I’m 11 pieces in to my #30edits challenge and still going strong. I’m surprised at how much fun I’m having! Who would have thought editing one picture multiple times could bring such joy?
I think it’s because I’m being challenged creatively. Here is how the #30edits challenge is showing up positively for me so far:
To do some of the things I want to do, I have to solve problems and learn something new. I get great satisfaction in both figuring out how to make something work, and in discovering new techniques when something doesn’t come out the way I expect. There is no downside.
If I reach a dead end, I am forced to move in another direction rather than abandoning my efforts and losing steam. Stopping is not an option, because I need to create something new with this image. Some of my dead ends one day have become starting places the next day, as I see new possibilities given time and experimentation. That is a powerful lesson – there are no dead ends, only altered destinations.
Each individual edit doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. It’s about finding a new way to use the elements I have available. It is pushing me beyond my usual places, letting me experiment with new apps and new ways to use old apps. Sure, some edits result in better images than others. Who cares! I have 30 to do, I can’t get wrapped up in any single result.
And it’s a fantastic reminder of why I love trees. They are such an interesting graphic element. Look at all of the amazing things I can do with one tree! Imagine what I could do with more. (Well, you don’t have to imagine, because that’s what I’ve been doing for the last three years. But it is a reminder to me to get out and photograph some new tree images to work with, once this challenge is done!)
So, do you have a challenge you are working on? Pick something, anything, like I did. It doesn’t have to be #30edits, but find something that gets you excited to keep moving creatively. Something that gets you out of your comfort zone and trying something new.
Who knows what will result? We’ll see what happens for me. 19 more to go!
