Twelve months ago I was at a loss. I was faced with a decision to make about where I was headed with my photography. Having a regular schedule covering events for a smaller paper and doing some freelance along the way I had sort of plateaued. I discovered I had lost the passion for something I had loved and was going through the motions for the wrong reasons. Having always been the one with a camera at various family function as I was younger, I rediscoverd photography as I got older and it had reignited a drive in me. Amazingly I had found a small niche in a very competitive market - market being the key word. I had lost a grip on why I took pictures. Making money is great but to make great photos you need to feel it and have a passion for it. It isn't like bookkeeping and going through the motions, when you start to slip, your photos don't lie , they show that you are not really giving 100% to it. I took a step back and reexamined how and why I was taking pictures. I don't ever just want to take pictures, I want to make photographs that have a purpose or a meaning at least to me. I want to look at one of my images and see a moment and in a weird way feel that moment. It was a long year and some wonderful things landed in my lap. On a lark I applied for a simple writing position and actually got it. I have met some of the most amazing photographers in my area and consider some friends. I have gained new insight and knowledge into my photographs and have grown as a person. Here I sit twelve months after considering selling all my equipment and I have more opportunities then I could have imagined, made more acquaintances in the photography world who are always willing to give me suggestions when needed and have learned even more about the art of making photographs. Twelve months from now I hope to have learned even more and continued to keep my mind open to all possibilities.
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