My apologies for the super cheesy post, but...
Every year, as the days left shrink to the single digits, people start looking towards what they'll do different the next year or how to improve his or herself. I'm one of those people, but I also use it as a way to look at what I've done, the people I've met, and the experiences I've had. I'm not always good with expressing my feelings in words so I use photography as my diary.
A lot of things changed for me in 2015, a lot of them better than others. When things got tough, photography was a good way to get me out of those slumps. This year especially, I started feeling that I'm in a good place with my photography. I can and will always improve, but right now, I don't feel the struggle that my talents are subpar compared to the next guy like I used to.
The way I look at photography changed a lot as well. Photography can be an agent of change and can bring people to understand the lives of others. The events following the death of Freddie Gray changed me as a photographer and as a person. I learned that it's not enough to acknowledge something wrong is going on, but to fight for your affected neighbor as if the injustice is happening to you.
At the risk of entering the super-cheese zone, this blog post serves as a thank you. Thank you to everyone who took the time to even glance at my work. The kind words I've heard from so many people, friends and even strangers, has reinforced why I do what I do. It's my sincerest hope that I've at least helped grow connections you have with what's going on in our world, whether it be the sad stuff, the happy stuff, the funny stuff, and the exciting stuff.
So thank you. Here's to another year of shooting.
- end cheese -
Oh yeah, I've been teaching since August! It's one of my biggest beliefs that to accurately teach, you must be able to do. So because I'm in the classroom now doesn't mean you won't see me on the street.
