February 17th, 2022

This is a picture of the 2021 City of Venice Florida calendar.  Pretty eh?  The photo is of a place called Sharky's Pier.  Sharky's is a beach front restaurant in our town.  (We've eaten some very nice meals there too!)

As is the usual case with calendars of this sort, the front cover, back cover and every month of the calendar year (including the following January) have a different and beautiful representational photograph taken here in our town.  I look forward to the new calendar every year. Partly because I love having those nice big squares to write things in to keep my life tidy and partly for the gorgeous pictures.  Quite honestly, every calendar has nice pictures but it's especially pleasing when I recognize where every photo was taken.   

Imagine my surprise when I learned that for next year's calendar, the city is holding a contest!  Yup yup.  Any old body who wants to participate can submit as many as four photographs! Wow!  Very cool.  That really got me thinking........

At first it was just a, hmmm very interesting, sort of thing.  And then I went back and re-read it.  And then I re-re-read it.   I read the article, I read the rules multiple times and then I dared to wonder, "Is this something I could do?"   quickly followed by, "Is this something I should do"?

  Please don't misunderstand.  It's not as if I think my photographs are the be all and end all, because they are not.  But it's something I enjoy doing, I do love a challenge and I believe that it's important to push myself a little bit. I tend to stay in my comfort zone and this would most definitely be a step way outside. 

I discussed it with Tim and he voted yes.  And then I talked to Joy about it.  After all, she is my photography partner. She also voted yes! ! Wow!  I think we are really going to give it a whirl!  Our next photo safari will be within the city limits of Venice because the rules very clearly state that all photographs must be taken within those parameters.  So hmmm,  Step one was finding out exactly where those city limits are.  It's not as if they are all straight lines after all!

Tim was the one who found a map online.  We studied up on it and I think I have it fairly clear in my little punkin' head where we have to be.  And I have read the rest of the rules enough times  that I have a handle on the rest of it.  If (when) my photos are rejected I want it to be because other pictures were better, not because I didn't follow the rules, y'know?

I am surprisingly excited over the prospects of this new photography goal.  Even though I know that the odds are incredibly small that any photo of mine will be selected (the contest is also open to professionals after all and at best I am an enthusiastic amateur) but it still feels good to have a goal.  And to try something new.  And to challenge myself!  Very Fun!

When I have my four entries taken, selected and ready to submit, I will share them with you guys too.    When the decision is made, I promise to not be crushed when I'm not chosen because I honestly don't think I have a snowball's chance in...well.......Florida I suppose. It's more about the goal.   Like an academic exercise I guess?  Something like that anyway.  And no matter what else happens, I will have fun.

Sooooo  Wish me luck!