365 blog-iversary! + Keepin' It Real

Next week marks my 2nd anniversary of our 365 picture blog {1st anniversary post here}. My first ever entry was posted August 15, 2010.

I remember being inspired by my friend Theresa's fabulous picture blog, and I decided there was no time like the present to get busy snapping, sorting, uploading, captioning, and sharing my pics.

I'm a pretty devoted picture taker and scrapbooker, but I was nowhere near the picture-a-day mark required for picture blogging. It didn't take me long to find my stride.

I'm not the most adept photographer (I'm a work in progress) but I LOVE capturing our families little moments that together make up one big life.

If you're interested in getting started picture blogging, here's a great post Theresa wrote a while back on the Top Ten Reasons to Start a Picture Blog.

If you're a few months, or a few years, down the picture blogging path, here are a few tips to help motivate you to keep on keeping on.

I definitely hit a slump as I rounded the corner into Year Two, and I needed all the encouragement I could get to keep going.

Looking back at Year Two's 365, I am so glad I did!

365: Keeping it fresh & real in Year Two (& beyond)

1. Don't pick the obvious photo choice. I'm guessing you did that during Year One. Year Two (and beyond) is all about thinking outside the box. Pick the one that tells the story. Look at the situation from a new angle and tell it from a fresh point of view. Get creative. Take risks.

2. Take some Year Two liberties. These include the proverbial repeat shot from exactly one year ago (complete with a link back), the screen shot shot, and the I-got-the-flu-so-all-you-get-are-Instagrams mini-series.

3. Try to stay on top of it. I try to update my blog every 4-6 days. It's a good balance between downloading pictures every day and letting it go for months at a time. When it starts to feel overwhelming, it stops being fun, so my advice is not to let it get to that point in the first place!

4. Extend yourself grace. If you do find yourself weeks (or months) behind, I say pick up where you're at and let bygones be bygones. This is a no guilt zone, after all. It's also OK to "fake" a picture now and then...sometimes a picture I use isn't really from that actual day. I know. Scandalous!

5. Invest in new equipment. I bought a new camera this year just as I found myself in a picture slump and it breathed new life into my picture blog. I know this isn't always possible for everyone, but if you've been thinking about a new camera, go ahead and take the leap.

6. Educate yourself. My friend Mindy came over a few weeks ago for an informal workshop and taught some of my gal pals and me the in's and out's of beginner photography. Get yourself to some sort of a class (there are on-line courses available these days too). Never stop learning.

7. Find a community. I love my fellow 365 picture bloggers on my sidebar. These are girls I know and love and when they update their picture blogs, I feel inspired to update mine. If you don't know anyone personally who picture blogs, it's easy enough to find yourself a community on the worldwide web.

8. Seek out inspiration. If you often find yourself stumped or if you love lists, there are all sorts of picture-a-day lists floating around on blogs and Pinterest. I especially love the Instagram challenge hosted by Fat Mum Slim (by the way, if fancy shmancy cameras aren't your thing, I say you rebel and source your entire picture blog with camera phone pics! Revolutionary!)

9. Streamline the process. I try to edit my pictures just about the same way each day...this saves me time and lends my picture blog some consistency. Another great way to do this is to shoot for a picture a week, rather than a picture a day. Still a great blog, just simplified a little.

10. Remember why you do it. I first started picture blogging because I wanted to capture the little moment's in my family's life. Any time I feel discouraged or behind, it helps me to remember that I'm preserving priceless memories in a fun format that we'll all be able to look back on someday. Picture blog are definitely not about huge followings or making money...they're for you, for your family, for your someday.