Creating Content From the Heart

I didn't take any photos this week. At least, not any interesting photos. I took some images of things to sell online and sent an image of a tortilla warmer I had found on sale to my cousin, knowing she was looking for one. But that's it. No "real" photos. Photography is a part of everyone's daily life now. We all shoot blurry images through smudged phone lenses. We add notes and stickers and crop and filter. We send them in place of words. Sometimes, we even take really good photos. Almost all of us see hundreds of images a day, and we consume so much, that nothing really stands out any more - even amazing work. Photos are now very much disposable. Look at your own camera roll and see. Watch a 20 year old spend a fraction of a second on each Instagram photo they scroll past, and just keep going for more. Photos: taken, shared, gone, more please. 

I spent much of my walks with the dog this week thinking how to shape this blog. As much as I want it to be non-conforming and non-specific, I realize I do need some sort of guard rails to keep me from going too far out in the weeds. I've thought about the voice I should use in my writing. About what common thread there might be. About who my audience would be. I've thought about how unlikely it is that any of this will really matter to anyone.

In short, I've been thinking like a content creator; a term I despise and a title I never want. Yet, here I am. Casting these words out into the abyss for some reason still unclear to me. I don't want to become successful. At least, not in the way that content creators are successful these days. They burn out. All of them. Even if you don't see it and they say otherwise. The machine that has been created by the consumption of disposable content is forever hungry, and the creators feel it's hot breath day and night. Their lives become an act. An act that must go on, must be interesting, must be "on brand," must be unique, and of course, must be documented. 

A well liked and highly successful YouTuber by the name of Tom Scott called it quits this week. For exactly 10 years, he posted a weekly video, deep diving into lesser known facts. Self admittedly, it was his dream job. Yet there he is, walking (well, flying, to be more accurate) away from over 6 million followers. He is obviously a smart guy, but more than that, he is wise for moving on. I have no doubt that it was an incredibly tough choice to make and the transition back to a more normal life will be a challenge, but my guess is he is following his heart.

And that's what I'm doing here. I'm following my heart. I create to share. I create simply to give birth to all the thoughts and feelings I have so abundantly churning inside me. Unfortunately for me, the medium I have largely dedicated my life to thus far has become as ubiquitous and disposable as plastic utensils. Regardless, I love photography, I love creating, and I love sharing - so that's what I'm going with. 

*The photo I chose for this post just happened to still be on my desktop since taking it several weeks ago. Just one of the many, many images I have taken that, unless somehow shared, will sit in digital darkness.