Why no comments?

I switched off comments on my journal a while ago. At the time I wasn’t completely sure why, but now some comment-less time has passed I can attempt to explain the reasons.

I spend a great deal of time on my images. Too much perhaps, but Blip is my main creative outlet at the moment and so is very important to me. On most days I plan my images carefully and spend a long time processing them to try to express what I feel. There are some which are pure serendipity but these tend to be less important to me.

Words have an extraordinary power to influence the meaning of images and can completely alter their original intent. There were a couple of times when I had worked very hard to create something that approached what I had in mind, and was relatively pleased with the result, only to find that comments had, for me, turned the image into something totally different. On other occasions I felt that comments were left just for the sake of complying with the Blip etiquette. (I don’t blame anyone for this by the way).

So I switched off comments to see if it made a difference to how I use Blip - and it did.

I have found it easier to create images just for myself instead of attempting to fit with what others appear to like most - there is definitely a Blip ‘style’ which can be almost guaranteed to be received well. I do have some deep-seated issues around doing things for approval which is possibly why I am more of a designer than a fine artist and I feel that I am being less swayed by those strong influences now.

I am enjoying Blip more than I did before. There are good days and bad days but that’s to be expected. Overall, the experience of a daily visual journal is more intense and satisfying than it had become.

It may be coincidence but I have actually had more images in the Spotlight since I switched off comments. The way they get into the Spotlight is a mystery but there they are.

I do miss Blip conversations a little and feel slightly unsure about commenting on other people’s journals when my own comments are off. But that’s a minor issue.

Comments are on just for today but they will probably be off again tomorrow but several blip-friends have asked me about this so I wanted to take this opportunity to explain the reasons.