New Challenges for 2011

There are so many posts on the interwebs at the moment about resolutions and intentions for the New Year.  I hadn't intended to take part in any challenges because I think they are sometimes a bit to limiting and can get dull after a while.  However, I have found a challenge I might actually be able to stick to.  It is a weekly challenge from Shutterboo.  This challenge involves receiving a theme each week, then taking a photograph inspired by this subject and posting it to the Group Pool on Flickr.  I am so serious about taking part in this challenge I have created a page on my blog.  It's at the top listed as Weekly Photo Challenge 2011.

I want to take part in this challenge because I have never really learnt about taking photos. I point and click and think "that looks ok" or "delete".  This challenge will stretch me into trying different points of view and thinking outside the box to create a good composition.  I studied History of Art for A'Level many moons ago, so I know about composition.  It would be nice to put that knowledge to good use by thinking consciously about how a photo is framed.

I really want my blog photographs to improve over this coming year.  I think on the whole my photography is ok and I want to lift it to good.  In order to achieve this I have purchased a Light Tent so you don't have to see my clutter when I snap my crafts.  I hope this will also help with the constant dingy days we have been suffering from.  I think the tent will arrive some time next week, so it will be interesting to play with it.

I don't know if I will always blog about my challenge photos, but the photos will be posted to my Picasa album which is linked to the new blog page.  If you are interested, you will be able to keep up with the weekly snaps via the slide show.

This week the subject was Electricity, so I went for the obvious choice of a light bulb.  This photo was taken in black and white, which is a first for me.  I found this photo to be the most satisfying of all my shots, even down to the finger prints on the bulb.

Is anyone else taking part in challenges for 2011?  Share a link so we can check them out, maybe I'll add another to my very short list!