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"Oah, and I am gonna try to do this 365 thingy, wish me luck! I hope I can make it till the end, and make a bunch of new friends! Will this journey change my life? Who knows, I hope! =)" --My First Photo

 

Answer: Yes! Life Changed. For all the more amazing! ^^

 

 

One Year - 365 Self Portraits

 

A nice bright photo for the end. I hope you like it. I didn't know what to do.

 

DAY 365 is finally here. Wow.

 

Never really thought I would get this far. Time flies. I was inspired last year by seeing everyone's amazing photostreams. Everyone had artsy photos. Good crops, lighting, poses, and edits. I looked at my photostream, and just saw uncreative MySpace snapshots, not genuine or interesting photos. I was not proud of this, I knew I could be better, but had no motivation. Then I met Chris.

 

I saw Chris' photostream last July and said to myself, this guy takes awesome photos. I have to try this "365 thing" he is doing. I waited a month, still hesitating to actually commit to it. Then I started my 365 project on my first day of college, August 27, 2008. I never missed a single day or deadline. I always took my photo before midnight struck the clock. I am very proud of this. However, it was very hard at times. Sometimes, I would even miss going to parties or movies after work, just because I didn't take my photo, and had to go home to do it before time was up. The project was stressful at times. I almost gave up in October even, because nobody was really commenting on my photos. For some reason, I had the impression that I would be mega-famous my first two months out. Ha ha, yeah right. The week I was about to quit, a fellow contact came into my life, Zebra.paperclip. After she starting cheering me on to continue, everyone came to comment miraculously! I became noticed..... popular! This zebra woman brought life back into my photos.

Special thanks to Chris and Zebra. I am here today because of you both.

 

When I started I didn't know two things. First, how to use Photoshop at all, or how to use my camera at all. I can gladly say I love Photoshop now, going from knowing nothing at all to being self taught. Unlike Photoshop, hilariously I still don't know how to use my camera at all, lol. If people think my photos are good, it is the Photoshop lying and doing the dirty work for me. I am a lazy photographer when it comes to the camera. Most of all my photos were taken on automatic... It would be such a challenge to do a 365 without Photoshop, that's for sure.

 

I can say that I will not continue my 365- Year 2 right now. I have some more goals I would like to achieve in the short term first, before doing another project again. Currently, my top two priorities / goals now are working out, and learning French fluently in school.

 

I will try to take some photos every once and a while, don't worry.

 

I would like to continue the 365 experience or a 52 Weeks project next year, hopefully. Who knows though, I could break tomorrow and end up continuing my 365 this week. It will be so hard not to take a photo tomorrow, as if I was committing a sin or something. It has become such a habit. I think to myself, if I could do this project with such discipline, I could totally achieve another equally difficult goal like exercising. Heck, I will even have 3-4 hours of my life back now. It took me that long on average, daily to take the photo, edit, and upload everyday. It was like a second job.

 

This project has taught me lots of things: It has taught me to be creative. I didn't want to be a boring Joe 365, with the same face everyday. I loved the challenge of coming up with a theme and ideas. I have gathered lots of new music taste too. I know now of hundreds of new songs I didn't know about before. I felt like the music I added to my photos was an extension of the photo and me.

 

The photos let me express my emotions of what I was feeling for the day. It was a nice way of letting everything out. Also, before this project, I would never show my body shirtless, even in public swimming, but for some reason this project has made me less shy. I like that.

 

The best thing about this project: Meeting all my new friends. I have about 10 pretty close fireinds I talk to daily. It's really nice. And strangely, only a couple are American, while most of my friends are the sweetest people from other countries. I've been mailed things, talked with people on the phone, text some regularly, e-mail, etc. I love you all.

 

Some of my daily friends and people who have been with me from the very beginning months:

 

 

 

 

Clifford Michael -- Thanks for the phones calls and advice. Glad you found me. Thank you for all the faves! ^^

 

ukmcbo -- I want to model for you one day! ^^ Best models ever.

 

CrzysChick -- Best Legs on Flickr. Never could take a good one like you. Lovedthe socks too.

 

Dustin Diaz -- Best Bokehs ever. I must go on a street shoot with you in San Fran.

 

joe469 -- Love your silly humor in your photos. The videos are even better. I love PAT!

 

Konstantin D -- Thank you for commenting on every photo, and the nice e-mails.

 

Quiiquee -- Hey, teach me better Spanish, and maybe one day edit my photos for me! Love your style.

 

AntBee72 -- Best icon photo ever! ^^

 

Strawbleu -- We'll meet in London someday.... (maybe soon)

 

El_Sol -- We are going to the Sears Tower. Taking tons of pictures! ^^

 

Cat_With_The_Smokin_Gun -- Just around the Riverbend. Love you. We have such silly conversations.

 

Lynn Lin -- The only person who has ever sent me something in the mail. I will come see you one day. Prepare China for me!

 

ZEBRA! -- Zebra. You rock my world. Enough said. (teach me to snowboard)

 

Miss_ciruelita -- I will kiss you one day! MUAH! MUAH MUAH! All over your beautiful cheeks. You are my flickr girl! I promise to make you your Spanish video someday! ^^

 

picadilly -- Best dome on Flickr. Thanks for the Facebook comments. :^)

 

polyglut -- Come teach here. Comeeeee! We need to go on an adventure.

 

Girard -- Love your sassy humor. We fight, but get over it. I like that. Love checking your photos too. Thank you for the textures.

 

Erika -- My best flickr friend in real life. Thanks for putting up with me weekly. haha. Must be hard. Thank you for everything. You are so nice to me.

 

Amanda Photographs -- You are so young and full of talent. Please keep it up. I promise to comment you soon. You are an inspiration.

 

 

Chris -- My most beloved and beautiful friend. You are so so so so special. No words to describe you.

 

 

 

There are so many others, probably over one hundred more that I have met throughout the whole journey, but I can't list everyone....

I wish you meet you all one day. I have already met six Flickr in real life so far, let's keep it up.

 

 

This 365 has been so special to me. I have learned so much, EVEN traveled AROUND the world, to Europe, because of this project. I am a lucky lucky guy. Thank you again for all the views, comments, and faves. I started my project with 8,000 views, and end it with 213,730 views. 27 photos in Explore. Just Wow!

 

I'm over and out.

It was fun.

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Uploaded on August 27, 2009
Taken on August 26, 2009