Just a little update...
Right, so I have only 2 days left until I finish my Project 365 which trust me, I am super happy about! I have had so much support and encouragement by many people which has really meant a lot to me. When I started this, Brad was working along side with his 365 too, we wanted to do it together! But then Brad had way too much on his plate and it wasn't possible for him to carry on sadly. However, he has been there for me the whole process and has been pushing me to carry on whenever I wanted to give up. I thank him dearly and I am going to thank him publicly...thank you sweet.
What am I going to be doing after my 365? Well, I have been asked this a lot and to be honest I am not sure. I would love to start a 52 week portrait project throughout 2013, that's a goal of mine. But something I shall be most certainly doing is making a new Flickr account for more professional work. I know this is a bit cliché but I see people like Brooke Shaden, Seanen Middleton, Kiara Rose and Patty Maher and it makes me want to focus more on portraits rather than random little bits...I want to spend longer in processing and make an outstanding image with meaning behind it. I want people to look at my photos and go "wow". Without being bigheaded, I know I can do it. I have been taught how to do all the things the professionals do but what I have found out with my 365, I have never had time to! So yes, I would like to start fresh for that really...my personal Flickr will be for Me Again Monday, Face-Downs, Florence, Danbo, Bokeh Thursday etc etc. If you don't know I have worked my way up to a Lvl.3 Diploma in Photography which I shall be finishing July 2013. Not only that I have been working and have had to focus on a lot of other things during the process of this. Practically, I couldn't do shots the way I wanted them to look.
Anyway, Our Daily Challenge really helped me during my 365 too! Without ODC I really believe I couldn't have done it! So thank you to all admins, moderators and members of that group for your support, advice and encouragement, you have helped me tremendously!
The next year I will honestly say that I won't be on Flickr daily like I have been for the last year. Although I wish I could, it is not possible! Like I said my course, work and family/friends/social life won't really allow me to do that. But on top of that, today I applied for a 13 week course in Bookkeeping Lvl.1 which will be followed by Lvl.2 in January. Reason for this? Well, I need a decent income before I even consider building my own photography business (if I end up doing that). I also want to move out of the city by the end of next year, but that's another story.
Once again, thank you all for your help throughout the process. I have made many friends, some that will remain as close as they are now and some that I will have for life.
Many hugs,
Charlie Barker.
