K is for kiloblip

So here is my thousandth blip! I felt I had to put in some effort, and I've been tormenting myself over it for days. "Stop worrying about it," said S, "and just do it!". So when the rain stopped I set out in the car with my camera and a red balloon. Soon discovering that taking photos of a balloon on a windy day is not easy. Yes, the balloon did return safely. Given the nature of my journal, it was a no-brainer to include vines, sky, clouds, and la Montagne d'Alaric in my milestone blip.

It's all been said before ... I never believed when I posted my first crappy blip that I'd still be here almost three years later, blipping nearly every day -- and when I don't, it's usually not because I haven't taken any photos. I don't go anywhere without a camera. I started out thinking it was a project just for me, but I'd never have carried on if it hadn't been for the wonderful people I've met here -- both virtually and in a few cases in real life. I'm not even going to attempt to name any, because there are too many of them. Blipfoto is social media done right -- considered, thoughtful conversation between people who care about what they do. And the opportunity to discover parts of the world and ways of life quite different from our own. I am confident that the imminent major changes to the site won't change that -- Blipland is a place with its own culture.

I have learned so much about photography since I started blipping. Two photography courses, a pile of new kit, and a lot of practice later, my photos are now quite different. I am ridiculously fond of some of them. Especially:

Un dimanche à la campagne (favourite blip ever)
Learn to love your pylons (with thanks to ceridwen)
Ripple
Once more with feeling
Le coeur des hommes

They won't win any prizes, but they make me smile every time I look at them. Here's to the next 1000!