Hello, beautiful people! Welcome back. What have you all been up to? Clicking pics? Loads of them? My, but aren't you an impressive bunch! We've been Blitzing, too! Clicking and editing and posting and blogging...It's total PhotoBlitz chaos! Very, very cool, but also a little perplexing. I was considering all the PhotoBlitz activity that is taking place around the world, 24/7, by people from all levels of Blitzosity and I suddenly found myself one question: WHY?
The easy answer, of course, is that we dig making pics. I mean, that would only make sense. Blitzing isn't the sort of thing you do even if you don't like it, like getting a root canal or eating liver. (Ewww & blech!) You've got to have at least a smidge of enthusiasm if you're going to lug a camera everywhere. Or swerve over to the side of the freeway to catch that amazing cloud formation. Or...well, you get the idea. Blitzing makes us do stuff that most people won't (and perhaps shouldn't) do. So, yeah, we've got a thing for it. But what is it that compels us to Blitz in the first place?
I was reading a book this evening. Miracle! (No, not that I can read. That I had time to read. Sheesh!) Anyway, the author asked a question: "Do you create for the pure joy of creating or are you looking for a particular response?" Interesting question, thought I. Hmmm. Interesting because one thing I've observed is that creatives are big on response. Sometimes bordering on obsessed. No wonder. You spend all your time creating, often alone, and you send your work out into the world, you wait and then..."Halleluyer!" Everybody loves it and lavishes you with praise. YAY! Doesn't that feel nice? Sure it does, don't lie. It's nice to have your stuff appreciated. But what if no one likes it? Or it's ignored entirely? If the response is not encouraging or non-existent, then what? That takes us to the other option: creating for the pure joy of it.
A few weeks after this blog started, Tim asked me what I would do if nobody read it. Would it matter? Would I want to continue working on it? The question caught me by surprise, because the obvious answer (in my mind) was, "Uh, yeeaaah." Even if no one ever read it, the blog would be a creative exercise. I was enjoying the challenge. Why stop? It's like the pics I post on Facebook: If they get noticed and receive compliments, "Woo-hoo!"; I'll take 'em. But there's a lot of my stuff that's ignored and that's fine. It shows me what's not evoking a response and that's a chance to learn. All good, folks. Bottom line: I do this because it makes me happy, first and foremost. Hopefully, it's the same way for you. Following Your Blitz, means enriching your mind and fulfilling your creative spirit. Take your pics, enjoy seeing the world around you in a way most people don't, and live a more awesome life. That's what it's all about.
Now run along and get back to Blitzness! And for those days when you feel ignored, remember this: YOU ARE A PHOTOBLITZING MACHINE AND YOU ROCK!
Hasta later, Blitzers.
