Blipfeed

1. PaulFS's entry for 19 May hit the Spotlight page ~ 20 May
2. Cema favourited PaulFS's entry for 19 May ~ 19 May
3. HareBrain favourited PaulFS's entry for 19 May ~ 19 May
4. PaulFS subscribed to KirstyHalbert's journal ~ 19 May
5. Runningbackwards favourited PaulFS's entry for 19 May ~ 19 May
6. friedaquilter favourited PaulFS's entry for 19 May ~ 19 May
7. PaulFS posted an entry for 19 May ~ 19 May
8. KirstyHalbert subscribed to PaulFS's journal ~ 19 May
9. PaulFS's entry for 18 May hit the Spotlight page ~ 19 May
10. jodeane favourited PaulFS's entry for 18 May ~ 19 May

31st March 2013: New Update for Spring (when it appears)...

Still living in Yorkshire and still older than you, I'm happiest when I'm outside, backpacking, wandering, camping in the hills, and now after 600 odd blips, with my camera close to hand.

600 and something days since I posted my first photo on Blip, not realising what a huge effect it would have on me. What I knew about photography back then you could write on the back of a Micro SD Memory Card (see what I did there?), and now I think I've improved enough to qualify for one of those stamp sized normal SD Memory Cards!

There's many things that keep me wanting to get my daily photograph. I desperately want to improve. I see photographs here every day that are just *awesome*, sometimes subtle, sometimes in your face, but always inspirational. You can never know *everything* about photography. You can never fully quench that thirst so I'll keep drinking. And drinking. And drinking.

*hic*

I still can't remember what DSLR actually stands for even though I've had one for a year...

I love looking for that shot - sometimes I know what I want, sometimes I hope something will show itself, sometimes I have to get wet and sometimes I have to sleep in a tent on the top of a mountain! But it's good and it's not wearing off. If anything my enthusiasm is getting greater, especially since I discovered I love to shoot landscapes.

It almost turns every day into Christmas, the type of Christmas you have as a kid. Plugging that memory card into the PC is like unwrapping a shiny present. You don't want to get too excited in case the shots are the gift equivalent of a 6 pack of socks, but you can't stop your heart beating slightly faster because you might have the gift equivalent of that lens you'd find difficult to justify but really want. (I normally get the socks but occasionally a nice surprise turns up.)

This past year I've been up at 4am, been stared down by horned cows, trudged through bog, charged at by horses, climbed mountains in torrents and hailstorms, got my head soaked in wet 'things' to try and get the angle right, knowing

Blip is a wonderful community full or support and encouragement. There is no pressure to take great photo's and no snobbery about what equipment you use - the size of your lens isn't important here. It's about the spirit of joining in, and it very soon hooks you. I've met some amazing, inspirational people through blip, some virtually and some in real life, and I treasure every encounter.

Some personal highlights and milestones;

Highest Rated - had to be up at some crazy hour and wade through knee deep snow to get this...

Most Popular - this was my 365 blip that I got up ridiculously early to get! (Can you spot a theme...?)

Second Most Popular - my 500th

Blip 300 - slept atop a mountain for this, although the photo isn't actually from the mountain...

This one won me £100 :o)

And I think either this or this or this is my own personal favourite.

Finally if you want to blame someone for me inflicting my dreadful photo's on you, it's the fault of yearofhappy and sgwarnog. They introduced me to it...

If you ever want to e-mail me, paul at coveredinbees dot co dot uk