A 'lil HooHaa

Messing with the blogging world since 2005

Photo Blogging Challenge

Photo Blogging Challenge: September 2013’s theme is…

Here we go again.

This monthly challenge has been quite fun so far. And despite not becoming the greatest photo challenge on the Internet (well, it is, we just don’t have hundreds participating), I’ve really enjoyed the small group of people taking part. A couple of the months I slacked with visiting because of work, but I plan on making up for that now that the summer gig is over.

Anyway…

As summer starts to fade away, it’s time to keep pushing forward with this lovely challenge. I’ve been trying to come up with something a little more broad so we can really see some interpretation. I think the theme this month will do that and maybe get people to find some cool stuff.

Summer is over, but ice cream is always awesome. And I figured this was a good spot for Ziva and Mike’s challenge — stare at it. Yes, it was delish.

Or so I hope.

The theme is below as normal.

It would be sweet to see the challenge grow a little, so if you know a blogger who might be interested in taking part, please feel free to pass this along. I’d love to see it to a point where we get 25 or so people doing it on a monthly basis.

Oh, and if you haven’t already posted your link for August’s challenge, there’s still time!

As a reminder of a few things, let me copy and paste this from last month:

  • I have an e-mail reminder list set up. Basically, I’ll e-mail the group with about 10 days left in the month to remind you. When I remember, I’ll also shoot one out the day before the end of the month, as a reminder to post the following day. I can’t always guarantee that one though! If you are not on the list, let me know in the comments below that you would like to be on it.
  • Second, I set up a Facebook group for those who are interested. Reminders and maybe some discussions or other things can be done there.
  • If you haven’t already, attempt to check out everybody’s posts and consider commenting. These challenges are great for personal growth, but it’s also nice to be interactive with all the others in the challenge!

Before we hit up this month’s theme, for new people, allow me to refresh the rules a bit.

Here’s how it will work.

  • On the first of each month, I’ll have a blog post here with the theme for the month.
  • Over the course of the month, participants will take photos with their interpretation of the theme. On the last day of the month, participants should  publish their blog post, which will include five photos from the month. (please don’t recycle photos from the past … the idea is to hopefully challenge you to go out and take new photos each month to interpret the theme). And please only use photos you took.
  • I’ll have a link-up thing at the end of my post so people can come and post the links to their posts so, hopefully, everybody can go go check out and comment on other posts.

There is no rule on equipment or anything. Use a cell phone. Use film. Use a point-and-shoot. Use a DSLR. It doesn’t matter. Just make sure you publish your blog post on the last day of each month, come here and link up.

It’s simple!

Your blog posts can be as simple or as in-depth as you want. I’ll likely talk a little about each photo. But if all you want to do is post photos, feel free. The idea of this is to give a small challenge and give everybody a chance to express themselves with photography, participate in a challenge and have something to blog about.

That’s it. Easy, right? So join in! Help us continue to grow this challenge by telling fellow bloggers/photographers about the challenge and hopefully it can become a great monthly thing!

For those still with me, this month’s theme is: Outdoors.

I’m pretty sure most people who have participated are in the summer months — and if you’re not, well, insert your season here!

Please make sure your blog post publishes Tuesday, October 1 (I’m going with Oct. 1 as the date because Ziva and Mike are running a daily photo challenge throughout September and I wanted to make sure those who may try and do both didn’t have to worry about two posts on the 31st!)

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

History of the challenge (past month’s themes – links to see everybody else’s posts are at the end of the linked post):

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Photo Blogging Challenge (August 2013): Summer

First, I need to ask … where the heck did the summer go? Sheesh! It seemed like yesterday it was starting and now there are people going back to school, college kids showing up all over and the nights are getting cooler…

It really did go by fast.

Welcome to this month’s version of the HooHaa Photo Blogging Challenge.

Summer was the theme and you know that means a lot of different things for people. Maybe it’s a cold beer after a long day or work, playing softball or golf, traveling, barbecues, or just spending quality time with the family.

For me, this summer, it meant a lot of work (thankfully), my first cruise, softball and a couple of weddings. Oh, and trying to sleep when I could.

Now that the summer is starting to near an end, it’s really amazing to think how quick it went.

Alas, it’s time to share some photos, eh? So without any further delays, here are my five for August.

1. End of the season

I worked at a baseball park this summer and the 29th was the final championship game. I stayed after work to actually watch the ceremonies and most of the game as I hadn’t all year. Pretty cool stuff.

Living the dream.

2. Fair season

The summer usually brings county fairs, too. This area was no different. I try and hit up the fair one per year and I spent one day with some friends and their kids there, which always gives some good photo opportunities.

Flying!

3. Wedding season 1 

The summer usually brings weddings, doesn’t it. I went to two this summer, both on the same weekend! Here’s a shot from the first one…

Time for the reception!

4. Wedding season 2

After the first wedding, I had to drive to Baltimore for the second, which was being done in port and then off on the cruise. Fun times. Here’s one from the first night — of the newlyweds with a sunset glistening in the background.

Newlyweds.

5. Next to the ship

I got lucky to see this as I walked on the deck one day. Pretty amazing stuff and really cool to capture.

Dolphins!

And that’s my five for the month of August.

If you took part this month, make sure you link up below. And for those who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment and visit so we can continue to grow this challenge.

Don’t forget, too, to come back Sunday and see the theme for September!

NOTE: I also set up a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Photo Blogging Challenge: August 2013’s theme is…

OK, despite a small snafu, another month is in the books.

And another month is coming at you!

First, a job well done to those who participated last month. For those who did and haven’t posted, you still have some time to do so! So go get it done!

I have liked how people have interpreted the themes so far, too. It’s nice to see some outside-the-box thinking. I need to do that a bit more, too.

Finally, I apologize for not sending last month’s reminder. With work, battling a nasty cold and the end of softball season… well, it slipped my mind. Hopefully I remember this month.

If you know some people who might enjoy doing this, please pass it along!

As a reminder of a few things, let me copy and paste this from last month:

  • I have an e-mail reminder list set up. Basically, I’ll e-mail the group with about 10 days left in the month to remind you. When I remember, I’ll also shoot one out the day before the end of the month, as a reminder to post the following day. I can’t always guarantee that one though! If you are not on the list, let me know in the comments below that you would like to be on it.
  • Second, I set up a Facebook group for those who are interested. Reminders and maybe some discussions or other things can be done there.
  • If you haven’t already, attempt to check out everybody’s posts and consider commenting. These challenges are great for personal growth, but it’s also nice to be interactive with all the others in the challenge!

If you have done Julys post but haven’t linked up yet, it’s up for another day or so.

Before we hit up this month’s theme, for new people, allow me to refresh the rules a bit.

Here’s how it will work.

  • On the first of each month, I’ll have a blog post here with the theme for the month.
  • Over the course of the month, participants will take photos with their interpretation of the theme. On the last day of the month, participants should  publish their blog post, which will include five photos from the month. (please don’t recycle photos from the past … the idea is to hopefully challenge you to go out and take new photos each month to interpret the theme). And please only use photos you took.
  • I’ll have a link-up thing at the end of my post so people can come and post the links to their posts so, hopefully, everybody can go go check out and comment on other posts.

There is no rule on equipment or anything. Use a cell phone. Use film. Use a point-and-shoot. Use a DSLR. It doesn’t matter. Just make sure you publish your blog post on the last day of each month, come here and link up.

It’s simple!

Your blog posts can be as simple or as in-depth as you want. I’ll likely talk a little about each photo. But if all you want to do is post photos, feel free. The idea of this is to give a small challenge and give everybody a chance to express themselves with photography, participate in a challenge and have something to blog about.

That’s it. Easy, right? So join in! Help us continue to grow this challenge by telling fellow bloggers/photographers about the challenge and hopefully it can become a great monthly thing!

For those still with me, this month’s theme is: Summer.

I’m pretty sure most people who have participated are in the summer months — and if you’re not, well, insert your season here!

Please make sure your blog post publishes Friday, August 30 (Yes, I know there are 31 days in August… but Saturdays on my blog are booked and I’d rather have these post on a Friday than a Sunday!)

If you think you are going to take part in this, drop a comment below so we can see who all might be trying to tackle this challenge!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog@gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Photo Blogging Challenge (July 2013): Signs

Yes, I give myself a fail.

Big time.

See, I was cruising along this month decently. Then some crap happened. What, you may ask?

  • My main walk around lens (17-40) is still shot. I can’t afford to have it fixed… yet. That greatly hampered things. Still, I have an iPhone and a point and shoot and other lenses…
  • The last week or so, I’ve been sick as can be. That’s made things quite awful as I’ve barely been near a computer.

So, here I am now. A day late and trying to catch up to make this a wonderful experience, still. And it will be. Oh yes, it will be.

Anyway, this month’s fantastic theme was signs. This could be interpreted in many ways, but as a fan of actual signs, I went forth with the plan where I’d be using those…

… and of course I can’t find a couple shots I took.

No worries. On a weekend trip to Massachusetts for a geocaching event, I got some interesting signs. It seems, however, that I was mixing last month’s theme (bridges) with this month’s theme as I visited eight covered bridges on this trip and they often have some really interesting signs.

So, without anymore blabbing… here’s my five for July.

1. Uneven Deck

I loved this sign as I’d never seen it before. I had it without the bridge, but thought the bridge gave it a bit better context. In Vermont.

Uneven deck.

2. Notice

The funny part about this sign is, of the four New York covered bridges we saw that day, three of them had people jumping off them. Look for a future blog post covering this.

Notice

3. Parking area

This sign is at a local pulloff parking area. I love the age and weathered look.

Parking rules.

4. Welcome!

On our way to the big geocaching event… this is Tavis as we found a cache entering Vermont.

Green Mountain State!

5. Anglers

You can park here… but where to fish?

Park here.

And that’s my five for the month of July. I hope you enjoyed the series.

If you took part this month, make sure you link up below. And for those who participated, make sure you try and get to other people’s blogs and comment and visit so we can continue to grow this challenge.

Don’t forget, too, to come back Friday and see the theme for August!

NOTE: I also set up a Facebook group for those who participate in the challenge and are interested. I’ll post any announcements there and hopefully it can be a place where things are discussed and some interaction etc. You can access it here.

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!

Photo Blogging Challenge (July 2013): Announcement

Hey all.

If you’ve already done and posted your post for this month, awesome. If not, no worries.

I’m postponing the posting for one day. The deadline is now August 1, instead of July 31. I’m doing it only because I’ve been battling a bad summer cold and haven’t had the time to process everything and get the linky all set up.

I’ll have it done in time for Aug. 1, though.

Please accept my apologies for the delay and look for the linky early in the AM on August 1.

Thanks and I look forward to seeing everybody’s photos!

Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail P.J. at hoohaablog [at] gmail.com. Also, please “Like” HooHaa Blog on Facebook!