How to become a Patron

I have almost reached a milestone on this blog in that I am nearing the 100,000 page views mark. At an average of around 1,000 - 1,500 page views per month I should reach in about 6 months. That's not bad for a blog started 7 years ago. The best month was back in March 2012, when I had 4,779 pageviews.

Over the years I have asked myself why I write this blog and to be totally honest I have not been too sure at times. Sometimes I post something to basically air my views on whatever topic it happens to be. Other times it has been to share my experience of something, such as a new piece of software or hardware. Still other times it's been to share something I have learnt, whether it's a tip for getting the best out of a piece of software or using vintage glass on your modern digital camera.

Some people blog to make money and indeed there are some bloggers who manage to make a half-decent living from their blog(s). I am not one of them and I am guessing most of you aren't either. Still, the the idea of making money from blogging is certainly attractive.

However, I have decided to plough a different furrow. I have joined Patreon as a creator. If you haven't heard of Patreon, it's a way for creators to get support from patrons. Its proving to be a popular way of getting an income for one's creative work and is used by an increasing number of artists, bloggers, musicians and non-profits.

The idea is that the creator posts their work or blogs about it and patrons (ie. supporters/subscribers) support them by pledging a certain amount each month or on the release, say, of a new song/video or other creative work.

So, I have now taken the plunge and created my own Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/TechMediaGeek

Some of the content will be public, meaning you don't have to be a Patron to access it. Much of it will be available only to Patrons who have pledged to support me. Don't worry though - you can become a Patron for as little as $1 a month. Yes that's right, just $1 each month.

The great thing about Patreon though is, that as well as you having the opportunity to support creators (like me!), you can also get rewards for doing so! Now each creator has their own set of rewards and these can vary from the intangible, such Google hangouts, private Skype calls or Twitch streams etc to actual physical rewards. I have a range of rewards including for the entry level of $1/month. In this case the patron will get a signed limited edition postcard from me, thanking them for their support.

There are, currently, six levels of reward, depending on how much you pledge each month. More info can be found on my Patreon Page.

Basically, I am offering supporters the opportunity to help me create art (photographs) and educational tutorials and videos. Ultimately, the aim is to produce images in limited editions, publish books and have exhibitions of my work. Ambitious  it is and I realise that without your support it won't happen. If you want to get early access to my tutorials, videos and posts about my work, with great rewards and the opportunity to get your name published as a supporter then check out my page today!
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