MCP Project 12: Develop Your Skills as a Photographer
For 2012, we want you to grow as a photographer. We are transitioning from MCP Project 52 (from 2011) to MCP Project 12 for (for 2012). We will not be using the Project 52 Flickr Group going forward and are moving it into archive mode.
What is MCP Project 12?
MCP Project 12 gives photographers the opportunity to take more photos, be creative and have fun. Hobbyist and professional photographers can join us by capturing images based on our monthly themes and share with the MCP community.
At the beginning of each month, for the next 12 months, we will introduce a theme on our blog. You will have up to a month to brainstorm, develop your ideas, and take your photos. If you prefer a weekly challenge, like Project 52, challenge yourself to use the theme in multiple ways. You may upload up to four images per month.
Where are the themes listed?
The monthly theme will be listed in two places.
- On the MCP Project 12 Home Page. (That’s where you are right now.) Bookmark this page in your browser as the “Home Page for Project 12.” We will add the new theme to the list each month. We will also link the month to the new blog post where you enter your photos.
- On the 1st of every month we will introduce a new theme (for January it will be on the 2nd). This post will be under the category “MCP Project 12.” You will enter your image(s) on the monthly posts.
Themes:
January 2012: Theme – RESOLUTION ~ Visit Archived Photos from Month One
February 2012: Theme: Love (Alternate Theme: Leap) – Participate Here Starting 2/1/12
How to participate:
- Enter a comment on this post and let us know you will be joining in. You can participate every month or just a few. Join in at the beginning or start later in the year.
- On each monthly Project 12 Blog post, there will be a linky tool to submit your photo. Photos can be linked back to your Blog, Flickr or other photo hosting site.
<<< Learn how to add your images here. >>>
The guidelines:
We plan to keep things as relaxed as we can for 2012. To help things run smoothly, here are some “rules.”
- Photos need to be taken in the month you are participating. Do not use old photos which happen to work well for a topic.
- Unlike 2011, all photos must fit the theme for the specific month. Be creative and interpret the theme as you wish but make sure it was taken for the theme.
- As of now, we are not limiting the amount of images, as long as they fit the guidelines. This could change. Ideally we would like to see one to four photos per photographer each month. If you want to share more, and each is unique, you may upload these too.
- Collages of multiple images are welcome if all photos fit the theme or tell a story related to it. You are welcome to use tools like our Blog It Boards to display these.
- We would love you to edit the photos in Lightroom, Photoshop or Elements using MCP’s actions or presets. This is not a requirement. We welcome your photos whether edited or not.
- No pornography, nudity, violence or any content deemed illegal by the United States Government. MCP Actions and its designees reserve the right to remove any photo or photos deemed objectionable.
- Images must be taken by you (in other words – you must own the copyright)
- By uploading to our project, you maintain copyright but give us permission to use the photo on our Blog/Facebook, in the context of Project 12. If we want to use a photo for anything else, we will contact you and get your permission in writing. Please consider watermarking and branding your photos using tools like our Finish It action set or Free Facebook Fix Photoshop actions (which can be used for photos anywhere on the web).
- We will not sell our mailing list, but will extract emails from Linky submissions and the comment section of Project 12 posts to communicate with participants, send reminders, etc. If you no longer wish to receive them, you can unsubscribe at any time.
How can we see other photographer’s images?
- You can see all photos on the blog post at the first of each month on the Linky Tools. Just click on the thumbnail images. You are welcome to leave a quick note or “like” for the photographer too, but unless they ask for critique, keep it simple.
- On the last day of every month, we will have a special post from one of our team leaders and possibly an occasional surprise guest. We will share a few of the many photos that spoke to us, moved us, or impressed us in some way. We cannot feature everyone’s images, but we’ll share a small selection of inspirational photos with all of you. We may do additional posts during the month featuring an image – or might mention your photo on the MCP Facebook Page. Watch for these.
How can I get feedback on my photos before I upload them for submission in MCP Project 12?
While you work on your images, you are welcome to post photos to the MCP Facebook Wall and ask for advice and feedback from MCP fans. Alternatively you can post to the comment section of monthly blog post with your photo(s) and ask for ideas, critique, etc from participants. The
How can I contact you with my questions about MCP Project 12?
If there is something we did not cover above, please leave a comment in the “comment section.” If your question is personal, you can also send an email at: mcpproject12@gmail.com.
most important way to grow your photography skills is to practice, practice, practice. Now is your chance.
We want to thank our corporate sponsors for MCP Project 12, Tamron USA and MCP Actions.
If your company wants to take part in sponsoring MCP Project 12, please contact Jodi at jodi@mcpactions.com.
Next Post: MCP Project 12: {Month One} Resolution
I’m in! Looking forward to being pushed creatively, and always ready for some inspiration help.
I would like to join!
I’ve been wanting someway to improve my photography skills and this is going to be perfect. Getting some advice on how to improve will be great.
This is a great project. I can’t wait to participate… Jodi, I may have to steal your resolutions – they are very similar to mine!
I would like to try to participate, but think I’m going to have trouble with the upload process. But I’m going to try.
Oh and I’m definitely a novice.
I just got a D7000 for christmas, so this will be the perfect challenge to learn my camera. I’m in!
[...] the word “resolution”. However, the word is the theme for the first month of MCP actions project 12 this year. (I have not committed myself fully to that project since I’m already [...]
I’m excited for this challenge! I like that a month gives a little more time to work on an idea.
I will be participating…I love to get as much practice in as I can
I would like to participate. This will be a good way to keep me taking pictures!!
I am so excited to participate in this project!! I have 2 GREAT cameras, a Canon G12 & a Canon SLR, which are both smarter than me, but not for much longer!
MCP Project12 comes at a really good time for me, as I am getting ready to have hip surgery on Jan. 23, I will have a lot of free time on my hands.
Thank you for supporting all of us with this great challenge!!
I would love to try this. I did my daughter’s grad pics and they turned out great, but I still don’t know much of anything about photography. I love it, though…
Looking forward to Project 12! I like the change from 52!
I am very excited to participate!!!
I totally bombed on the Project 365 I started last year and with twins on the way (and two littles already) I’m sure there may be some weeks I don’t even pick up my camera so this sounds manageable! Thanks!
Hi this will be amazing and I am going to love the process and participation.
definitely gonna make a go of it this year!
I’m a total beginner but would love to learn more!
what a great idea, hopefully I can do this
I would love to try this.
Thanks for doing this!
looking to join in and be inspired!
Will try to be disciplined enough to do this! Thanks!
Excited to try this! Thanks!
I’m in. I really like the once-a-month theme. As a mother of three children four and under, a once-a-week or once-a-day challenge is overwhelming. : )
I’m excited to participate and improve my photography skills!
Super excited to be joining this project!
I’m so in! Thanks for the opportunity and the little push I needed to keep working on my photoshop skills!
Gonna do this. It will be fun enough to be loose and structured enough to give me focus.
I’m really excited for the monthly challenge!
I plan to participate! Looking forward to the challenge!
I would really like to do this – getting a late start but I resolve to get my act together!
I would like to join in this project and really look forward to improving my photography. Thanks for setting this up.
I’m in! I need the challenge and the accountability. Can’t wait to learn new things!
I really needed this, looking forward to it.
This is my first Project 12 (or project any # for that matter) So excited to participate, practice, and learn!
Yes! This is something that will help get me out and about with my camera! Thanks.
This is great!! can’t wait to start the experience and click more pictures!!
I’m going to try this…
Just the project that I am looking for! Can’t wait for this one.
Alright…I’m in!
Looking forward to getting started.
I’ll think I’ll hop on this train too.
I’m so excited to participate. I’ve finally figured out what my resolution is this year and am getting ready to share my photo!
I plan on joining in for this year. I am already trying to take a photo a day but with a baby and a business this is proving challenging! Hoping that a photo month will be more attainable!
So excited to join in! Thanks for hosting!
I would love to participate, now I just have to figure out all the techi stuff etc
I will be joining in!
I want to join! Can’t wait!
Would love to join. My New Years res is to take more and better pictures
I can’t wait!
This sounds like fun, and a great way to get motivated and inspired!
Love to join! I am trying to learn how these “fancy” camera’s work, so this will be good incentive. I have a terrible time with indoor pictures, so maybe we can learn somewhere about how to take good ones…
I would love to join….I’m looking forward to participating!!
Would love to join! This sounds like the motivation I need and getting feedback from photos would be great, whether good or bad. That’s how we grow, right?
Count me in! I hope to imporove my skills and find the right camera for my needs also. I have no idea what I should be looking for to improve my food and garden photography!
I am very happy..I want to understand my new camera and be more thoughtful and creative.
I’ll be participating!
I will be joining. Looking forward to another year with the MCP group!
I plan to participate! I’m a total beginner, relearning photography after taking classes in high school 23 years ago, but I hope it comes back quickly!
So excited about this challenge!
I will be joining and am very excited!
I’m looking forward to participating in this fun, creative project!
I will be joining. Hoping for some creative inspiration!
I’m definitely looking forward to participating. I’m pretty new to photography so this should be a fun adventure!
I’m looking forward to joining in
Looking forward to the classes!
I will be joining!!
THIS is PERFECT!!… i Am a student and stil learning about photography and i wanted to do a something a little easier this time.. very exited!!
Count me in. Need to think out side my square. Get some creative juices going
Count me in. Need to think out side my square. Get some creative juices going.
Sounds great!
Looking forward to participating and challenging myself.
I’m so excited to participate!! I’m looking up definitions for resolution now.
I’d like to participate! My husband gave me a Nikon D5000 last year for my birthday and I need to learn how to use it! This will definitely help.
How is everyone’s pictures coming along? Glad to have you as a part of the P12.
Ooh, have to have a shot at this. I’m currently doing a Project 366 on my own (my 2nd year), a Project 52 with Sammee from Twisted Kilt Photography and now this with you. Lots of fun!! Thanks.
I’m up for this challenge! It will give me more practice with my “fancy camera”!
I would love to take part in the challenge!!
I’m in. I’ve been wanting to learn my camera and this will be a great idea to do it.
Checking to see if this works for you
I am new to this, but it sounds great. I can’t wait to see everyone’s images!
I’ll be joining in!
Count me in.
I’m in! And very excited!
I want to participate! Thanks!
I want to challenge myself to keep me motivated. Definitely join!!
Count me in! Very excited!!
Count me in! I need a challenge for 2012 so this is right in line with what I had in mind. Thanks for the push! Deb♥
I would love to participate in this count me in!
I’ll be participating
I am going to participate in this too!
Yay! This is exactly the kind of challenge I have been looking for. I bought a Canon 60D last year and it’s about time I learn how to use it! Sign me up!
I am going to participate.
Hi, I am just starting out and LOVE your site and blogs. It will be very helpful to me once I get a camera and start shooting! I would love to participate in this project. My sister has a photography business and I’ve shot a few projects with her but we now live in different states.
I am very grateful you have this site, I believe it will make me a better photographer.
Hope I win the canon 5d mark II and the photoshop software!
Thank you for making this site and resources available to so many.
God bless,
Aimee
looking forward to participating in Project 12 !
Yes I want to join in! Just got a new DSLR for bday/Xmas, after a very long break from photography. Learning all over again….used film before…but forgotten so much. Can’t wait to be a part of this…a challenge and fun!
I would love to participate! Sounds like so much fun! I’m always up for a challenge and I’m always looking forward to learning something new in Photoshop. Can’t wait!
I’m not going to learn if I don’t try. Looking forward to the challenge.
I will be participating!