Another aspect of switching over to this blog is that I can revisit old posts and update them, or just post them again. The following post was one of my first Up for Discussion (U4D) posts on my old blog. Once I publish it here I will delete it from the old one.
This post looked at why we blog, or why I blog. It generated a lot of discussion and it was fantastic to read what people thought. So I am reposting it, and at the bottom I will update with now. Why I’m still blogging.
Why I Blog
from February, 2015
I wrote my first blog post on WordPress, in September 2010, however it wasn’t my first blog. I originally started in January 2010 on Blogspot, First One.
I started a blog for a couple of reasons, one was because I was photographing cycling and trying to sell the photos. A guy who worked with my husband suggested that I start a blog, that people liked blogs. Well it never helped with the cycling, but then it had a second effect. Suddenly I wanted to post, I wanted to share my photos, and over time I realised that the photos I was taking for the posts was changing.
I changed to WordPress in September because I liked the stats better. WP had much better stats, still do, you could really get an idea of what people were looking at, it 
was good. Then I started meeting people, I started making friends. I have met some amazing people virtually, I love seeing what they do. It has been such an incredible experience.
I really came to WP and blogging with the intention of using it to help me produce work. In September 2010 I was trying to do lots of things, art wise that is, painting, printmaking, drawing and taking photos. I thought having the blog would make me do work for it, but it really didn’t work out that way. Within a year of starting this blog I made the decision to give everything else up and concentrate on photography, I have never regretted that decision.
Then in November 2011 I decided to challenge myself to see if I could do a post every day, and post a photo each for the month of November, and since that time I have done a post nearly every day since. With the exception of the odd here I still post everyday. It works for me.
Posting each day makes me to go and take photos. Being a relatively lazy person, going out to take photos can be hard, so with the threat of a blog and the need for photos, I have taken far more photos than I would have otherwise. I have found the blog a fantastic incentive to take photos.
Conclusion
The blog has meant I have met people who I would never have met otherwise. It drives me to get out and take photos to show people. It has been an incredibly positive experience for me.
My blog now
October 2016
I have left WordPress.com and moved to a self hosted site, that would have to be the biggest change. Part of the reason for that was so I would have more control over what happens. I can charge money for advertising if I choose and don’t have to worry about WP shutting me down.
Another reason was because so many people were confused between the two sites and many thought it would be better if I just had one, and I have to say, it has been much better. It is easier for people to find me, but also only doing one blog is much better to manage. It has taken a while to find my feet here, but it is slowly getting there.
Why do I still blog, well the answer is simple, I love it, and I love the people I have got to meet through it. From blogging I have been given some amazing opportunities. I have meet some wonderful people who are now friends.
Blogging still remains a worthwhile activity for me. It is still helps me to get out and take photos. I just hope that you still find what I have to say interesting and enjoy my photography.
So why do you blog?
NB: photos are from the first couple of years of blogging, nice to look back.
You know what? I’m so pleased you started blogging Leanne, I admire you immensely. You are so inspirational, and girl your photography is stunning! Thank you so very much
Thank you Julie, that is a lovely thing to say. I’m blushing.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Leanne. I started my blog as a way of documenting my healing process after a very tough year. I quickly found out that I love photography and sharing my part of the world with people near and far. Like you, it is also getting me out to take pictures, and while I still have a long way to go to develop my skill as a photographer, I am learning so much and meeting different people in the process. I never thought I had a creative side and it has been liberating to uncover it!
I think a lot of people start blogs for that reason or similar.That is wonderful, it is amazing what blogging can do for you. I’m sure you will get there, just keep doing what you love and the rest will follow. Thanks for sharing why you blog Debbie.
Blogging has become a way of life.Been following your blog for quite a while now and I always look forward to your photos
It is like that, I agree, it does become your way of life. Thank you, that is always good to hear Arlene.
Thank you, Leanne for sharing so many exceptional photos and travel experience with us. Blog motivates me to get out and take photos. I also have learned so much about photography. I value the connectivity and blog friendship. 🙂
You’re welcome Amy, it has been good to see that people like getting them. I know what you mean, I find having to blog does that as well. That’s great to hear and thanks for sharing why you blog.
Hi Leanne, It’s really interesting to get the retrospective from someone blogging consistently for a long time.
When you decided to focus on photography was it down to a real love for photography or a lack of time to focus on more than one art form? Do you ever think studying other art forms could be beneficial to photography? I once read somewhere that a degree in fine art might be more useful to a photographer than a degree in photography, just something i wonder about.
Another question, moving away from wordpress.com do you miss the publicity from having things published in the wordpress reader to the wordpress.com community, I suspect not too much as I think you have a strong following, but maybe for a new blogger wordpress.com is better?
That is great to hear Alexander.
I decided to concentrate on photography because I can get obsessive about things, and I had to make a decision about what I was going to do, and I decided I like photography the most. I think studying art is a great thing. My fine arts degree was not in photography, it was actually in printmaking and I did drawing, painting and sculpture. My degree taught me a lot about composition, developing my style and the art of observation.
That has been an interesting thing. I have been pondering the whole self hosting thing for many years. In the end I decided I wanted to have full control over the blog, so if people want to pay or sponsor a post, then it was possible.I still have the other one have access to the reader, so I still look through it from time to time and look at other blogs. I hope that will help people find me. It has been different, and numbers have fallen, but it has been worth it. Also the .com blog means that I don’t own it and I was getting sick of the changes that wordpress seemed to be always making. It is a judgement call, and I completely understand why you would stay where you are. Thanks Alexander for joining in.
Thank you Leanne, I had no idea about your art background, thank you such a useful answer. Oh oh I might be asking more in future haha !
You’re welcome Alexander.
I enjoy reading your thoughts then and now. I’m shifting a bit now with my blog. I’m glad I have it for the friends, a motivation for photography, an outlet for photography, and as a means of communicating regularly with the public. I always tell new readers about my blog. It’s a good way to get to know me a bit.
Thank you Nicci, that is great to hear. I feel the same way, it is good for all those things. that is a lovely idea, and a really nice thing to do.
Hi Leanne. Definitely the reasons one blogs or keeps blogging may be very different than those one started. Personally I wanted to post my writings. Stories, novels, what have you. Eventually, I now post more “visuals” that “writings”. 🙂 And that is fine. For the rest? The unexpected treasure found is the amazing people one meets and exchanges. re- 🙂
So thank you for sharing your “eyes”.
Brian
It can change over time, I think that happens to many. I couldn’t agree more, the amazing people you meet, it really does make it worth it Brian, thanks for sharing why you blog.
Avec plaisir Leanne. Thank you rather. Blogging has become a passion. But reflection is not at odds with passion, is it? 😉 have a lovely week.
YOu’re welcome, it does become that, and I think that is great, you have a lovely week too Brian.
My pleasure… 🙂