One Year Anniversary at DPC - DPChallenge Forums

10/05/2007 09:35:37 AM · #1

With my one year mark at DPC fast approaching, I went back and reviewed my first year to take stock of my journey here so far.

I've reviewed the photos I've taken, the challenges I have entered, the people I've met, the skills I have developed, the equipment I've bought (LOL!), and the scores I've gotten. I really must say that this has been such a great experience in building my knowledge base and skill set. Allowing me to use the assistance so many talented and helpful individuals out along the journey has been so worthwhile.

I still remember the first challenge I entered last October. I put in an uncropped and minimally color adjusted image that seemed pretty sharp and seemed to fit the challenge okay - I had to google what 'bokeh' meant, but off I went. I could not believe the helpful and insightful comments on my photo once voting began. I scored pretty well but boy did those first few comments teach me what I had to learn! Thanks to

Jutilda and the other commentors I became absolutely hooked to enter and get feedback.

Some 50 challenges later, I still love the place. I especially appreciate the community and the friendships I have built - especially the likes of

noraneko,

sherpet,

staab,

roz,

jonfrommk,

brownsm,

SandyP, my DPL teammates, and so many others that I have 'talked to' over the year through the forums, comments and PMs.

I decided to do some very crude statistics on my DPC photography development and noticed a pretty startling and rather happy trend.

Average Score first 5 challenges: 5.25
Average Score first 8 challenges: 5.4
Average Score first 10 challenges: 5.65

Average Score latest 10 challenges: 6.15
Average Score latest 8 challenges: 6.24
Average Score latest 5 challenges: 6.4

If scoring is a reasonable measure of the learnings I have made in the last year, I sure do owe the DPC community a world of thanks! You have sure made much of this possible.

Thanks for a great year - Keep the comments coming - and see you in the forums and challenges!

Peter

Edit: Grammar!

Message edited by author 2007-10-05 10:21:56.

Retroesque

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

10/05/2007 09:41:06 AM · #2

Congratulations on your anniversary - just celebrated mine last week - it feels good to find your place doesn't it?

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC Macro for Canon

10/05/2007 10:01:17 AM · #3

Congrats on your 1st anniversary as well!

Originally posted by iamwoman:

Congratulations on your anniversary - just celebrated mine last week - it feels good to find your place doesn't it?

Jutilda

Canon EOS-7D

10/05/2007 10:14:06 AM · #4

Watch out, I'm going to rip you a new one in your next entry. ROFL

Congrats. You've come a long way and it's fun to see the changes and growth we've all made~~

hugs

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

10/05/2007 10:17:10 AM · #5

Originally posted by Jutilda:

Watch out, I'm going to rip you a new one in your next entry. ROFL

I expect it! Those are the best comments IMHO

brownsm

Canon EOS-5D

10/05/2007 10:19:12 AM · #6

Congratulations, Peter! Has it been a year already? Will your wife ever forgive me for telling you about DPC?

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

10/05/2007 10:37:48 AM · #7

Originally posted by brownsm:

Congratulations, Peter! Has it been a year already? Will your wife ever forgive me for telling you about DPC?

Carol will never forgive you!! LOL

At least she gets better photos to put in her frames at work...

jonfrommk

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

10/05/2007 10:44:04 AM · #8

What a nice message Peter. All I can say is that as someone who has been a member for a mere 6 months it has been a pleasure getting to know you...And you know what I think about your photographic ability

PhotoDave

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

10/05/2007 10:49:49 AM · #9

Grats Peter, my first year is coming up near the end of the month, I will prob renew as I have made a lot of great friends here and want to keep that going :)

-dave

roz

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III

OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

10/05/2007 03:08:47 PM · #10

far out peter .. we joined ON EXACTLY THE SAME DAY .. how weird is that ..
and i feel exactly the same as you about this wonderful site ... the things i've learned .. the places i've gone !!! .. and thats a fact .. i was saying to someone in a comment in our slice of life side that often its the joy of taking photographs that gets me out of the house when otherwise i wouldnt go ...
i was a mad keen photographer before dpc but when i look at the amazing amount of knowledge i've acquired in this last year because of the wonderful help from ppl in dpc i can only feel grateful .. also having a camera and taking photographs in public, which i didnt do before dpc has been an excellent experience ...
and altho i'm not a hugely competitive sort'v person i love the challenge of pitting my less than wonderful talents against the giants in dpc .. the highs and lows when a challenge starts voting .. usually the lows !!! ..
i dont know, but this site and the people i've met are now such a huge part of my life that i thank god for the gift ..
thank you peter for mentioning me as someone you have appreciated .. the feeling is reciprocated .. its just one more gift you have given me .. :):)xx

Judi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

10/05/2007 03:46:45 PM · #11

Congratulations on your first of many years Peter....you rock!

dsterner

Canon EOS-40D

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

10/05/2007 03:59:26 PM · #12

Congratulations Peter!
I can see from the encouragement you have been offering me that you are giving back to the community. Many thanks and best of luck in all your entries.

Deb