It's all about layers innit?

This is my favourite Photoshop quote from a patient of mine...a fellow photographer and all round good guy who had just discovered the power and problems of CS4 :-)

I guess any photography is about layers. As photographers we peel back layers: to reveal a truth; to show a familiar object in a new light; to strip something bare until all that is left is line and light. Or maybe we add layers of meaning to an object, or person by the way we stage them or in post-processing so that the truth is enhanced or, maybe so we can mislead, or play with the viewer a little.

And Blippers? They have lots of layers. Peel back the surface of Blip and there are the philosophers; the wise; the clever; the funny and the quirky. All of life is here.

Well, I made it to 200 and frankly I'm amazed. When I set out on this photographic journey it was a bit of an impulsive act. I decided that I'd try to upload one image a day for a whole year in the hope it would get me looking for more photographic opportunities and stretch me a little.

It's done that and whole lot more.

Benefits of Blipping

1. I'm quietly confident that my photography has improved a little and also my post-processing.

2. It's reconnected me with my inner frustrated-artist. When I was a teen I wanted to do a degree in fine art. I even toyed with commercial art and graphic design. I painted and sketched all the time but I was 'persuaded' that a 'proper profession' was the way to go so my inner artist was shelved for many years. Now I don't regret a single minute of my professional life. For the most part it's been fascinating and rewarding but oh goodness it's nice to think in pictures again.

3. You guys. All of you wonderful people who leave warm, kind words on my images. The biggest benefit of Blipfoto by far has to be being among like-minded lovely people from all over the world.

I hope you enjoy my 200th image as much as I enjoyed creating it. Yes there really are 200 balloons in this image and as much as I'd like you all to believe that I celebrated my Blipday by releasing all 200 over the Northamptonshire countryside I have to come clean and admit that I bought a pack of 5 and did the rest with a camera, a tripod, an old wall and a copy of Photoshop CS4. It's all about layers innit?