If someone walked up to you right now and asked what kind of photographer you are, what would you say? Would you have a clear, confident answer, or would you hesitate and mumble something like, "Oh, I do a bit of everything"?
There's nothing wrong with being versatile. But I genuinely believe there's one thing that can transform you as a photographer, and that's starting a personal project.
I don't mean a client job. I certainly don't mean something you do just to get likes or feed an algorithm. I mean a project that's entirely yours. Something that means something to you. Something that comes from genuine curiosity.
Finding your identity and focus
A personal project gives you an identity. It tells the world, and more importantly it tells you, what you stand for and what you actually care about. It's the difference between someone who takes photos and someone who's using a camera to say something.
It also brings real practical benefits.
You get focus. When you have a clear purpose, every shoot has direction. You're no longer wandering around hoping for a great shot. You know exactly what you're looking for and why.
You develop naturally. Because you return to the same subject or theme again and again, you get better almost without trying. You start to see things differently, you experiment more, and your technical skills sharpen alongside your creative eye. It's the difference between going to the gym now and then and actually following a proper training programme.
And it keeps you going. There will be times when your photography feels flat, or when paid work starts to feel routine. A personal project gives you somewhere to go. It keeps you creatively alive and keeps that spark of motivation lit.
The power of a genuine purpose
Let me give you an example of a project that became one of the most meaningful things I've ever done. It went far beyond anything I imagined.
It was called the 39-45 Portraits Project. Entirely self-funded and self-initiated, the goal was to travel the length and breadth of the UK to find, photograph, and honour surviving Second World War veterans. I wanted to give them and their families a timeless portrait, completely free of charge, as my way of saying thank you.
What happened next wasn't planned. The project went on to receive national press coverage, and a selection of the portraits was displayed by the BBC during the televised King's VE Day Concert in 2025.
None of that recognition was the goal. The goal was always the veterans. People can sense when something is genuine, and that's exactly why the project resonated the way it did.
The moment a personal project becomes about you rather than the subject, it stops being a personal project. It just becomes self-promotion in disguise. A true personal project has to come from a place of authenticity, not from a marketing plan wrapped in hashtags.
Closer to home: the I am Lyme project
Your project doesn't have to be a grand, sweeping national concept to matter. It can come straight from the place you call home.
Right now I'm working on a new project called I am Lyme. The idea is simple. I'm photographing the people who make up the fabric of Lyme Regis. The fishermen, the boat makers, the cafe owners, the bar staff, the swimming groups, and the characters you see walking around town who make the place what it is.
I'd already spent time capturing the location itself, the seascapes and the harbour, and now the people side is building its own momentum, with one person recommending the next as word spreads. The plan is to bring it all together for an exhibition in the summer of 2027 at the Jubilee Pavilion in Lyme Regis.
If you're taking on a project that involves photographing people in your community, I'd recommend putting together a simple presentation folder. Mine contains the project logo, a short written outline of what the project is and why I'm doing it, an explanation of what the images will be used for, and a small selection of sample portraits.
When you ask people to be part of something, they need to trust you first. A simple folder does a huge amount of work before you've even started talking, because it shows you're serious, considered, and that their contribution genuinely matters.
How to choose your project
If you're wondering where to start, look at your own life. What are you already passionate about outside of photography?
If you love sport, look at your local grassroots football club, an athletics team, or a boxing gym. The effort and passion behind the scenes there is a compelling body of work waiting to be captured. If you live somewhere with a unique history, a particular landscape, or a community that doesn't often get noticed, start there. The best projects grow out of things you already care about, because that care shows in the work every single time.
Personal projects might never leave your hard drive. They might not make you famous. That's completely fine. What they will do is keep you sharp, keep you motivated, and remind you exactly why you picked up a camera in the first place.
So stop putting it off and just start. You genuinely don't know where it might take you.