It is hard to believe that last month marked my 12th anniversary of blogging. It has been quite the ride really. It is something that while I have tried other things I have always come back to here.
My first blog post
I published my first post in 2010 on blogger. Do you remember that platform? Not sure it is even used that much anymore. I was only there for a short time before a friend of mine, Kate, introduced me to WordPress.
My first post was about cycling, which I was involved in a lot back then, but not so much now. Actually not at all now.
Here is a link to that first post, First One.
When I wrote it I was trying to make a living as a photographer for cycling. It was suggested that it might help the business if I blogged. It didn’t. Still, it got me started on a new journey and one that I have never regretted.
Switching to WordPress
I made the switch to WordPress.com in 2012 I think it was. I thought it was Oct 2010, but I can’t find any posts from then, so we will say I started in 2012.
It was great. I met so many people through it and I have also met many in person as well. There were lots of opportunities, not to mention a trip to the USA in 2015. It was a great way to show my photography and often a good way to judge what worked and what didn’t. It has been fun going back and seeing how bad some of those photos were. Especially when I think of the arrogance I had with my photography. Yes, I think I did have that.
There were also bad times as well with it. People who wanted to put me down and be really nasty. I learned very quickly to read the bad and negative comments then walk away. Come back later and not respond in anger. I have blacklisted people, and they are the big reason why I moderate all comments. It isn’t often I will delete one, but I have been known to do it.
I stayed there for quite a few years before deciding to start my own self-hosted blog.
Self-hosting my own blog
I first started this in 2014. The reasons were varied but one thing I wanted was more control. To be able to get sponsored posts and let people advertise if they wanted. Not that I have ever done either of those.
I started posting on both, but it seemed clear, initially, that people were not interested in coming to the blog so I did stop for awhile. Around 2015 or 2016 I decided to only blog here and stop the other one.
It isn’t a decision that I have ever regretted and I love having my own. I don’t have to put up with all the changes that the free one does and that sort of thing. I mean I still get changes and things can go wrong, but this is mine.
It is growing and I am happy to be getting back into it regarding a schedule of posting. I used to post every day but some people told me that was too much so I stopped and I just stopped posting a lot. I would go ages without publishing anything. I really lost my way.
Now I’m trying to make sure I post at least every 2 to 3 days. This is what I need to do for myself. It gives me time, but also makes me commit more to it as well.
Below is the first post I did on the WordPress.com blog back in October 2012. I often forget about that photo. It is something I’ve wanted to do a lot more, but I haven’t. I think I am not sure I can do it very well so I tend not to try. This is something we can discuss in another post. I will stop now and leave you with a repost of that first post. Check out the watermark I used to use.
Take care.
Learning How to Put the Sheep in the City
Having one day a week where I have to learn something new is turning out to be quite good. I can be quite slack, and never get around to some stuff, though that is not quite true, sometimes I am just so convinced I can’t do something, that I never try. It is a fault, I know, but it is one I have had for a long time. So, after my first attempt at putting things into an image on Saturday with School Bench, I decided to try something else.
I have shown you this bridge before. It is in the city down near the Docklands. There are lots of amazing photos around this bridge. I decided to use this image.
I haven’t shown you these sheep before. This image was taken at the Warracknabeal Sheep sale. They were on their way to a new place. Don’t they look cute?
So, the idea, what would it be like to put a heap of sheep in a city setting, by implanting the sheep into an image of the city. Therefore the two images, the sheep and the bridge can I put the sheep on the bridge. Admittedly, the sheep are in the sun and it is obvious, the bridge, taken on an overcast day. Can you see the first problem? That turned out to be the only real problem, but I had to try anyway.
There you have the sheep on the bridge. I tried to make it work, not sure I was really successful, but for the first real attempt, I’m pretty happy. I can see the problems, and I can see that there are things that need to be planned when doing this sort of thing. I knew that the lighting would be a problem, and if I want to do this, I need to consider the lighting for both subjects, and I am probably going to have to plan a lot more ahead.
Creating my own realities is really something I want to get into a lot more. I have lots of ideas of what I want to do, but I have to learn a lot more first.
Hey Leanne … congratulations!
Thank you Julie.
Congratulations 👏
Thank you.
Congratulations
Thank you
Nice to see you back Leanne.
Thank you Arlene, it feels good to be getting back into it again.
Wonderful journey, Leanne. Keep going on and enjoy your blogging.
Thank you, I’m sure I will.
Congrats that sounds great and hard work and persistence, congrats
Thank you so much.
12 years of blogging, that’s lovely. I remember my days started with blogger and then wordpress to self hosted wordpress. It is good to see the journey and all your past blog posts and being consistent all these years.
Thank you, it can be quite the journey, I think many of us have travelled the same path.
Congrats, Leanne
Thank you Solaner.
You’re welcome 😊
😀 ❤
I have followed your blog for several years, and although I may not comment very often, I rely admire you for what you have achieved. Love the story behind it.
I remember meeting you Angela. Thank you so much.
Congratulations, on your blogging anniversary🌹💐
Wish you will also guide the recent entrants like me🙏
Thank you.
Congratulations on your 12 years of blogging!!! Glad to read your post. You inspired me to pursue my passion for writing. I just actually started blogging last year. At first, I was really hesitant to produce my own blog because I was afraid that it would just fall into nothing. I was scared of other bloggers who have already made their names in blogging. But, still, I decided to create one even without availing of premium features because I can’t afford to pay. Now, reading this motivated me to continue what makes me happy. I can say that blogging is my happy pill. Good luck with your future endeavors. Continue to shine in your creativity in blogging and photography!!! 😊😊🥰
I get the scary part of starting one and I think nearly everyone who blogs has felt the same way. I suppose at the end of the day it is up to you why you do and if you just enjoy it. It is a lovely bunch of people I’ve always found. Of course there are some that are just nasty, but you just delete them and then blacklist them. lol. I don’t think you necessarily need all the premium things, that is more if you want to be more professional. I don’t know. I love the idea of the happy pill. It is great. Thank you so much Justine.
Great success story
Thank you.
Congratulations, Leanne! Yours was one of the first blogs I ever followed and I am still here. 🙂 I remember an early post where you put a house on the beach.
That’s great to hear Pam. Nice to see you still hanging around. Oh yes, I have a vague memory of that image. Thank you.
Congratulations 🎊
Thank you.
12 years of blogging is quite a great achievement, Leanne, I think I’ve been following your for probably 8/9 years. I remember you were publishing one of my articles in your Range…. magazine. Seems like that was decades ago.
Thank you Cornelia, it is hard to believe how long it has been sometimes. Oh yes, I remember you writing for us. That was over 5 years ago.
Beautiful. Great 12th birthday card for your blog
Thank you so much.
Happy Anniversary!
Thank you, Dorothy.
Congrats on the 12 years! I have really enjoyed your creativity and photography. Cheers to another 12 years.
Thank you Donna, I hope to continue with that creativity.
Congratulations on twelve years. Just almost ten for myself. Interesting to hear your experience. Trying to combine photographs is tricky but good to challenge yourself. So best wishes for the next twelve!
Thank you RJ, and well done to you as well. Ten years is a long time too. The photography can be hard, having to get the images.
Congratulations on twelve years of blogging, Leanne. You have come very far, especially with your photography. You really have had a lot of opportunities from your classes to getting gear. Like you, I started out with blogger and later moved to WordPress. I’ve considered self-hosting and maybe I will one day. Great to hear you’ll continue on blogging. Take care 🙂
Thank you Mabel. It has been quite the journey and glad to hear you think my photography has improved.
Self-hosting does have a lot of positive points.
Congratulations Leanne on your blogging anniversary! 🎉
Thank you Gary.
Well done on the 12 years of blogging Leanne, I was back there when you produced the Photographers Mentor!
Thank you, oh the Photographer’s Mentor, something else that didn’t really work, lol.
I think the sheep image is fun and I think it is great that you are challenging yourself to try new things.
Congratulations on 12 years of blogging!
I like the description of fun Laura, it was fun doing it, that’s for sure.
Thank you so much.
haha! I think the photo is a good one, Leanne. Spotlight is definitely on the sheep! Congratulations on 12 years.
Thank you Lois, it is an old one.
Congratulations on twelve years of blogging! Your work is always thought provoking and I LOVE the experiment with the sheep. Something about the lighting above and on the sheep really grabs me.
Thank you Suzanne, it has been quite the ride. I did that sheep one so many years ago and have always thought I should do it again, but really I need to push myself more to do stuff like that.
Hello Leanne,
Congratulations! Quite a milestone achievement, and very few seem to survive blogging for that length of time! Also I love the sheep on the bridge pic – very creative. Here’s to the next 12…. You’ll still have things to say and photograph…
best wishes
Julian
Thank you Julian.
I have to say I had thought about giving up a couple of times, but I do enjoy it, so that is always a plus. Oh yes, the next 12 hopefully I will find enough to say. Thank you for your support Julian.
Congratulations on the milestone. I too started blogging 2012 on WordPress and recently changed the name of the blog, again like you, for different interests. although I lost a lot of followers because of the change. Keep up the good work
Thank you. Changing what you do can be scary. I did that a bit in the last year or so. I was worried about adding more gardening and home things to the blog, but it seems to have been okay so far. Though I think this will always be primarily a photography blog.
And that’s where we “met” on WordPress.com, back in the heady days of the new Gallery feature and reblog fiasco. LOL Glad I found you again to follow. 🙂
Thank you Jen, I’m so glad you found me again too.
Congratulations on your anniversary – 12 years!
I’ve been through many of those years with you – you’re wise to keep setting goals for yourself! Bravo.
Thank you Sheila.
It has been good to hear that Sheila, thank you for tagging along.
Congratulations on 12 years, Leanne! I think I’ve followed you for many of those years. Your first post on Blogger is very minimal but that’s Blogger which I think is still around. It’s no where near as nice as WordPress, where there are so many nice people and few trolls. I haven’t tried self-hosting and use the Business plan that WP offers, it’s nice to use Plugins again. Be well! ❤️🇦🇺
Thank you John. I think you might be right, we seemed to have known each other for a long time. I think part of the reason I wanted to leave blogger was because WP had so many more choices and you could customise your site more. I was using the business plan, but it costs me far less to self-host, so a good option for me. I get all the plug-ins too. One of them crashed my page a couple of days ago sadly, but all fixed now. You be well too. Thanks again.
Thanks! If the plugin isn’t up to date, it may be more likely to crash everything. I don’t really understand how to move my site to a self-hosted platform. It’s a good option.
I think for here it was a new update that crashed it, obviously not tested properly before releasing it. I’ve had that happen before, thankfully not too often.
I just started one with WordPress.org and then moved all my subscribers over.