Earlier this year, I embarked on a challenge by my class instructor - Scott - to take and post a Photo Of The Day (POTD) for 365 days. When I first started this journey, it seemed pretty easy. Take a picture of something or someone each day - and post it on Facebook. Sounds pretty simple, right?
I did really well, and stayed very committed for quite a few months. After a while, I started realizing that it wasn't seemingly as simple as I had thought. Working full time during the week, the only time I have to shoot Monday through Friday - is before and after work. So, a lot of my photos were taken on my way home from work - as something caught my eye. Some of those included a tire swing, a very fluffy looking cow, a silo, antique farm equipment, fence posts...etc. I considered myself very fortunate that I had so much subject matter to choose from.
Weekends were spent with family and around my house, so they became the balance of my subject matter. My son, husband, and garden - are a very large portion of my POTD portfolio. Weekend sporting events for my son, camping trips, etc make for great subject matter as well. Two of my most favorite shots came from a trip to Ruby Beach, and a trip to Roslyn this summer. When summer came, I started becoming challenged to find subjects for my POTD. I realized that my normal route to and from work had been exhausted of anything that peeked my interest anymore. I managed to get a few amazing sunrise photos, but that's about it. After work, my time is usually devoted to my family and less to my camera - so opportunities to shoot became limited.
I started looking back on my POTD portfolio - to try to become reinspired, and I realized something. At the beginning of this journey, I was posting pictures - pictures of whatever I could - just to post each day. Now, some were really good shots - some...just ok. I have realized that my challenge with finding something to post each day over the past few months, is due to my unwillingness to settle. I don't want to snap a shot of something, just for the say of posting. I don't want to post an OK photo, of a boring subject. I want to post something I'm proud of, something that inspires me and the person viewing the photo.
I realized, that I'm willing to sacrifice the consectutive 365 day timeline and post quality photos when I can. So, that's where I am at today. I post POTD when I can, and I make sure I'm proud of what I post. I'm almost exactly half way there - I have posted for 132 days. I can honestly say I'm proud of how far I've come with my art, and I'm thankful to be able to share it. I'd like to thank my family and friends for supporting my obsession with my camera, for their patience while I "stop to get this one shot", and for their kind words on my photos.
Let's see where the next half takes me!!!
