long focus on these assignments.