Wednesday, April 30, 2014

THIRTY DAY CHALLENGE--A PHOTO A DAY--day thirty--FINALE or finally

April 2014 is over and so is my thirty day challenge.  I managed to take--and post on my blog--a photo every day. There were a couple of exceptions when I knew I’d be away from home and extra busy.  Those days I posted a photo I’d taken during the same time and scheduled the post.

 Day thirty--Sunset over the Lost River Range of Central Idaho.

As Matt Cutts promised in his TED Talk, taking a photo every day did make the time more memorable.  I also became more familiar with my Nikon camera and a little more confident in my photography skills.

I don’t know if I can do ANYTHING for 30 days, but it seems that amount of time is about right for changing a habit or trying something new. As Mr. Cutts said, small, sustainable changes are more likely to stick.

 Sun disappearing behind Diamond Peak

Not only did I take a photo every day, I ended up putting up a post every day about the photo or photos.  The time and effort this took increased my respect for entertaining and skilled bloggers like Val, Pearl and joeh who put up a daily post consistently.

Another thing I noticed was more incentive to go on a daily walk or bike ride, even in the rain.  Which makes me wonder if neighbors have noticed me walking about and have perhaps labeled me the Weird Wandering Woman with the Camera. I could become a noted village character like Kmart Cruiser, Biking Boo Radley, Merle Big Trike, and Granny Nightgown.

 Someone else who paused to appreciate the sunset.

A photo a day became more time consuming and challenging as time passed when I found it more difficult to come up with a new subject.  I didn’t always leave the house with a specific photo idea in mind and often when I did I found a better one.

 For example when I came across the squirrels with the pizza I was prepared.  And when I ran out of easy subjects I pushed myself to learn a little more about creating Gif’s in Photoshop.


The month of May is next and there are plenty of other challenges to try for thirty days such as:  give up TV or some kind of junk food or a bad habit.  Write a gratitude list, learn and use a new word daily, write a poem, keep a journal or work on some kind of fitness or skill.  There are lots of 30 Day Challenge sites on the internet which provide more ideas.  As Matt Cutts said, “The next thirty days will pass whether you like it or not.”

9 comments:

joeh said...

I could never post different photos for 30 days. Well I could but you would get pretty tired of seeing my neighbors car every day, not a whole lot of interesting stuff here in Townhome land.

Thanks for the mention and putting me in such good company!

Alica said...

Way to go out with a bang! Gorgeous pictures of the sun, Leenie!

Anonymous said...

So now are you 'in the habit' of taking your camera with you whenever you go out?...'in the habit' of looking at everything with an eye to how it would make a picture? You got some really interesting shots during the month.

Carla said...

So glad you gained insight by your exercise and we all gained the gift of seeing your world day by day.
Request: Please sneak some photos of Biking Boo Radley and Granny Nightgown. You've peaked my interest!! :)

Linda Sue said...

I admire your commitment. Your follow through- one foot in front of the other sort of getting it done. I do not have this quality, I'm all like" you're not the boss of me" even if it is myself being the boss...I do take my camera everywhere with me every day. just in case. Good thing too, because life is full of photo opportunities. Your squirrel pizza picnic is my absolute fave! Well done, Ms. Leenie!

Maude Lynn said...

What a gorgeous finale!

Joanne Noragon said...

Good for you, your commitment and the fine set of photos. I find myself leaving home often just to find pictures on a beautiful day.

Terry and Linda said...

YOU DID IT!!! I love the sunset...but of course you know I would!
✿♥ღLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Val said...

Village character? Let's not forget Nub on Evening Shade, the guy who pushed himself around town in a little red wagon.

I have enjoyed your month of photos. I don't even know which hole of a camera to look through.

Joe H. and Pearl are most deserving of the shout-out. I merely sit down at my keyboard every night and peck away. Sometimes it's good. Sometime's it's workmanlike. Sometimes it wafts a stench across the blogosphere. But it's THERE every day.