One Year - Looking Back

And what a year it has been. I can’t remember any other period in my life in which I have learned, experimented, and experienced so much in such a short time. Photography has changed my world view, my approach to life, to beauty, to light and darkness. My life has become more colourful.  The most wonderful thing, however, has been the blipcommunity. The way you welcomed, inspired, challenged, and taught me exceeds my capacity of putting my gratefulness into words. Every one of you has enriched my life. I know I didn’t comment enough. I should have expressed my appreciation and admiration for your work more often. But every heart and star I have given along this year means that I looked at and read your blips and that they gave me something that will stay with me and influence me in one way or another.
Some of you might have noticed more recently how, at the same time as my pictures have become more colourful, my words have become fewer. It is something I regret. I love writing. On the other hand, I’m spending more time on the streets, looking for a shot that really reflects some aspect of my soul, character or personality. I believe that the Colours of Brazil-series does that. Those colours and serendipitous moments are a reflection of how I feel and think and believe, of how I see and experience life.
Yet I feel that I’m at a threshold. Posting one picture a day (on the day it was taken) doesn’t fit the way I photograph anymore. Most pictures need time to mature – very much like a text. I want to take all the time I need to process my pictures (not only in Photoshop, but also emotionally). And I want to write about it (be it by sharing the picture’s story, explaining my processing, or simply writing a piece of fiction to go along with it) and then publish it. I’m aware that this approach goes against the very idea of blipfoto. Blipfoto’s most recent community consultation has shown that, for most members, posting a photo against the day it was taken is imperative. I respect that, and because of that I will have to find another platform for my work – photos and writing (any suggestions?). I will continue to publish on blipfoto for as long as I’m allowed to post pictures taken on other days, but I will not do it daily anymore – but only when I’ve had the time to process a picture and to write about it. One or two blips a week, maybe?

I thank all of you who have followed and encouraged me along this very exciting year with your countless hearts, stars and comments.