After twenty years of putting my thoughts online, I still feel like I don’t know what I am doing. Occasionally, it even feels like imposter syndrome, like I don’t belong. But then I think, “Who am I writing for?” Easy answer is myself and sometimes great people come along and join me.
Taking a quote from another author and a blogger:
Blog posts can be edited, added to, improved upon. If you missed something, you can fix it.
Kleon writes that blogging is a ‘forgiving medium’ because it can be therapeutic. Blogging can be rewarding by practicing and learning in public. Not one single person will know what changes I make to a post unless I call myself out with a correction or an update to that post. Unless you have a massive following who likes to keep track of those kinds of things- which I don’t have.
Learning by doing. The more you create, the more you learn. Learn by putting yourself out there and become a better writer.
Learn how to close out your thoughts and your blog post properly.
The title of this post is loosely taken from Stephen King’s book titled “On Writing.”
I am so close to my minimalistic and materialistic goals that I need to start thinking of what more I can do with the freedom from clutter.
So, I’ll focus on the basics of what keeps me going: photography, writing, journaling, geocaching, walking, fitness, nutrition, creating art, thinking, philosophy, looking for more ways I can reduce my clutter, and anything else I want to do.
2022 has arrived, and I have some ideas for my photography for the new year. Photographers are constantly looking for what’s new to shoot, new gear and new challenges for ourselves. So here goes.
Shoot with iPhone Less
Yes, it is the camera/phone I will always have on me and it would be so easy to just grab, go and shoot. But I want to shoot with intention this year. This means that Sonya will come out with me more frequently. Because film stock is now more expensive this year (thanks a lot Kodak), I ordered 20 rolls of 35 and 110 mm film ahead of time. Shooting film and digital can be a more rewarding aesthetic than just quick iPhone snaps.
If I am being honest, the iPhone will still come out to play. Just less. I didn’t upgrade to the 13 Max Pro cameras for nothing!
Delete Social Media
Forget Instagram, forget Flickr, forget SmugMug, etc. etc. This is a new year and a new opportunity to build your own photography portfolio website like mine. This way you have more control over what and how you want your work to be displayed. Adobe Lightroom subscribers can use the additional Portfolio platform at no extra cost. Host your photos on WordPress or Micro.blog.
One Camera & One Lens
This should be an easy one for me since the new Sony camera, Sonya, was so expensive. She comes with one 28-70mm lens, and it’ll be a long time before I decide to get another lens in addition. This camera will have to become a part of me. I am still learning how to navigate through all the menu options, but what better way to learn than by doing? Now is the time for me to learn and practice with one focal length and master it. Then I can move on to the next one.
Photo Books or Zines
Based on the type of photography topics you prefer, you can print photo albums or books. For me, digital photo zines are ideal. Inexpensive to make and widely distributed to anyone on the planet with internet connectivity.
Black/White Or Color?
Back when I shot color photography, now and then I’d challenge myself to change the aesthetic by switching it up. “Black & White Appreciation Month” was fairly frequent, so much so that now I prefer B&W. Change your genre as well for those happy surprises. You just might like it.
Ever notice how the Photos app resembles a film negative contact sheet? I am amazed with the viewing experience from the iPad/iPhone/Mac and all the information that is built into it. My workflow is simple: Take images with the iPhone, let them sync to the cloud and they are visible on any device you want to view or edit. I can also shoot images on my digital camera, load the SD card into the reader, insert reader into my device and transfer there for post-processing.
Why do I prefer the iPad to do this with? First, the experience of viewing, choosing, and editing your photos on an iPad is much more fun and interactive than just seeing them on your laptop. I can take my digital photo lab with me everywhere. And seeing my photos on a brilliant screen is more intimate for me. I am able to hold my digital images in my hand and interact with them, flag, post-process, and even sketch the composition.
To speed up my photo processing workflow, I will first look at all my images taken as large thumbnails (just like an old analog film contact sheet.) Neat.
Is it possible to be happy where you feel like you are stuck? Regardless of where we are, I do believe it is possible to be happy. Personally, I am bitter towards living in a small city that is land-locked and in a flyover state during a pandemic. Yes, there is always going to be a better city or country that have a better climate or opportunities, but what can we do with what we have? Personally, I’ve discovered that once I’ve found the perfect place, I am still not satisfied because there is so much more for me to explore.
After traveling extensively, I realize I want to do it more. But what of it isn’t possible during a pandemic or lockdowns? We make do with what we have, but you have to work at it. If what you want there doesn’t exist, try to improve it yourself.
From the master of micro-adventures:
“I thought that I had been paying close attention to my local area through years of micro-adventures. Then I committed to spending a year exploring only the single local map that I live on (the big fold-out paper maps hikers use, covering an area of 20km x 20km). At first I worried that after years of global adventures — cycling around the world, rowing the Atlantic, walking across southern India etc. — my one small, suburban patch outside London would be agonisingly claustrophobic, boring and limiting. But I was wrong! I have discovered places I never knew existed, and been astonished at the wildness, beauty (ugliness, too) and history I have discovered. If you find somewhere new within a few miles of home then you are exploring the world just as much as someone trekking across the Empty Quarter Desert in Arabia…”
Alastair Humphreys
Well said. Inspirational even.
Your mental and physical health is crucial in all of this. It’s time to keep your brain and your body fit. Get out and have a walk and a think. I’ll be embracing naps a lot this winter as well.
I said all that to say this: if you can’t change your latitude, then your attitude needs to change. This is easier said than done, but I am going to give it a helluva try.
I’ve been self-hosting on WordPress for almost 15 years, then switched to WP hosted. I am now experimenting with microblogging and the new-to-me web host called Micro.blog.
The immediate goal for me is to have a repository for all short form posts (280 words or less), audio & video clips that don’t necessarily have a place here where I reserve for my long-form blog posts. Think Twitter but self-hosted and not on anyone else’s platform. Even better, they are all in one dedicated page here on my website. Neat.
So far so good, but is it good enough for me to import everything over here yet? Stay tuned.
**Update** This is shelved for now and I’ll take another look at it when it comes time to renew WordPress subscription in September.
2020 was a dumpster fire of a year thanks to the pandemic. 2021 for me, saw great improvements all around. 2022 will capitalize on those improvements and be an even better year because I choose this. I’ll outline the goals for 2022 soon.
Just received the first installment for the Field Notes notebook subscription. The “Ignition” edition, FNC-53, contains two 26-week planners a checklist journal (2), three stainless steel book darts, pen and a 2022 calendar.
I sincerely hope that this will help “ignite” a passion for documenting the important things. Eventually I’ll find a hybrid methodology of both digital and analog notes and even combine the two.
Date: December 27, 2021 at 7:44:51 PM CST
Weather: 53°F Overcast
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
I just purchased two books today by James Lee Burke
One is titled Neon Rain and the other is House of the Rising Sun.
Have I found a new author and series? I hope so!
Also, discovered at the bookstore is his latest book called A Private Cathedral. That, plus Ackerman’s book titled 2034 has just been borrowed from the public library.
It was time for MissAdventure to upgrade her Apple Watch but the Apple store was out of stock in our city so of course we took a road trip to the OKC Apple store. Shenanigans, geocaching and urban exploration occurred as well of course.
Date: December 27, 2021 at 6:24:52 PM CST
Weather: 54°F Mostly Cloudy
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Almost one year since I have last utilized this journal app called Day One properly. My plan for 2022 is to journal daily. I want to track fitness goals, blood pressure, nutrition and random thoughts as well. Hopefully by purchasing a premium subscription I will use this more effectively towards my goals.
Me, today
A few months ago the parent company of my web host, WordPress purchased the Day One journaling app and I was hoping to see some sort of integration by now. Maybe in 2022?
I also purchased more than a few Field Notes notebooks for daily journaling, note taking, scribbles, logs etc. You know, in a physical format. This is highly unusual for me but it is something I have wanted to do for awhile.
My first foray into NFT and cryptocurrency trading has begun. I have just minted two digital images for sale on the OpenSea market for .25 ETH coin. This translates to a lot of USD$ for only two images. Will they go to an earnest collector/curator? Time will tell as they are up for a three day auction. If not, I’ll try again for a month long auction.
It’s different, and I’m learning as I go but the speculation is fun!
Like everyone else, I am tired of this damned pandemic and want to experience a different reality. So, I’ve masked up, received a vaccination and started booking flights.
Where to?
Migratory birds and pensioners have it right, so I suggest going south for the winter. New Orleans is a little slice of Europe here in the States. Guadalajara has a great blend of Europe and Mexico. Mexico City is on the list for its views. I’m always keen to go back to the Dominican Republic.
Boca Chica
When the weather turns warmer, I’d recommend San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Savannah, Charlotte, Miami, and Chicago.
Hit The Road
I’ve traveled the length of Route 66 from Chicago to LA and kicked myself for not taking the time to stop for better photographic opportunities, so this is definitely on the list again. Big Bend National park on the Texas/Mexico border has been canceled twice due to the pandemic or wildfires. Maybe this year? Pitch a tent, rent an Airbnb or rent, even better, a trailer in a west Texas nomadic hotel.
El Cosmico, Marfa Texas.Joshua Tree National Park, California
Stealth Mode
Wearing a mask and shooting street photography from a distance can be beneficial and fun.
Minimal Clothing
One backpack filled with limited apparel and essentials. No checked bags at the airport, buy what you need when you get there.
Minimal Gear
For me, it is one camera, one lens, the iPad, external hard drive and the chargers.
Shoot Everything
Memory cards store numerous data, so fill them up. When done for the day, dump them on the iPad and then go back out to play.
Plan Ahead
Map out where you want to shoot, do your homework and take notes. Check out Atlas Obscura for unique finds, Geocaching can take you to unexpected places that aren’t in the tour guides. Refer to these often, so you don’t miss anything.
Airplane Mode
Not just a good idea when you are on a plane, but when you are on the ground and trying to focus. Leaving the phone in Airplane mode limits your distractions, to disconnect, to think, meditate on your life, to create images, you know, the whole reason you started this adventure.
Recover
I go away to get away from it all. It’s funny to me that I rarely do so. Next time, I must promise myself to be in the moment and enjoy it. Otherwise, what was the point?
After playing with my Apple toys I’ve come to the decision that the iPad is the one I play with the most. A close second would be the iPhone. A distant third would be the MacBook.
With the iPad, there are few limitations. As far as I can tell, the one drawback would be image capture even though the iPad Pro is no slouch, not with these tech specs such as the built in Wide and Ultra Wide cameras. But who wants to use both hands on a 12×9 frame and snap a photo with it?
With an iPad all is achievable.
I have work related apps loaded on there such as Microsoft Office so I can stay in communication with my team anywhere I go (helpful, but depressing.) A keyboard that also is a protective case is always handy. Wifi where available and 5G cellular when it isn’t so I am always connected. You can’t get that on a Macbook. The same for the #2 Pencil. It can’t be used on the Macbook or the iPhone.
5G connectivity on my tablet
When I am not working, I can catch a movie, crank up the tunes, or read a good book. The iPad is my mobile photo processing lab, my video editing room and my gaming console.
My advice is to skip the Macbook if possible and spend the extra money on the iPad Pro. I maxed mine out because I knew it needed to endure everything I put it through. Work, play, entertainment, everything.
