Feb 4, 2015

one year of the sunset project

 from February 1, 2014 - January 31, 2015
i took a picture of the sunset every night
and posted them weekly here and on Flickr.
documenting the evening skies was great fun and a great challenge.
it became a habit
a nightly journal.
i will still look at a photograph
and remember the day and events i stepped away from.

i've been asked if i'm going to continue to photograph sunsets.
the answer, of course, is yes.
i'm sky and sunset crazy, and have been all my life. 
don't worry, i'll still post sunsets now that the project is over.

here are a few of my personal favorites
and a short film compilation of the images.
thank you for your interest in this project
your kind words on the weekly posts have been so encouraging.


A journal of the evening skies, February 1, 2014 - Jan 31, 2015.
Documenting the sunsets and texture of clouds many people miss was so rewarding. For one year, i paused conversations, stepped out of buildings or took a walk to take a picture of the western sky. I stood in open fields, roadsides, parking lots and my backyard. Sometimes it was cold or hot, cloudy or raining. Sometimes i got up from dinner or stepped out of work.
It was always rewarding, stepping away from life into the fresh air and open Kansas sky. I've learned to appreciate more the little blessings of life, and to slow down.
I'd like to thank various members of my family for coming along as company on many evening walks, bike rides and drives (and making sure we were out of walmart and back on the interstate to get a better picture) once in a while :).

Filming, editing and music by myself.
THE SUNSET PROJECT // a year of sunsets from ThatBanjoGirl on Vimeo.





"They who dwell in the ends of the earth stand in awe of Your signs:
You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy."
Psalm 65:58


28 comments:

Bethany Carson said...

You captured some truly remarkable shots of the sky, Abigail! I love the colors. There is so much we miss just because we aren't looking, and you've kept your eye on the sky the whole year, so as not to miss anything. Love your music--you can really play the banjo!

MegBird said...

For the record, I love everything you do.

Lana said...

Congrats on a beautiful project! I love the video of course, what do you use to create your films. It's something I'm interested in but don't quite know how to get started.

Abigail said...

for the record, i love everything YOU do and i think you're a really awesome gal. especially for saying that because it totally made my day.

Abigail said...

thank you.
right now i've been using Windows Movie Maker to just arrange clips and add captions and stuff. it gets the job done, but i'd really like to try iMovie or something of the like that has more features. feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions, i love to talk film-making!

Abigail said...

aw, thanks Bethany! you're so right! i've really learned to train my eyes to the west and take stock of what is happening. so rewarding.
knowing we're both musically inclined, i also thought you might take interest in knowing about the music for this film. i used my dobro, or square neck resonator guitar that is played with a barr slide. look up some more about it, if you get the chance, it's so much fun!

Faye Caroline said...

I love the video, it's great to see them altogether like that! I'll admit when I first saw your sunset project it perplexed me a bit and I didn't really "get" it. Then I came to appreciate it and see the beauty of them and began looking forward to your posts and now I don't understand why I didn't get it straight away. I've loved seeing your photographs and hearing about the little snippets of your life accompanying them. Also you've really made me notice my own sunsets and take a few minutes to look at the sky and just appreciate that moment which has proven really grounding, so thank you!

Lucy said...

Congratulations on your project! I just love the video that you compiled of them. It was beautiful to watch the skies changing all at once between seasons, weather and locations. I still think that the concept of your project is genius, beautiful and art in itself and I always look forward to seeing more!

abigail said...

that's soooooo beautiful (& such a neat way to see/remember the passage of a whole year!)

Amia said...

Congratulations sweet friend! I loved your video, hearing you play is always lovely. The sunset project posts are always my favorites,and I looked forward to seeing the next year's sunsets :)


Amia

Shady Del Knight said...

Hi, Abigail! I just got back home from a two day trip out of town and away from blogging. Yours is the first blog I am visiting to catch up on what I've missed. I am delighted to congratulate you once again on this awesome achievement - photographing sunsets nightly for one year. This video you made showing us the best of those sunsets and accompanied by your banjo playing, takes us through an entire year in a little over three minutes. It reminds us how long a year is and how short a year is. It reminds us how precious our time is and how precious this gift of life is. It reminds us how important it is to do our part to think green and protect the earth and our natural resources. I admire you greatly, Abigail, for seeing the big picture and having things like sunsets on your mind when so many other people are self absorbed, limited in their vision and have hate on their minds.


Thank you for taking time to put together this marvelous presentation recapping a year of your life and ours as revealed by sunsets. I look forward to seeing many more. Bless you, dear friend Abigail. I wish you and Daisy a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Amy said...

Oh, all of these sunsets are so pretty! I always look forward to these posts of yours ♥
Amy xx

Perfect Imperfections

Hannah said...

I have truly enjoyed looking at all of your beautiful sunsets. This whole project is so amazing to me when most people don't think to even look at the sunset. You're so inspiring, dear <3

Hannah Batchelder said...

Congrats on your first year! The best way to get an absolutely mesmerizing picture is to take them often, because then you have surely caught at least one great one by then. And so your dedication to this has earned you so many amazing photos! Keep up the great work. :)

Jessica Cangiano said...

Sweet Abigail, you truly did create something spectacular with this serious of photos. They were vibrant and mellow alike, reminding of us all of the importance to look up, not just ahead or behind us, in life, and served to celebrate not only each season, but every day of the whole year so immensely beautifully.


♥ Jessica

Sarah said...

I so enjoyed seeing your weekly sunset posts! I think it was great you were ab;;e to keep it up for an entire year. The video is absolutely lovely too.

Wild Hearts + Green Tea said...

Wow, absolutely amazing. I'll never get enough of sunrises or sunsets, there's just something endlessly beautiful and rejuvenating about it!

Randi said...

My goodness, how I have loved your sunsets this past year, and how I love your video recap now-- the music is so beautiful and such a perfect accompaniment to the images flashing by.
As I was watching the video, I realized how lucky you are to have taken these moments each day to pause and appreciate something that most of us take for granted. Thank you so much for sharing this project with us and for inspiring us to pause and appreciate the little things in our own lives.

Anna said...

Bravo, Abigail! :-)

Abigail said...

Thank YOU so much, Randi. Well said, your lovely words.

Abigail said...

I agree. the rising and setting of the sun? nothing compares.

Abigail said...

I think it's rather amazing i was able to keep it up for a year, too. Thank you, Sarah!

Abigail said...

oh Faye, this warms my heart so! that was one of the main goals of this project, getting people to notice and be more aware of the priceless, yet free and fulfilling gifts sunsets are. Thank YOU.

Abigail said...

and i have truly enjoyed sharing them! thank you so much from the bottom of my heart, Hannah (:

Abigail said...

why thank you, Lucy. i had so much fun making the film to share, and the idea of this being genius makes me blush, you're too sweet.

Abigail said...

oh thank you, dear Amia! Such sweet words for you to say, i always treasure the compliments.

Abigail said...

thank YOU for taking the time to read and enjoy each and every photograph. your descriptions of my skies, especially the picture you see in clouds or the way you would see beaches always made me look closer myself. your selfless comments and complements really encourage me.

R. Ann said...

I'm in awe of His creation everyday.
~Racic | Washed by the Water

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