Blogging has evolved over the years to mean different things to different people. Blogging can be a passion, a profession, a way to add income streams to a business, or a way to engage with clients, prospects, or a community. This week our featured dotblogger, 35hunter.blog, is a personal photography blog that maintains an authentically personal feel.
35hunter.blog is a photography blog started by a photographer using his 35 mm camera to hunt for the best shots. The tagline of the blog is “Hunting for beauty and balance, camera in hand”.
Who is the blogger?
35hunter.blog is the creation of photographer Dan James. He has an open dialogue with his blog readers, which he maintains by being extremely active in the comments and interacting regularly with his audience. He also shares little pieces of himself throughout his blog posts.
The About page on the blog shares updates on what’s happening in his life at the moment. This includes aspects of his personal life such as what music he’s listening to, what he’s reading, exercise updates, and more. Dan remains relatively physically unseen on his blog but you still feel like you get to know him through his blog posts.
Who is the blog for and what’s it about?
This blog is for those who are passionate about photography and those who enjoy art. Dan shares tips for readers who wish to improve their own photography skills, including the type of camera he’s currently using and how he’s using it.
35hunter.blog is also a platform for Dan to share his own photographs. Recently, he decided to give priority to quality over quantity on the number of images he’s taking, and so, shares fewer than before but each image is unique, creative, and serves a purpose.
Dan also shares his thoughts and perspectives on photography and other areas of life as they relate to his posts and photographs. It’s both educational and entertaining.
What makes it special?
The simplicity of this blog is part of what makes it so appealing. Like other personal blogs, 35hunter.blog maintains the intimate feel people have enjoyed since blogging began. In addition, there is a sense of mystery that draws you into the blog. There is a level of anonymity that exists, even though you’re able to learn about different aspects of his life. He tells you enough about himself that it makes you want to learn more, which helps you connect with the blog over the long term.
What can we learn?
35hunter.blog keeps people reading. There are lots of internal links in each blog post that make it easy to lose track, as you move from one blog post to another. This keeps readers on the website longer, and also lowers the bounce rate which in turn helps to improve SEO for the blog.
This blog also reminds us that blogs don’t need to be over-the-top with design to engage readers. There is a simplicity in the design of the blog that allows the photography and content to shine. A common challenge that many bloggers have is getting readers to comment on blogs and engage with the posts. Dan accomplishes that by staying active in the comments section for each of his blog posts.
35hunter.blog is an incredible example of a successful passion/hobby-based blog by an individual blogger. We appreciate the photojournalistic approach. It’s a unique way to present a photography blog that connects with the reader.
Knock Knock WHOIS There 