A lot can happen in ten years.
Take some time to think about where you were a decade ago. If you met that person, would you even recognize them as yourself?
I think it’s one of the more interesting aspects of life. Our personalities are so fluid, changing from day to day, minute to minute, how much change happens over a decade?
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.
One of the coolest things of being a photographer in the 21st century is that I have a catalog of just about every photograph I’ve taken since 2007. Anything before 2007 is lost to the ether (probably recycled on some dead HDD somewhere).
The earliest proof of work I could find was taken by newly-turned 17 year-old me, back in December of 2006.
I distinctly remember staging for this shot. I was in the bathroom of my parents’ house, spraying down AXE body spray onto the counter, setting it on fire, and snapping away.
I will not suggest that this was a particularly smart thing to do, but look- blue fire!
The things we do for our hobbies.
Starting a photo blog is something that I’ve always wanted to do.
Back when I was in high school, my best friend and I started the school photography club. We called it “Life in Focus” with the aim of educating our classmates on photography as an art form.
At the time, our high school had a B&W Photography class, but nothing for the digital side. This is where we came in.
We held our weekly meetings in the school yearbook lab, and showed self-prepared slideshows discussing the technical aspects of photography and how best to make use of them. This was an opportunity to showcase our own work, as well as to educate ourselves about our own craft.
After all, the best way to learn is to teach.
There are lots of things that I want to accomplish with this blog.
First, it will function as a bit of a personal journal. Never underestimate the power of expressing yourself. I love to travel, and I want to share these experiences with friends and family.
Second, I plan on combing through the years and digging up old work. I’m curious as to how my tastes have changed over the years. I’m also interested in digging up some hidden gems that I saw little value in as a teen/young adult.
Third, I want to use it as a teaching space. Smart phones are pretty awesome in 2017. Although I don’t believe photographers are limited by their cameras, having all that tech in your pocket sure doesn’t hurt. I aim to educate on a basic level, much like I did all those years ago in photography club.
So here I am, one decade later, with thousands and thousands of unedited photos at my disposal.
I suppose it’s time to get to work.
onedecadelater.com 