I love the challenge of trying to figure out what to write in this blog. It makes me feel good and I spend hours really enjoying doing it – in the evening when a person my age has few options: 1. TV programs have gotten beyond me and the advertisements they show a usually for things I do not understand, do not want, or can not afford. 2. I did not put my boat in the lake this summer, so a moonlight run up the Great Lakes river to the Soo Falls is not an option – and further more the moon is not even out. 3. My canoe is available but I am too tired to paddle against the south breeze pushing against my dock – of course the return trip would be easy if I ever got out there. 4. Guess I could drink scotch and have a great day tomorrow – What do I mean?? – well if I did not drink scotch tonight, when I awoke in the morning I would feel the best I will feel all day (That was my attempt a Dean Martin joke).
In addition to thinking about writing this blog, the challenge I faced last night was to study why we love a challenge. I went to many psychology oriented web sites to find out why we humans enjoy a challenge – We love the challenge even if we lose – in fact they said we love the challenge even more if we lose – at least in our first attempts! The web sites went on to say we are designed to take on a fighting challenge in our attempt to win – some sites said we do it to dominate over other humans and other creatures. We humans, over the many thousands of years, have used challenges to develop our skills beyond other animals – because of our built-in drive to dominate we are motivated and are excited by the challenge.
Oh my! Why am I looking at all of this? Well, I am taking on the challenge of bringing excitement into your photography by giving you challenges.
Oh, I did look at one other psychology angle. I went to the internet to look at the challenges our kids are taking on – it is called digital gaming (almost 2 billion people are gamers – that is one out of every 4 – it must be a trillion dollar industry). No one told our kids they have to do it – so it has to be that they love it due to this build in joy excitement of a challenge – boredom goes away when we take on a challenge – like me and the challenge of writing this blog at night and trying to understand why I love the challenge rather than TV, boating, canoeing, or drinking too much scotch.
So, I suggest you grab you camera or iPhone and take on one of the 328 challenges I found on the web – Do some searches for 328 photography themes – you will find it too. Go ahead – Grab a photography theme – Bring excitement to your life – Well at least to you photography. Just for fun I will show you four photography theme challenges I recently took on. I really had fun – much like a scavenger hunt, but much better:
- Theme – Flowers with bees on them.
Will a bee on a leaf do?
While looking for flowers with a bee on it – yea, I found one!
- Theme – Plants used by animals.
This Pileated Woodpecker must really be full ants, worms, or what ever he used this tree for.
This beaver used this tree to enjoy eating bark and leaves for dinner – but first he must chop it down!
He uses those Milk Weed leaves – will soon become a cocoon and then a beautiful Monarch
We human animals used this tree carving to call attention to our grocery and dry goods store on Drummond
- Theme – Rocks that look like things.
Looks like a character talking – see eye and mouth?
Looks like a Great Lakes Freighter Captain to me?
Looks like a face to me
Looks like two ducks to me
- Theme – Make a piece of photo-art using photos within each theme.
Plants used by animals. — The Woodpecker, the Beaver, the Human use plant life.
Flowers with bees on them. The search for flowers with bees
Rocks that look like things. — The rock theme – a camp fire party that rocks – The deer in the background wonders – “Why was I not invited to the party?”
As you swing thru life – Come on – get rid of any boring down time – take on the challenge of a “Photographic Theme”
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