There is a solitary nature to photography. You might capture a model, a crowded scene or work with a stylist, makeup artist and PR company to accomplish a project but you develop your film alone, upload your memory card alone and tediously work your images in Photoshop, alone.
This is not different from say, the painter or sculpture but it does differ in other ways. When an idea comes to mind, it is not as simple as breaking out the canvas or clay. You write down what you want to accomplish and then you wait. Wait for your model to get back to you, pick a date in the future, acquire any props you may need and hope that it all comes together. The steps from idea to execution are numerous and time consuming, or rather time wasting.

This being said, I am tired of working alone. I feel disconnected from other people in many ways. When I’ve taken a picture, I upload it to the faceless masses online. I haven’t collaborated with anyone, there is no discussion. Maybe it’s only the winter taking it’s toll on me but the same can be said for the other aspects of my life. I finish a good book and find no one to talk to about it. I cook a great meal and don’t share it. Any tangible interactions are few. I add the book to GoodReads, I take a picture of the meal and let others live through it. This is empty.

A solution to this problem is easy to find but I need to be careful not to simply put a band-aid on a gaping wound. I need to make sure that what I choose to do is meaningful to myself and helps build a sense of community and is not simply an empty gesture.
I would really like to join an art collective. Having a space to work alone and with others would be such a wonderful thing to have. To have a group of people who want to collaborate and share idea’s and experience is something I haven’t had before and something I could really benefit from. The funding from this collectives would also allow me to showcase my work in a completely new environment.
Secondly, I want to start Podcasting. I’ve always been interested in radio and would love to enter this field but I have no experience whatsoever. Podcasting would give me production experience on the one hand and allow me to collaborate with talented and interesting people on the other. I have a few idea’s in mind and many people interested in collaborating, the next step is to purchase recording equipment.

This isn’t new to me, I’ve been here before and I just need to start moving in the right direction to avoid becoming stagnant. My big idea’s have a habit of going nowhere and before I know it, another year has come and gone. My goals are tangible and possible.

I’ve had a sudden surge of positivity the past couple of days. I hate to admit that it mostly has to do with the amount of material goods that have arrived in the mail this week. Although I do feel very inspired as of late. Not only in terms of photography but I’ve been slowly developing a podcast. I’m only in the idea’s stage now but it’s coming along.
I have received about 6 books this week, new studio lights, my first print, which I now need to frame, a soft box and a few other little tidbits. On top of that, I decided to hang some wallpaper in my room. This serves as a way to make my white room feel a little comfier and is a great backdrop for portraits:

My model canceled on me yesterday so I forced two of my roommates to pose for me so I could test out my new lights. I couldn’t resist the self-portrait either: