Mid August I found a “photo a day” challenge on a blog and I decided to join the Facebook group. I challenged myself to post every day. Today I have completed my 100th consecutive day.

Friends are suggesting that I must have too much time on my hands if I’m able to post a photo relating to the daily word prompt but in reality it only takes a few moments.

The up side is the thought process to decide what to photograph, the inspiration of seeing other people’s interpretation of the prompt and seeing other people’s pictures. It has released a level of creativity that I certainly was not using in my working life. The prompts for the next day or two are in the back of my mind, and random ideas jump into my head. Some days it has been difficult to chose a particular idea or photo.

One day the prompt was “loud”. I thought of fireworks, balloons to be popped, music practice when the girls were younger (sax, trumpet, drums were definitely loud, keyboard and flute, less so), local church spire as thursday evening bell ringing practice is loud. I thought of volume buttons on tv, radio, stereo, iPhone, or all the cd’s sitting on shelves. The photo I finally posted was of a loud kids game that I found whilst sorting out a cupboard. Other people have posted photos of tools or machinery, loud colours, aeroplanes, motorbikes, noisy kids, as well as some of the ideas I had above.

I am looking at the world in a different way. When the prompt was “triangle” or stripes” I was seeing those shapes or patterns everywhere. I guess I have time to notice, my days are not such a rush now. Stripes – bannisters, the fence, socks and tops, book covers and ring binders, pencils lined up on the table, venetian blinds, a zebra crossing, lamp posts down the road, a row of trees in the park. Triangle – a piece of toast, the dogs ear, a broken paving slab, a give way sign, petals of a flower, triangles are everywhere in architecture, in bridges, buildings, windows. Other ideas were of kites, sailboats, pizza or cake slices and toblerone pieces.

Is this gestalt? The brain looking for sequences, repetitions, order. The need to straighten a hanging picture or mirror. When you think of buying a new car, you suddenly notice that model of car everywhere. With a prompt in mind, my brain is unconsciously searching for examples to group together. I’m happy to think of this photo a day challenge as positive mental stimulation, more enjoyable then a cryptic crosswords or a sudoku puzzle. It’s making me think outside of the box, away from the obvious. As I look back on three and a bit month’s of photos, it reflects my “journey” during these months, some reflection but also each day, right now.

Long may this happy snapping continue.