I received the nicest note the other day from one of the AHP 52 Week Photo Challenge participants. She has hung with me allllll year long and I've thoroughly enjoyed her, her work and her enthusiasm for my weekly photo challenge themes!
"Amy, I just wanted to thank you so much for doing the 52 week photography challenge. I'm sure it must have been discouraging to have all but a very few drop out over the year. But, as a brand-new DSLR user in January, it's been a HUGE boost to me - making me take pics every single week when I might not have picked up the camera otherwise. On Monday I finish up a beginner's digital photography class at our local jr. college. We had our class gallery last night and I sold FOUR of the ten pics I included!! I owe much of that to you - for making me keep shooting weekly!
Just wanted you to know how much I've appreciated this challenge. :)"
Thank YOU for participating!! All of you- those who have submitted week after week, for those who started out in the beginning and decided to simply watch from a far. I appreciate the effort you put in. The effort to try, to challenge yourself, to try to grow as a photographer. Thank you <3 span="span">
I'm showing you two shots from last week's SUN theme. The first one is the one I submitted- our new family member, Molly, napping in the sun. She is a pro at finding the warm sun spots and just loafing about.
The second shot was taken just moments after the first. She sat up, gazed outside and then went about her business (back to napping). The sun light on her golden coat was so warm and beautiful! Yes, folks, that's natural light right there. No reflector, no modifier, no artificial light. Just good old, properly executed natural light photography.
I started this photo challenge more for myself than anyone else. While it was nice to have people right there with me during the journey I really just wanted something to challenge myself. I wanted a goal. I wanted to pick up my camera each and every week and take photos of things that inspired ME. That got me thinking, that got me shooting. While I love photographing my clients, their families and events I really needed to make sure I was still shooting for myself. I love photography. I want to continue to love photography and I feel the only way for me to do that is to create works that encapsulates my own vision, in my own style. I don't have to worry about how the paying client will feel about it. I don't have to worry about making anyone else happy.
This is a project I plan on continuing throughout the 2013 as well. Not the photo challenge, per se, but photography for me. I still plan on doing a photo challenge for the new year, but it will be a different, less intense format. I'm hoping I'll get a few more participants with this new challenge so spread the word and get pumped. I'll announce the new challenge format in a couple weeks!!
I have a few personal projects I want to tackle as well, I want to refine (discover) my photographic style, I want to create art. This will be a big part of my blog for 2013. I will be sharing more of my personal work.
The AHP 52 Week Photo Challenge theme for week 50 is:
ART
I want to see YOUR art!!
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