It’s been a long, long time since I’ve written anything here. So long, it feels like starting over. Unless you were living off the grid in ways it’s hard to imagine (and if you were, you definitely weren’t reading this blog, or any blog) you probably didn’t miss the fact the world seemed to go upside down in 2020. And if you’re like me, you might feel it hasn’t returned right-side up. I believe I wouldn’t get a lot of pushback if I said the world changed for everyone in 2020. It went a bit crazy, it was a bit crazy, and it still seems crazy. One thing that changed in 2020 (maybe not crazy, but still a change) was writing here. As we moved into 2025 I wondered why I stopped writing. I didn’t really have a good reason.
With the current state of social media (or advertising platforms if you want to call them that), I seem to long for something I control a bit more of. Something that isn’t algorithmic based. Something that allows me the flexibility to share a link, photo, video, or other media that I create or find. And when I share it I’m not boxed in by the platform. I also don’t want to think about the “feed” nature of these platforms. So I’m back here with an interest in focusing on this space. And with that in mind, I’m going to start writing again and see where it goes. I hope to have a moment to write/comment/share once a month. Will it be groundbreaking? Probably not. Will it go viral? Probably not. But I will share bits and pieces of things of a life behind the lens or maybe lens-adjacent (if you want to call it that, lol). It’ll be things that I would like to share on other platforms, but because the nature of those platforms, I might not get to share them in the context I want. We’ll see where it goes. And if I do contribute once a month, if anything, that’ll be a personal victory.
Speaking of behind the lens, from a month or two ago, this is a pretty good location bts/selfie (thanks tripod!) image of me working a chip chart (best chip chart holder out there!). Location productions are the best because I’ll often find myself in a space I’ve never been before. It’s one of the things I naturally fell in love with when it comes to photography and video production. In this location, upon renovation, they installed a wall using the Japanese wood burning process, shou sugi ban (or yakisugi) which involves charring wood to create a blackened, durable surface. It’s amazing. It’s also a fantastic, unique portrait backdrop. Those I photographed against this wall loved the image. I mean, how could you not right? Absolutely amazing wall. Anyway, more to follow, hopefully next month. ☮️
