Refresh.

It’s been a while since I’ve taken the time to post any updates here - it’s been an incredibly busy 2 years. I got married, bought a home, and have been busier than ever.

I started 2023 on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay with my wife and my dog. Catching the sunrise at the start of the new year was symbolic, and it truly made me feel renewed. Some people think resolutions and the idea of new beginnings is silly, but I personally love the feeling I get every January 1st. Sure - some years don’t go as planned, or aren’t as prosperous as others. But the idea of starting on a clean slate every year can do wonders on the psyche. Move on from the past. It’s never too late. Start anew.

I hope you all have a fantastic 2023.

Balance.

“If you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life”.

I’m sure that most people are familiar with this old adage.

It’s an optimistic outlook on life and your career choice, and I can attest that I personally held on strongly to this belief prior to my pursuit of professional photography as a full time occupation.

I still think that the statement is true, but believe there are certain caveats. In the business of photography, it is your responsibility to offer a professional skill-set to a client. They hired you because they liked the way your images looked over your competitions. Therefore, there is always an element of control that you have over the product because it is to be developed in the realm of your vision and style. The only “issue” is that the actual subject matter is dictated by the client. While this is not a huge issue as you are still required to use your creativity to develop an idea, you don’t have total artistic control of the work at hand as it is being commissioned.

Now there are some instances where you do have complete artistic freedom to develop images from scratch, but those opportunities are few and far between. Perhaps that is why you hear about many professionals becoming burnt out because they had set out to create “art”, but then the realities of business restricted their sense of creativity.

That’s why I think it’s important for anyone who has turned a passion into a career to step back from their “work” once in a while and truly create something for themselves. I don’t get to go out and take many personal photographs for myself nowadays, simply due to scheduling - but any chance that I do get, I take it. I try to always have a camera with me and make sure I continue experimenting and creating things for my own enjoyment. It’s not something that is going to make me money, but it brings me happiness and fulfillment.

Balance.

2019: A Fresh Start

The start of a new year brings forth the feeling of revitalization. I’ve never been keen on making resolutions, or, deliberate changes to my lifestyle. I have always been a “take it as it comes” kind of guy and that ideal hasn’t changed. I do try to set goals for myself and it’s fun to look back at a year’s end and see what I was able to accomplish, while also examining the things I wasn’t able to complete and determine the reasons why I was unable to do so. Take note that I refrain from using the word, “failed”. I don’t believe in failure. It adds a negative connotation to the pursuit of success which to me, is an unusual assessment. The things you gain from simply attempting to accomplish something are for the most part, more valuable than the original end-goal of your ventures.

Let me stop rambling at this point, I’d like to welcome you all to my new website. A blank canvas on which I hope to create and share the moments of my life, intertwined with yours. Whether you’re a client, a prospect, a friend, or a foe - I hope to try to bring something more to the table in 2019 other than just a gallery of images. Until next time, cheers.