I just felt like sharing a proud moment: my one year progress from September 2022 to September 2023 on the Andromeda Galaxy.
I will start off by saying that I have high aspirations for the future, and am really excited for what is to come (I want to better my images with my current setup, I want to travel to Namibia for wide-field milky way photography, and also want to get crisp images of our moon).
In retrospect, I can only say that the first image is far from being something that is close to my standards today. Back then though, the feeling of pride and "wow" was definitely there. Back then, I did not know about Astrobin, and so was still was awe-inspired by that first light. Getting introduced to this website really helped me progress. What a website to muster the most potential out of astrophotographers, really. That being said, Astrobin can be a harsh outer judge, something that can demotivate some. Use it as fuel, filter out those searches, see what the best images using your equipment, with your means looks like, and aim for that. And if that judge is too harsh, just enjoy the awe-inspiring beauty of that first ever light, listen to the inner judge's, who has gotten you to start off that journey to begin with knowing one thing for sure: you really like what is out there!
