Having a laugh

Now, having missed my 300th blip, I have been keeping an eye out, and think that this is my 365, though I do wonder if blip should be holding the celebration off for a day, given that it's a leap year, and technically I haven't been blipping for a year until tomorrow! I also resoundingly failed at my attempts to come up with something involving a red balloon, due to my lack of forward planning, as I had no balloons at home, except for pathetic-so-small-they-are-useless water balloons, which are every other colour but red anyway. So, having spent time this afternoon taking photos of friends as stage 1 of prep for the wedding to be photographed in June, this is Marc and Suz. There are plenty of more formal portrait kind of shots, but I chose this one as it gives you a good idea of what they are actually like, and also to make a point about blip.

After 364 blips of mine, and however many of yours (for those of who I consider blip friends rather than the other folk who take time to read this journal) I probably don't need to say that blip is a fun place to be. It's been an entertaining and educational experience for me, which has really challenged and encouraged me to take my photography a lot more seriously, and has certainly made sure that more of you see and compliment my shots. People are now asking me to take photos for them, whether of their family, event or business, or publishing them (1 calendar and 3 books for The Leprosy Mission, one of which it looks like I will have my name on the cover, never mind the odd other random things) and I am thinking more and more seriously about whether this might be something to make some money from in future.

But that is again an aside, I blip each day because I love taking photos, there is such a particular joy in taking a shot which turns out just like you want it to, or often unexpectedly better, or the challenge of working out what to do differently next time to get the ones which didn't work to look how I want them to look. Even before I joined blip I took a lot of photos and carried my camera around with me most places, so I can't blame blip for that, but it's the community that I love about blip. I can and do take photos for myself and my friends and family, but it's you wonderful people who take the time to comment, whether here or on Facebook, and you fantastic blip friends who are kind enough to let me into your lives, who share your joys and pain and who share mine. Thank you all!