365

Yep, you read it! I made it to 365. In more than 365 days, admittedly, as I had quite a few gaps during the second half of 2013, but still.

I know at such a moment everybody says how great a community this is, how they met wonderful people and exchanged ideas and thoughts on photography and many other things... Well, it's all true!

I have found in Blip a very supportive community, the kindness and benevolence which was immensely necessary to me for a few very difficult months last year. Being able to download my emotions through photography and have friends, yes, friends, offering comments and support and solace in my time of need has been invaluable. I hope I haven't let anybody down since my situation has improved. I would feel terrible about it if I had.

"Turning 365" is a bit special, as I'm sure all of you who have done it in the past, recent or not, have noticed. Even more than the 100, 200 and 300 which are important enough milestones. I suppose it has to do with the fact that it is more closely related to our aging (and I had a birthday a few days ago, I guess this adds to the feeling). It's a time for reflection upon the past year, my year in photography. I hope I can say I got a little better at it; certainly Blip has allowed me a more systematical approach to photography, has led me to photographing series (I did it quite early with my Sleeping Beauty series between May and July last year - surprisingly I did shoot a new one this morning). It most certainly has made me more curious, and, recently, thanks to a very judicious piece of advice about a documentary film by one of you, it has even got me interested in colour again!

Thank you all for what you brought me, what you brought out in me, for the laughs, the smiles and the silliness. Thanks also for all your wonderful pictures: they are a daily delight. And a big hello to those of you I've met in person or am going to in a short while.

To finish, here's a poem Julie wrote after seeing the picture I'm blipping today:

A magical forest
Full of the dreams
Of the absent dreamers

Today's Dreamer.
The rest of the magical forest - and more!