365 Photo Challenge for 2011

[klsbear]

Here it is; the much-awaited “365 Photo Challenge for 2011” thread! Tammy (Chesney) and I will be coordinating the challenge for next year and we’re taking it back to the basic format. Details on the challenge are given below and the THEME LIST IS POSTED HERE. Post your questions right here on this thread and sign up in THIS THREAD.

The Challenge The concept behind a 365 Challenge is to take (and share via a photo-blog) 365 photos during the year. Participants in the challenge are encouraged to visit each other’s blogs and post comments. It’s a great way to get compliments, feedback and constructive tips on your photos and make some online friends as well. You’ll find the interaction with other photographers and the quest to match themes and take 365 photos can be very motivating. We have posted a list of 365 themes to provide inspiration. Photos should relate to one of the given themes, but we’ll be including an extra 52 “wild-card” options that you’ll be able to substitute for any themes.

Your Photo-Blog Everyone participating in the challenge should set up a photo-blog to post their photos where other participants can view and share dialog and comments. Don’t let the idea of a photo-blog intimidate you if this is a new experience for you. There is a little bit of a learning curve but we have several experienced photo-bloggers that will be available to help answer questions. Wordpress.com and Blogger.com are two of the more popular blog hosts (both have free options) and most participants in past challenges have used one of these. Check out both to see which you like best (if you want to see a Wordpress blog in action you can check out my link at the bottom of this post).

The Blog-Roll We’ll maintain CURRENT LIST OF PARTICIPANTS in the opening post of the Sign Up Thread. We recommend that you set up a blog-roll as a means of tracking when bloggers add something new to their blog. We’ll post more about blog-rolls in the participant thread once everyone starts adding their new Blog URL’s.

General Guidelines This is a quest to take 365 photos over the course of 2011. Photos should be taken in 2011. The challenge is designed to make you use your camera, not search archives for a theme match, so grab that camera and get out and shoot.

You don’t have to take, or post, every day, but keeping up with a daily (or almost daily) schedule makes it easier to keep you motivated. The point is to have fun and improve your skills, so while helps to post frequently and regularly, don’t let the pressure of daily posting dampen your spirit. We recommend using the theme list but it’s not a requirement. If you want to utilize your own list the blog-police will not be knocking on your door.

Visit the other blogs on the Participants List as often as you can. Leave a comment if a photo moves you. It’s not a requirement to comment on every photo, but it is blog-courtesy to return a visit and comment to the bloggers that visit your own blog. You’ll find that frequent commenting leads to more visits to your own blog and the comments can be great motivation so get out and check out your fellow bloggers!



In Summary:

• Set up your Blog (if you don’t have one already)
• Sign up in THIS THREAD (include your blog URL or a note that you’ll be adding it later)
• Post any questions in THIS THREAD (right where you are now)
• The 2011 THEME LIST is posted HERE.

[Danudin]

Why has the link on the VPW posting refused to work, I won't be kept out I tell you, and I have already signed up, that should keep a fair number away, Hey?

Rotten Ron

[Jackscrap]

I am new to blogging, have just signed up to wordpress and expect there to be one helluva learning curve. My first question is does my username become my blog address and how do I post it in the signup page?
Does it just become www.jackscrap.wordpress.com?
Jacki

[klsbear]

Originally Posted by Jackscrap

I am new to blogging, have just signed up to wordpress and expect there to be one helluva learning curve. My first question is does my username become my blog address and how do I post it in the signup page?
Does it just become www.jackscrap.wordpress.com?
Jacki

Hi Jacki - welcome aboard! Yes, you've got the correct format for your blog address. I use Wordpress so I'll be able to help you through it. Explore your Dashboard - that's where you can change the theme, header, and customize some of the options. The varioius themes have different layouts for the placement of columns, headers, footers, pages, etc. The front page is where you'll post pictures and others can leave comments. The additional pages can can hold additional information you want to share if you choose to use them. Feel free to ask any questions - we're here to help you.

[Bamagirl]

Can I join the blog participants if I don't have any intentions of posting every day? My daughter is getting married in the spring, and I just don't see being able to do a 365 blog this year. I still would like to post about 3 times a week.

[Bamagirl]

I forgot to say thanks so much!!!!!!!

[Chesney]

You bet, Clara, we would miss you if you didn't sign up! You do not have to post 365 images....that is just a goal...just do what you can and have fun with it!

[Sheil01]

Karen and Tammy --

THANK YOU

Ed and I really appreciate you doing this another year. We have learned so much from everyone!

[Mrs. Mac]

One question: do we need to have a fancy camera? I have a simple, small point and shoot camera, and it works for me (although at times I wish for more), so if beginners with lesser equipment (that doesn't sound right, does it? LOL) can be part of this, then I'll set up a blog and join in.

[Jackscrap]

Hi Karen, thanks for the encouragment, but I think I'm going to need a bit of help with this blogging deal.
I have set up a page but I can't really say that it was user friendly. I'll make a point of reading the help guide to maybe get my head around what page I have to be in to do stuff.
Jacki.