Forty Days 'til Life Begins (and so it begins!)

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In forty days time my life allegedly begins when I turn the big 4 0.

It's been about 325 days since I last took anything with the camera due to various states of ill health both in body and mind. But if life is to begin then I need to kick start it a bit and start doing rather than not.

So (and this may fall over at any point) I'm planning to take a shot a day for the next forty days to rekindle what I never really had in the first place, starting with this water blob. Reflective of myself, a droplet just didn't seem appropriate. Another tomorrow when I may actually venture outside :)

 
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Hats off to you! It's all in the mind mate, and yours is obviously an above average mind if you don't object to my saying so.
I'm looking forward to seeing the next thirty nine shots. I like the first.
Salud, dinero y amor, y tiempo para gastarle.....
 
The greatest minds are the most troubled :)

Thanks for your comments. Will try not to disappoint and at least make it to two!
 
Sorry to hear of your problems Darren and I wish you the best of luck in your leading up to the big 40.

I'm sure your 40 day project will have the desired effect and in my opinion you have got off the blocks to a great start:thumbs:
 
Forty isn't old..... if you're a tree :D:D:D
 
I wish you well with your project Darren - its a while since I waved goodbye to 40 and I've got to say I'm sure there will be good things ahead :)

Intriguing shot and I look forward to the next 39 leading up to the big day :D
 
I am planning on doing this 365 photo challenege too!
Good luck to you !
Look forward to seeing more of your work in the near future.
 
if the other 39 are anything like this, your mind is defo on the right track!


Health, love, money...and time to enjoy it all
 
Thanks for the encouragement so far. After today I'm beginning to wonder why I thought I'd do this. Crap photo alert! :bang:



I've spent four hours driving and walking around today looking to be inspired, but it's just not happening. This part of Essex is either too flat or covered in concrete. I'm too self conscious to pull it out in front of other people (the camera!), so my dreams of street photography will remain just a dream. Even spotted three PCSO's in town and said to myself "I'll ask them for a picture" but chickened out as always.

So after many miles and with failing light I grabbed this just to keep the ball rolling, my last ditch effort as it were (trying to avoid self portraits and close ups until work days when I get stuck). Apologies in advance.
 
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Going out with your camera in public is a little odd, I recently went up to the xmas lights in town and get a few odd looks from a group of teenagers however most people just ignored me :)

Taking the first step is the hardest, do you know another tog locally that you could possibly go out with for a few hours. It's a little easier if there is more than one of you :)
 
I'm the shy retiring type who hates being in a situation where I'm not in control or confident in my own abilities. Considered coming along to the last London meet before feeling I'd be out of my depth.

Tried the (not quite) local camera club before but was petrified of being out of my comfort zone there too.

I know I can do it, maybe some dutch courage next time out :)
 
I know what you mean about the flatness of Essex!!

Good luck with the project .....the CD shot is a great start,I really like it!

Look forward to more........
 
really feel for you mate! i turned forty on 1st january last and since then my health and state of mind has been total crap!! only starting to get through it now.....if you ever need an ear feel free to pm.
 
dlh said:
I'm the shy retiring type who hates being in a situation where I'm not in control or confident in my own abilities. Considered coming along to the last London meet before feeling I'd be out of my depth.
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And you think everyone who goes on TP meets is a photographic genius? You've not seen my work then! :lol: There's one next weekend here, so get your butt down there and don't worry if the camera doesn't even come out.

/whingy moan time
 
Well done.You have the right attitude and this picture a day thing is a good start.You can pull yourself up and life really can begin again at 40. It did for me.
I was widowed at 38 and had 2 really bad years hitting rock bottom. At 40 I went to college, then on to university.Eventually I qualified as a psychologist just before my 50th birthday.I am only telling you this to show that it can be done. In fact when you have been through bad times it makes you stronger and helps you to understand yourself and other people. I found the saying "What doesnt kill you makes you stronger" to be very true.
Good luck and if I can be of any help please feel free to PM me.
 
Thanks for your replies and offers of ears. Gonna struggle tomorrow to fit something in between the darkness of leaving for work and the darkness of coming home, so apologies when it turns out to be a self portrait :)

CarolF - Can't make London meet this week (even if I weren't too chicken) as my daughter will be here for the weekend. Maybe next time I'll jump in with both feet.

Ladysue - stories like yours help to put a lot of things in perspective. Thanks for sharing.
 
Good luck, it's an interesting challenge! :)
 
Darren, it is not about how good or bad your resulting pic is it is about getting out and making the effort.

Ladysue, a good post and a great gesture:thumbs:

Best of luck Darren, and not a bad pic after all:)
 
You cant have ups without downs so look forward to the next highs ... I'm sure there will be many :)

Great pics btw and it doesn't matter what you shoot as long as you get out there and have a go :thumbs: If you like the results, that's a bonus :)
 
MadMacro said:
Hats off to you! It's all in the mind mate, and yours is obviously an above average mind if you don't object to my saying so.
I'm looking forward to seeing the next thirty nine shots. I like the first.
Salud, dinero y amor, y tiempo para gastarle.....
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And the second.
 
Good luck to you mate, you can do it.
My life changed (for the better) at 40, 4 1/2 years on I'm 4 stone lighter, have run half marathons and become a UK athletics qualified coach.
Now I'm trying to take pictures, lol.
 
So after many miles and with failing light I grabbed this just to keep the ball rolling, my last ditch effort as it were
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Interesting perspective you've taken there. Looks just as much to me like a case of long journey not ending where you thought but still somewhere very beautiful and with just what you needed.

Perhaps a little like the journey to 40??? Would love to tell you but only been here a couple of days. So far......... it's not too bad at all. :thumbs:
 
I'll echo what ladysue said too. Widowed at 40 and my Dad died three months later followed by the dog too. That was a particularly in fact spectacularly crap year. Had to have 1/4 of my liver removed thanks to a tumour at the same time as hubby was terminally ill. 5 years on and I'm still here. Sure there are some rough times and goodness only knows I could be held personally responsible for localised flooding but small steps has gotten me this far and I'll contunue to plod along. Sometimes I even smile too :)

Always here too :)
x
 
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After a total breakdown when I was fifty ,including mental hospital and having the same problems as you with no confidence, this following a career as one of the top photographers of cars in Europe, I threw it all away and have been on a steep recovery from there over the past 8 years . I am now feeling great and have just compiled a website to teach photography. Keep at it and if I can be any help at all pm me when you like.
Phillip
 
Wow guys. Thank you all for sharing. Even if my photography doesn't move on, at least I've been inspired by a lot of you. Thanks again and on to today's "effort".

The trouble with being early to work is that when something is wrong, I get to pick it up. So first thing this morning a server is down for the second time in three months. I have the pleasure of trying to work out why for the morning and after no success spend all afternoon rebuilding and restoring back to Friday. So my walk out at lunch time didn't happen and this is the view I've had for most of the day.

And now I'm home things are no better. Another system is down and it's remote support (me!) to the rescue again.

Roll on retirement :nuts:

 
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Grabbed the afternoon off and spent so much time playing with Pixelpost that it's started to get dark already.

This is something I've been meaning to take a photo of for a while. Whether it looks good or I just wanted to use the forty niners title I don't know. Comparative to my photography skills? Maybe it's all a load of rubbish.



If anyone is interested I've thrown these up at my website which is, as are all things, a permanent work in progress.
 
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If only it had been more productive. Wonder if I could wangle a long weekend...
 
dlh said:
If only it had been more productive. Wonder if I could wangle a long weekend...
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Go for it.

You know what? You've made me think. I keep looking at your bins, and somehow I think I've been missing all these significant milestones in life. I am often reminded that I used to say "It doesn't matter, I'll be dead before I'm forty" when I was in my 20s & 30s. Everyone I cared about seemed to pass away so young in them days, for various reasons, so why would I be any different?
Now, I'm 52 and never think about these things, too damn busy and happy I suppose. I would have missed my 40th and 50th birthdays altogether as I didn't see the need for a fuss, but the lads in my local felt differently and there was cakes and candles both times. Didn't appreciate it as I should have.
I know one thing - I've learned more about life by recognising what I don't want than trying to find what I do. Discovering that has saved me a lot of heartache.
 
MadMacro said:
I've learned more about life by recognising what I don't want than trying to find what I do. Discovering that has saved me a lot of heartache.
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That's a lesson and a half to learn. I might have to keep that written down :thumbs:
 
For anyone who hasn't been scared off already (and I'm surprised I'm still here), beware the following :gag:

After forty years, how many miles will these feet have travelled?

 
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Just worked out this should be in the Projects, Personal Challenges & Themes forum. Might make more sense there :)
 
The real question though is "How many more miles will these feet travel?" You have only just begun! :)
 
Thank god for the invention of the wheel.
 
Been a rotten couple of days with an annoying cough keeping me awake for the last two nights and a stiff back and neck from nodding off in the chair. Still resolved to putting something up. And this one I particularly like.

I do like taking photos of everyday objects from odd angles. I must try it some more. Can anyone guess what this is?



OK it's not that hard :)
 
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Just me and you left AliB.

You're on the right lines, but not close enough to give it away just yet :)
 
Looks like a candle to me....watching from a distance and hoping it turns out the way you want it to.

Bob
 
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