The Power of a Personal Project
In this episode, Rick Nelson explores why one simple idea — a personal project — can change the entire direction of your photography. Not by giving you better gear or more inspiration, but by giving you focus, identity, and a creative path that actually means something.
Rick breaks down how projects help develop your style, build your voice, get you out of ruts, and reconnect you with the deeper “why” behind your camera. He also shares a personal story from his own recent creative season and the project that helped him rebuild momentum and rediscover joy in the process.
Whether you're a beginner, intermediate photographer, or a creative feeling stuck, this episode will inspire you to choose one idea — no matter how small — and follow it long enough to let it change you.
1. Why Personal Projects Matter
Most photographers spend years shooting “things,” but not building anything meaningful. Rick explains how a project provides direction, consistency, and a sense of purpose — turning your camera from a random tool into a compass.
2. How Projects Shape Your Identity and Style
Style isn’t an accident — it’s the result of repetition. Learn how returning to the same theme, story, emotion, or location reveals your visual fingerprints and sharpens your creative instincts.
3. The Courage to Start Small
You don’t need a year-long documentary to begin. Rick shares simple project ideas anyone can start today: one street for 30 days, one family member, one emotion, one window, one ritual. Momentum > magnitude.
4. How One Project Can Break a Creative Rut
Rick opens up about a season of creative burnout, and how a single idea — expressed through a hidden, faceless Instagram account — cracked something open and restored his creative energy.
5. What a Project Teaches You About Yourself
Projects are less about the subject, and more about you. Rick reflects on how they reveal your patterns, emotional world, instincts, and creative values.
Key Quotes from the Episode
“Most photographers don’t need better gear. What they really need… is a direction.”
“Style isn’t something you discover — it’s something you build through repetition.”
“Momentum beats magnitude every time.”
“A personal project doesn’t just inspire you. It restores you.”
“You’re not one lens away from better photography — you’re one project away.”
Links & Resources
Instagram: carolinahawkeye
My work: https://ricknelson.photography
YouTube: RickNelsonPhoto
Podcast: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms
👉 Check out Dehancer — 10% off with code CAROLINAPHOTO
https://www.dehancer.com/
Related Episodes:
• Learning to See in Layers
• Creating Without Comparison
• The Myth of the Perfect Shot
• The Power of Imperfection in Your Art
Don’t miss this powerful reminder that your next creative breakthrough isn’t waiting in a box from a camera store — it’s waiting in the project you choose to start today.
