After a long, drawn-out argument with myself, I've posted 'Mask'.
I have a difficult time forcing myself to acknowledge it. I still don't know if it was worth posting or not. Forgive me if this seems a shrouded plea for justification, but when I look at it I feel the urge to look away. I feel like the picture is amateur-ish, and unrefined. The motivation in the comments even seems adolescent. Perhaps I'm just searching for a reason to take it down. Destroy it. Who knows.
I'll leave it up regardless. I feel like it should be replaced. I need to do more experimentation before I have one I'm happy with, but, I don't know when or if that will ever be. I feel like my only chance to capture beauty, or anything worthy of artistic merit is to turn the camera away from myself. Capture the world around me. The simplicity and nuance of that which I hold dear. It would seem I'm condemned to remain out of focus and frame to be happy. Again; who knows. I'll post more when I'm positive I have something worthy of submission. Not some poor image; some contrived rubbish to dismiss with an elaborate description.

So, I caved in. Courtesy of the inspiration of all of the wonderful artists on dA, and, the glaring lack of content on my user page; I'm now the proud owner of a Kodak EasyShare Z650. Now let's see what I can do with it.

So I bought a webcam for kicks, digital camera is next on my wishlist. Drop in if you feel like it!

Well, I've made my first contribution; if one can address it as such. Perhaps I may seem a bit arrogant, posting a picture containing me as my first submission, but I'm far from the focal point and the reasoning behind it's placement. The description takes care of the reasoning well enough, I needn't reiterate why it's here. All I can do now is stagger around in bewilderment awaiting a review of it's legitimacy I suppose. I'll pore over what I've got... If I've nothing but scraps, then it's time to buy a new camera.

I have my first photo. It wasn't taken with dA in mind... in fact, I don't even know if dA existed when it was taken; regardless, I've just been reluctant to post it. I'll see if I can work up the nerve.
The reluctance is, in-part, due to the aura I perceive within dA. I know that public perception shouldn't be the deciding factor when electing to display a graphic or not, but try as I might I can't force it's shadow out of my decision process. I could care less about being 'laughed off the boards' as it were. I imagine the core of my fear is that I'll be the only one who will see what's beyond the image. If no one else sees what I do, then in some way I'll be wrong, or have failed.