"Photography is the only language
that can be understood anywhere in the world."
Bruno Barbey
that can be understood anywhere in the world."
Bruno Barbey
2016 has been a quiet year in terms of photography. I've taken images but I just haven't spent time editing or sharing them. In years past I would post a minimum of 100 photos a week, if not more. My current 2016 album on Facebook is sitting at 68 images and taking into account my black and white work and a few other images I have probably posted less then 200 DSLR images this year.
It isn't even a case of quality over quantity. Simply a different zone in which my "to be edited" pile is as big as my "to be read" pile. A zone in which I find myself questioning my photography. I have found this year that despite gaining confidence in other areas of my life this is one in which I haven't and I am less inclined to expose myself to criticism so I simply don't show my work.
It isn't even about being competitive with other photographers as for me photography has never been about winning awards or making a living.
It was always just an escape from reality.
And for some reason this year I seem to have struggled to 'escape'.
But perhaps that is the true nature of creativity, whatever form it takes. There are times we will churn out volumes of work and times when we'll stare at the blank canvas and feel no inspiration or inclination to create. This is a time when there is no escape from inside our head and we need to retreat internally to conquer our demons.
So for now I've selected a few images which I've enjoyed this year. However the motivation for the selection are the moments behind the images. The photos have frozen in time a moment that for whatever reason was a source of comfort for me. So perhaps instead of using photography simply to escape I am now using it to stay in the moment, however briefly.
The final image is symbolic to me - it signifies a shattering of what has been the norm as I forge ahead on a new path. It is the space between who I was and where I am going - right now it is in pieces but I am confident it will return to a whole when the time is right.
Love Always
It isn't even a case of quality over quantity. Simply a different zone in which my "to be edited" pile is as big as my "to be read" pile. A zone in which I find myself questioning my photography. I have found this year that despite gaining confidence in other areas of my life this is one in which I haven't and I am less inclined to expose myself to criticism so I simply don't show my work.
It isn't even about being competitive with other photographers as for me photography has never been about winning awards or making a living.
It was always just an escape from reality.
And for some reason this year I seem to have struggled to 'escape'.
But perhaps that is the true nature of creativity, whatever form it takes. There are times we will churn out volumes of work and times when we'll stare at the blank canvas and feel no inspiration or inclination to create. This is a time when there is no escape from inside our head and we need to retreat internally to conquer our demons.
So for now I've selected a few images which I've enjoyed this year. However the motivation for the selection are the moments behind the images. The photos have frozen in time a moment that for whatever reason was a source of comfort for me. So perhaps instead of using photography simply to escape I am now using it to stay in the moment, however briefly.
The final image is symbolic to me - it signifies a shattering of what has been the norm as I forge ahead on a new path. It is the space between who I was and where I am going - right now it is in pieces but I am confident it will return to a whole when the time is right.
Love Always