That old adage, “There are only two certainties, death and taxes” left one out, change. As of late, I have become increasingly less satisfied with just using my photographs to express myself and even less satisfied with posting them here and there for the simple goal of having others enjoy them if they choose to do so. No, I want my work in photography to do something, specifically to help others. For the past five years I have volunteered to take photographs of high school students as they pursue their dreams in the performing arts with the goal that the kids will have moments to share with family and friends long into the future. But since my own kids have been out of that activity for almost three years, it is time to allow other parents to chronicle those moments. And candidly my enthusiasm for that effort has waned, so it’s time to move on. I have participated in an online juried site for a little over a year at 1x.com. Although I have enjoyed my time there, I get a hollow feeling whenever I visit that site now. Perhaps it is my own view that although there are many amazing artists participating at that site, it simply seems like a form of self promotion more than contributing to the greater good of society. That is certainly not a bad thing, it just no longer meets my own personal goals. It seems that what was once so enjoyable for me no longer holds the same appeal as before. Again, time to move on.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am more passionate about this communication vehicle called photography than ever before. But stories are more important to me than a single image and even more important is tranforming the simple capturing of images into an activity that will help others. So I begin a new chapter using what I know to teach others how to express themselves. Next month I have the privledge of starting an after school program with some fifth graders in San Francisco’s Telegraph Hill Neighborhood. And depending on how it’s received, I may propose a program for their senior citizen group. As such, I will most likely not be posting to my blog as often as I have historically. Thanks for stopping by here now and again and I’m looking forward to change.
