Collage of the last 5 years

According to my stats today is my 5th anniversary of posting a photo every day on Blip. I’m delighted and relieved not to have missed a day, although at times it was a close run thing.

I’ve created a collage of photos posted on 1st January on each year from 2013 to 2018, they’re not what I might regards as my best but they represent the annual landmarks.

They are, starting with my first ever blip in 2013 with Susan my long suffering walking companion whose trips are punctuated by the need to stop more often than necessary to capture a blip and has appeared in many blips since.

In 2014 we saw in the New Year at the London fireworks, 2015 was at Wittersham Road where I spend my days as a signalman, 2017 was at Threipmuir Reservior in the Pentlands, a regular location for walks, runs and blips each time we visit Edinburgh. And 2018 is from the New Year fireworks in Edinburgh posted just yesterday

That leaves the central image from 2016 when we were asked to post a shot that epitomises Blip at the time when the future was far from certain. Yes, Blip is saving our lives one day at a time, but we all know it is far more than that. Blip is a nurturing, friendly, inclusive and positive community dedicated not only to photography but to each other.

I feel I can count on all of you as friends. Indeed we have met many of you on Blipmeets in England this year as well as HarryJ when we were in Chilliwack, British Colombia last September. Thank you all for your friendship and continuing to visit my journal and leaving such lovely comments over the years.

Writing a daily journal has also been a great adventure, recording our lives day by day. When we are thinking back trying to remember when we did a particular thing we now talk about whether it was pre or post Blip as it is easy to find out events that have happened since 2013. So many memorable days have been recorded in these pages, not least the trips, the allotment, the railway, the rugby and the birth of our grandson in California last October.

I doubt very much if my photography has improved very much over the past 5 years. Blipping has improving my understanding of how cameras work and it has taught me to look more closely at the world around me as I pass through, from micro to macro - there’s always an image somewhere.

Above all, Blip has been inspirational, trying to learn from those far more skilled in the art, taking heart from the journeys people are on, their trials, tribulations, ups and downs, but always a privilege to read.

Thank you all, I can’t see me stopping anytime soon