What does PaD mean to you?

[1designguy]

Just a few simple questions out of curiosity...

1. What does PaD mean to you?

2. How does/has participating in PaDding impacted your photography?

3. What is the main reason you started and continue PaDding?

I know the reasons will vary greatly. Having participated since 2004, I have watched the people participating change over the years.

[chenchena]

A Photo a Day gallery is for me most of all an expression of daily life. I started in November 2005 with a PAD as a form to show my friends and family my new world.
I like the thematic PAD's as it improve my photo skills. I had a look at my first PAD today and I noticed that I would now take the same images in a different way.
I like the interaction in the forum.
Friendly regards Mieke

[amoxtli]

I have an academic background in literature, so I wrote the following at the beginning of my PaD, on January 1, 2008, when I first started the gallery and never revised it.

"Zuihitsu is a genre of Japanese literature consisting of loosely connected personal essays and fragmented ideas that typically express the author's feelings with respect to their surroundings. Sei Shonagon's "Pillow Book" is a perfect example.
I decided to apply this idea to my photo a day gallery beginning January 1, 2008. One image for each day. A little story, one for each image. A little discipline for me. I will do my best."

After having completed almost four years without missing a day I think the concept has worked well for me. I see each image as a story on its own, and for me the gallery is a personal mode of expression, not really directed at others, but more of a diary or journal. I can look back at each image and remember something about that day. It has forced me to look for images and has improved my photography. I have photographed subjects I normally would not have photographed. I will definitely continue the galley in 2012, as it has become an integral part of my daily routine, a chronicle of my journey.

[lynnh]

I have been PaDding since 2008. I only missed one day so far in 2011 and I missed one day in 2010.

My PaD rules:

1. I take photos every day. I don't always post my PaD photos that same day because I am so busy. I post when I get time, but I have photos for every day.
2. The photo I choose to post will best represent MY day, like a diary. It can be representative of the mood of the day, or a photo of something that left an impression or interested me.
3. I post it whether it is good or not. The mistakes are just as meaningful, if not more. I can see my mistakes as I look back over the past PaDs... good way to learn and to be mindful.

[norm4fun]

To me it means posting a photo every day to specefic gallery, mostly on a subject presented in the forum. The fun is how a theme is understood and presented. I really don't care about dates and stuff like that, since I photograph only when I feel like it. Will participate again next month, this month was out.

[1designguy]

A Photo a Day gallery is for me most of all an expression of daily life. I started in November 2005 with a PAD as a form to show my friends and family my new world.
I like the thematic PAD's as it improve my photo skills. I had a look at my first PAD today and I noticed that I would now take the same images in a different way.
I like the interaction in the forum.
Friendly regards Mieke

Thanks Mieke. It sounds like our PaD paths are very similar.

[mairead]

Sorry Scott, meant to comment on this when I saw it but have been busy.
PAD for me means carrying a camera with me 99% of the time, going to work, shopping, walking the dog. It means I get shots I wouldn't otherwise, some good, some bad.
When I started out with a PAD, I posted reasonably fresh images, then I became obsessed about posting one taken that day, now I'm a bit more relaxed. Most days I post a photo taken that day, if
I don't manage to take a pic, I post one from the previous day, or just skip it 'cause it's supposed to be fun, not a chore. My photography has certainly improved from the discipline involved
in seeking out images. While I enjoy dipping into the monthly challenges from time to time, I also keep my own separate PAD, a semi-visual diary of my daily life. From looking back at the PAD
forum from a few years ago, I'm not sure if there's quite the same amount of communication between PADders as there was, other than those doing the monthly challenges and among our
respective favourites. Discussion also seems to have tried up on some of the forums regarding equipment and the technical side of photography - if I want into on that I find I have to look elsewhere.
Cheers
Mairéad

[1designguy]

I have an academic background in literature, so I wrote the following at the beginning of my PaD, on January 1, 2008, when I first started the gallery and never revised it.

"Zuihitsu is a genre of Japanese literature consisting of loosely connected personal essays and fragmented ideas that typically express the author's feelings with respect to their surroundings. Sei Shonagon's "Pillow Book" is a perfect example.
I decided to apply this idea to my photo a day gallery beginning January 1, 2008. One image for each day. A little story, one for each image. A little discipline for me. I will do my best."

After having completed almost four years without missing a day I think the concept has worked well for me. I see each image as a story on its own, and for me the gallery is a personal mode of expression, not really directed at others, but more of a diary or journal. I can look back at each image and remember something about that day. It has forced me to look for images and has improved my photography. I have photographed subjects I normally would not have photographed. I will definitely continue the galley in 2012, as it has become an integral part of my daily routine, a chronicle of my journey.

I agree and I occasionally return for a walk down memory lane piece by piece. Thanks Walter.

[1designguy]

I have been PaDding since 2008. I only missed one day so far in 2011 and I missed one day in 2010.

My PaD rules:

1. I take photos every day. I don't always post my PaD photos that same day because I am so busy. I post when I get time, but I have photos for every day.
2. The photo I choose to post will best represent MY day, like a diary. It can be representative of the mood of the day, or a photo of something that left an impression or interested me.
3. I post it whether it is good or not. The mistakes are just as meaningful, if not more. I can see my mistakes as I look back over the past PaDs... good way to learn and to be mindful.

So many started out taking each day as an exercise. Posting daily has become more and more challenging in the last couple of years for me but the exercise of looking for new photo opportunities is on-going. I agree that we do learn from the good and bad. I often don't know the difference until I look back on them.

Thanks Lynn

[1designguy]

To me it means posting a photo every day to specefic gallery, mostly on a subject presented in the forum. The fun is how a theme is understood and presented. I really don't care about dates and stuff like that, since I photograph only when I feel like it. Will participate again next month, this month was out.

The exercise of following challenges pushes and prods us on toward experimentation and growth. It is a worthy PaD endeavor. I was enjoy your fresh takes Norman. Thank you.

[1designguy]

Sorry Scott, meant to comment on this when I saw it but have been busy.
PAD for me means carrying a camera with me 99% of the time, going to work, shopping, walking the dog. It means I get shots I wouldn't otherwise, some good, some bad.
When I started out with a PAD, I posted reasonably fresh images, then I became obsessed about posting one taken that day, now I'm a bit more relaxed. Most days I post a photo taken that day, if
I don't manage to take a pic, I post one from the previous day, or just skip it 'cause it's supposed to be fun, not a chore. My photography has certainly improved from the discipline involved
in seeking out images. While I enjoy dipping into the monthly challenges from time to time, I also keep my own separate PAD, a semi-visual diary of my daily life. From looking back at the PAD
forum from a few years ago, I'm not sure if there's quite the same amount of communication between PADders as there was, other than those doing the monthly challenges and among our
respective favourites. Discussion also seems to have tried up on some of the forums regarding equipment and the technical side of photography - if I want into on that I find I have to look elsewhere.
Cheers
Mairéad

It has greatly changed (the PaD community) over the years. There was a lot of camaraderie back in the early days. I remember meeting new people as they began the PaD journey (and a good bit of give-and-take). It grew quickly beyond that comfortable size and with it the PaD metagallery became the residence of many just looking for exposure.

I have always appreciated and been inspired by you and your eye. Thank you Mairead.

[pkocinski]

I don't do a PaD but instead I do a PESO (Photo Every So Often) because I know I don't have the discipline to take a quality (to me anyways) image every day and I don't like the idea of "just taking a shot" because I need one. I am normally shy and don't show my photos to many people so posting on PBase was a way to get me to open up more and get more confidence in my photography. I do enjoy viewing and learning from others photos and I hope I'm improving my skills as I try new things that I see on PaDs here on PBase. I do enjoy the camaraderie here as well as seeing other parts of the world through their photos. I do treasure my PBase photography friends.

[1designguy]

I don't do a PaD but instead I do a PESO (Photo Every So Often) because I know I don't have the discipline to take a quality (to me anyways) image every day and I don't like the idea of "just taking a shot" because I need one. I am normally shy and don't show my photos to many people so posting on PBase was a way to get me to open up more and get more confidence in my photography. I do enjoy viewing and learning from others photos and I hope I'm improving my skills as I try new things that I see on PaDs here on PBase. I do enjoy the camaraderie here as well as seeing other parts of the world through their photos. I do treasure my PBase photography friends.

So perfectly is that balance of give-and-take in PaDding (or PESOing). I truly get more than I could ever give back from this experience and the relationships I've formed in the 7 plus years on Pbase. I thank you for coming out of your shell and sharing!

[barbara_heide]

I have been off padding for almost a year now and fancy to be back. Not as a chore or a discipline, only for fun. It has meant a lot to me in the past but then turned out to be quite an obsession. I have many other interesting things to do in my life...
What I do not like is the kind of "diary", what have I been doing... I prefer to stick to a subject and don't want to get too much of my private life to be shown. For this reason I like the monthly challenges as a guideline for a topic. Although the discipline is to keep up with comments and not so much the picture everyday...
I have been working a lot on other projects last year especially a project with disabled people, which went very well, but took a lot of my time. Most of the photographs I took there are not allowed to be shown in "public" so I respect their choice and do not post them on pbase...
I will try to stick to my PAD but not getting obsessed by it...
here you go...
wishing you all a very happy padding pbase year!


cheers
Barbara

[barbara_heide]

I have been off padding for almost a year now and fancy to be back. Not as a chore or a discipline, only for fun. It has meant a lot to me in the past but then turned out to be quite an obsession. I have many other interesting things to do in my life...
What I do not like is the kind of "diary", what have I been doing... I prefer to stick to a subject and don't want to get too much of my private life to be shown. For this reason I like the monthly challenges as a guideline for a topic. Although the discipline is to keep up with comments and not so much the picture everyday...
I have been working a lot on other projects last year especially a project with disabled people, which went very well, but took a lot of my time. Most of the photographs I took there are not allowed to be shown in "public" so I respect their choice and do not post them on pbase...
I will try to stick to my PAD but not getting obsessed by it...
here you go...
wishing you all a very happy padding pbase year!


cheers
Barbara