Retail Therapy

I feel like I left my last blog on rather shaky ground with a lot of uncertainty brewing. I am a regular amongst many photography sites and do frequent many photographer’s Facebooks. Typically I am making my own critique of other’s works and beating myself further down emotionally cause people can produce poor over photoshopped crap literal crap and be verbally and monetarily praised for this work. I find my method works in a circular pattern where I bring myself down and resort to “retail therapy” or G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) which is buying new gear. This totally ignores the old saying about the photographer is the one that makes the photo, not the camera. Therefore, I bought this camera and that camera and a few of those cameras that brought temporary joy but nothing solid and nothing true. The last time I wrote I was ready to throw in the towel and count my losses and I had been defeated. I could not find work and in my mind, I sucked as a photographer and did not deserve to stand amongst my peers, cutting myself back to the soccer moms with their midrange dSLRs set to the big “A.” I figured one last test was in order to reassure myself so I set my mind on going out to shoot with one camera in tow. I did not visualize where I was going to go, what format to shoot or anything that I typically do prior to going out, all I needed was one photograph, one that I felt proud of, one to hold on to not saying anything to anyone about my plans. The next day I had all but forgotten about going out to shoot until I became frustrated with my job disappointed with myself and just needed to step away from it all. In this I do what has become second nature and I grabbed my best friend (in the camera world) my RZ67 and left. This time, no models, no human subjects, no trash (another favorite subject of mine) not a thing I am used to. I took a little drive, no GPS, no phone service, just me. I ended up on the wildlife refuge attempting to avoid mud (from the last rain) as much as I could and happened across a beautiful clearing with some interesting water features. I crawled down the bank with my tripod mounted camera safely and shot. I ended up with these three images.

Where does this leave me with photography? Well, I will tell you this, I am embarking on a new journey this week with the arrival of the rest of my darkroom and a temporary site to set it up (which I am still looking if you know of anything cheap!) As far a business goes I have scheduled a few shoots here and there and I am working on a business plan as we speak.

As for this blog, I know there are readers but I need more followers! Let me know this is time well spent! Tell me what you want to see and hear. I can’t open my lens unless you open your mouth. Tell your friends, coworkers, or heck even your mail carrier, I don’t care just let me know you are out there!

Until Next Time,

Brandon J

Life, Love and FILM

I know it has been a while since my last post but I have a damn good excuse! March 26^th in front of God, family and friends I married my best friend. The following day we left for our honeymoon in Chicago, which was a blast! Returning home, we continued our preparations for the new addition to our family and I geared up for the 8^th Annual Artist Walk. For those of you who do not know Artist Walk is an annual event held by

Emporia Main Street

connecting local artist with local businesses for a day to demonstrate or sell their art. After much debate and a little prodding from friends, I decided to partake in the events. I was paired up with Flint Hills music and I set up to sell a few prints as well as to take the time to make a few portraits. I have realized that an important part of what I do is connecting with those who are on the other side of the lens. Every year it seems like there is one that stands out whether it was the man that had never had his portrait made in his 80 years of life, the woman who met her untimely demise mere days after I photographed her or this year photographing a father and son. I am not sure of their names nor is it relevant but watching the two interact with something I assume was important to the father made me contemplate my art form and my developing child. Will photography be something he or she will enjoy?  Will they take a passion for film as their father has?  What advancements for this art form will they see in their life? Will film live long enough to see their kids? So many questions and so few answers, I was blessed in my family to be given the attitude that I can do what I put my heart into. Although I know photography was never a choice my parents probably wanted me to take seriously as it is pricey and only a few succeed. This is a labor of love and although it will not be paying off the bills anytime soon it allows me to step back and look at life and capture the moments and hold on to those forever. I have reached a crossroad and I know now that I have a choice to make and I know I need to make it soon cause I know once we welcome this new baby into our lives photography will always come second as it should. However, for now do I want this to be my life or just a hobby that I entertain myself with occasionally….  

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