Ok, it's has been a year tomorrow since I joined Flickr. 256 photos. 3368 hits that's about 1 photo getting a little more than 12 hits each. Or it's 9 people a day. But this isn't about the numbers. My hard drive has over 18GB taken from June last year to today, I don't put up many family pictures. I don't do the nudes or personal exploitation type shots that draw huge views and tons of comments. Shots of Gracie and George in snow actually get to the explore page maybe 4 or 5 pages deep. Here's the thing, I've made a lot of web friends. And before I go any further... I'd like to say this is nerve wracking to expose my thoughts like this. Almost worse than putting up a photo of me.
What have I learned as I joined flickr to mentally challenge myself.
Number 1... There's dog owners out the wazoo out there.
There's a pyr owner in Florida, Peggy. When I first saw your shots of Henry and felt like I was looking at my own Gracie I felt I had to do this. Your photos made me feel I needed to show my photos. And it started with some simple Grace and George shots.
Then there's the Corgi people from Japan, Australia, Finland. You name it. And they are as exuberant as the breed.
And the other dog breeds! Chris Rushton and Andy Sheridan... these guys have a bunch of gorgeous Newfys. (By the way, guys, turn of the last century, early 1900's, my grandparents came from Birmingham area, Sutton Coldfield. Know any Pooles? Might be relatives. Granddad had 13 siblings.)
It's been great to trade praise, questions, comments, etc. on everyone's dog's personalities.
And over the year it's been very interesting to look at the world through your photos and see what you do, how you live, where you eat or what you drive. Sounds very stalker-like, but realise that worldwide, everyone's world is very different. From the decorations on the wall of their home to the composition of the same wall to the view out the window. And we're all bound by an interest in photography, the web and our hobbies shown within this site.
And this is somewhat a random thought, I speak English, a smattering of French from high school. I'm stunned at the quality and quantity of english speaking people on this site. A comment to Agnieszka (Poland) is answered in perfect English. A note to Anne K (caelusfulminum) (Berlin), again answered in perfect English. If it were the other way around and I were sending out polish responses, well, it'd be that web translator thing doing the work... I'm impressed.
But have I challenged myself? I wish I wish I wish.
I wish I had done more of shots like the various cloning photos of _rebekka or Miss Aniela. (Did one last night for a goof!) Great concepts, elaborate set ups, massive photoshopping. But one thing I've realized in the 28 years of being an art director is that I'm better off in back of the photographer who is in back of the camera whilst I am pointing at the subject to be shot. I shouldn't be allowed to have a camera in my hands... ok, wait I'm better than that. Plus I presently spend a giant part of my life in photoshop. No need to go into that.
I wish I had the sense of color of rebeccamissing, lyrical, 10thAvenue, caelusfulminum, and stoneth (wait, his stuff is all black and white... but the texture!) I wish I had the "go out and wander around in the big city" ability of Gillian Leigh. (I really worry about her getting mugged.) The ability to wander around swamps at the crack of dawn or the moment of sunset that seems to be the skill of 10thAvenue (don't you sleep?).
And I wish I had the focus of Jean (Digital Gurl) or Lori Tingey (Domain Barnyard). Or the protraits of Jamie (dockmaster) Stephanie Deissner (*Stephanie) These ladies don't miss a sharp shot for anything.
I'm missing humor. Here's the best. Jennifer Hawke, cute and funny. When I first wandered onto her photostream, she had a triplicate of various expressions that made me laugh-out-loud! A great set of crazy personal shots with personality. A recent caption about the heat of Nevada, "holymothacrap" really sums up an ability to be expressive without a long winded caption.
And then on the opposite of short captions, there's a woman named NcNeney in Victoria, BC that writes opus's under simple shots of herself or scenic Canada. I'll see a photo pop up and want to comment and it's like "wait for it.. wait... wait, she hasn't finished it yet, wait" and there'll be several comments and then boom, the opus loads and some fasinating piece about her childhood (or I guess, now she's 40, the demise of said childhood.) Mary Anne, this caption's for you. I once captioned all my photos the same way till I realized I really should say something about why I took the shot or what life means to me. (And damn, you are such a great writer... when's the novel coming out?)
And now that I've said all this, I hope I haven't missed anyone, maligned, or overstated my welcome into your lives. The year ahead... more play, maybe less just dogs for dogs sake, and some truely profound photos... I hope.
Thanks all!
