Do you ever just need a little activity to take your mind off the daily stressors and troubles of life?! I have it for you (but let me warn you, it can become majorly addictive, and I do not think it is just because I am a photographer!).  I’ve written before about how it can be kind of lonely owning your own creative business when you really just work for yourself with no regular co-workers. I am extremely lucky to have my assistant Sarah and my husband who both are a big part of my team- but neither of them are present in the day to day happenings. I also am thankful for my Tuesdays Together group which provides a lot of that co-worker feeling in spurts throughout each month, and grateful for photographer groups like Shoot and Share that provide a pretty strong community regardless of the semi-alone nature of small business ownership!  And Shoot and Share makes February (and the winter in general) extra fun because they hold a month long photo contest!
The Shoot and Share Photo Contest is AWESOME because it is really the only completely anonymous photo contest there is, meaning that in the end, there should be no external influencers beyond what people truly love to look at the most (your name doesn’t matter). Photographers can submit up to 50 photos and when you go to vote, you are given 4 photos in one of the categories (you cannot choose which category- they all cycle through as you vote) and you click on the one you like the most. And then the next and the next…and suddenly you are down the rabbit hole of BEAUTIFUL and inspiring pictures!  Anyone can vote, and the contest goes through new rounds every few days, and we are already on round 8 down to half the images that were initially submitted- so they are all REALLY good. And we as photographers don’t find out how our images are doing until much later in the game- so they may all be out by now, or some may still be in circulation- it is just really fun! Click here to vote for yourself…but don’t say I didn’t warn you about it’s addictive nature! 🙂

And now, a little stream of conscious of my voting:

I am so proud of myself for spending less time on this than last year!
Oh that’s really pretty…
Why have I gotten 5 newborn sets in a row?!
I’m a little thankful there are fewer hedgehogs than last year (though they are cute)…
WOW these people are talented!
Oh I wanna go there…
I wish I could shoot in spots like that!
If only I had a canoe and endless flower crowns…
I am so not worthy of this competition!
I know the person who photographed that (takes screen shot and sends it to friend, affirming they are still in the running!)
I know the person who is IN that!
Babies babies babies…
How on earth do I choose between these 4?!
I love these all!
Don’t make me choose…
Oh my goodness it’s been HALF AN HOUR! I DON’T HAVE HALF AN HOUR!
(clicks out of window).

Try it…it’s fun! 🙂 Happy Thursday!
http://contest.shootandshare.com/vote

And just for fun- the photo on the right of each set did pretty well in the contest last year! 🙂