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