I read a quote today that said " a woman without her sister is like a bird with no wings". It struck up this creativity for me. I know I've been gone for like a week and it's been weird let me tell ya. It's sad to say I let the popularity overrule the creativity draw to this site so I needed to break free from that. At first you only focus on yourself, your project. But suddenly you want the most followers, the most comments, a lot of favs, to be on pp, to be in top 20. Once I accomplished all that, then I was left thinking now what? I took a step back because I didn't start this for everyone else and to worry about what everybody else is doing. Thats what facebook is for(haha). I forgot that photography is my outlet. It is my release; a way to pinpoint what I am feeling at that moment. I was missing my sister so badly today and to be able to shoot something that represents that and to almost get it out of my system so to speak is theraputic and beautiful. THAT is why I started this project. I just needed to be reminded.
Tiara, your words are so true. I have to remind myself again and again that I'm doing this project for me and not for others. It's great to reach the PP and it must be fantastic to be in top 20, but that wasn't the reason why I started my album. Thanks for sharing your thought with us
I love your thinking Tiara....I have been thinking along similar lines myself recently!....This capture is powerful & full of emotion & it tells a story!.....A true photography skill!
This is beautiful Tiara. I love the folds of the blanket and the texture of the wall. There is an element of introspection and sensuality to this that makes it memorable. Nicely done.
This resonates with me as well. When I started this project I didn't know what PP or top 20 was. Thanks for reminding me to stay true to my original goal - improve my skills.
Faved and Followed. I love your photo - but I love your words even more. This has become my learning curve and my journal. I realized it is for me - not anyone else. If they like what I do or say that is icing.
Thank you for laying it all out.
This is amazing, I keep looking at it and haven't come up with a suitable comment. But I love it. Colours, textures, composition are wonderful. This conveys the emotion beautifully.
I love what you have said about this being your creative outlet - I didn't post a picture that I'd taken the other day because it was an emotional one and I didn't want to be putting my "emotional stuff" on show, so I shot a macro instead and put that up - but it was not as good. this is brilliantly done.
Amusingly your photo that was just for you, to capture how you felt, not to feed the popularity machine.... has made the popular page ;)
This is beautiful photo. Besides amazing colors and object, I love the wall behind. Was that shot as is or modified in post processing ? It looks fantastic. Fav.
Lovely photo and soooo true... I'm regularly bogged down by hoping for comments, favs, feedback and one day making the elusive pp nevermind the top 20... I need a reality check sometimes to remind myself my project is for me... you've inspired me to think of something creative for today's pic... xx
@cdonohoue@limpet365 Photos with feeling and meaning behind it mean more to me than a shot of a flower or a tree that anybody can take. Your feelings are unique and only you feel them, so it makes your pieces 100% original. Dont ever hold back
Well done, lady! Love the photo and your words. I've been missing you...hoping that everything was ok. I've struggled with some of those feelings as well...the wanting to be popular and the best, etc. It's refreshing when you see those feelings for what they are, and come back to why you are doing what you do.
I still haven't done my selfie. It seems that whenever I think to my skin is flawed or some other excuse. Wish you could come over and help me:).
This looks so like a painting. It's beautiful! "Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.” ~ Cyril Connolly said this about writing. I think it applies to all forms of art. It takes a lot of focus to remain focussed on your art. Thanks for reminding me. :)
true words. I went through the same thing on this site. I finished my project last month. My project had some great moments and of course some not so great moments. Now I just use this as a way to stay updated with the friends I made and post every now and then with a more journalistic approach. Life gets busy and I don't have much time to worry about having "the best" photo. :) A fav because I totally relate!
Very well said. Again. I started this project just to have a diary of my year. What was I doing on that day?? I then started taking photos that had nothing to do with my day just so that they got the most views. Now...I don't really care if I don't get any comments or favs. It's not what I came on here for. But this is a great photo btw and that quote I totally empathise with.
I totally understand...the last three weeks have been a challenged. I got so caught up in posting oly what might be PP worthy, only to fin out that one of it was, apparently. ;) Posted filler for a while, but then remembered why I was here--to explore and improve my skill. Not to entertain others. Funny how popularity is still an issue at 35...I thought I was leaving that behind in high school! :)
"Ditto" to all the above! I certainly understand the feelings you express- even though I never given thought to the popular page, I have not posted photos on many days simply because I had none that interesting enough that anyone else would want to see. Partly because there are so many very creative and interesting pics posted each day by others, that I do enjoy seeing- including yours. I will start today, inspired by your message of the day, to post a photo a day no matter how uninteresting!!
I decided to dig back through some people's pictures back before I was on the site to see how they've developed, and I just read the description for this one. I went through the same thing wanting favs and follows (though I don't think I've ever been top 20 - honestly I just learned that was a thing a couple days ago). I think it's common for people to get excited about the popularity and lose sight of the whole point. It's just so fun to have people reaffirm that you're doing something worthwhile. For example, when people respond to every single comment from anyone saying thanks, it kind of bothers me because I feel like that's missing the point.
Anyway... while I realize the irony because now I'm someone telling you I like your work, I was just going to tell you that I appreciate your perspective on the purpose of the site, and I can tell there's some steady improvement in your work, so you're clearly doing something right.
Thank you for laying it all out.
I love what you have said about this being your creative outlet - I didn't post a picture that I'd taken the other day because it was an emotional one and I didn't want to be putting my "emotional stuff" on show, so I shot a macro instead and put that up - but it was not as good. this is brilliantly done.
Amusingly your photo that was just for you, to capture how you felt, not to feed the popularity machine.... has made the popular page ;)
I still haven't done my selfie. It seems that whenever I think to my skin is flawed or some other excuse. Wish you could come over and help me:).
Anyway... while I realize the irony because now I'm someone telling you I like your work, I was just going to tell you that I appreciate your perspective on the purpose of the site, and I can tell there's some steady improvement in your work, so you're clearly doing something right.
p.s. I'm not calling your earlier stuff bad! ;)