and some are just stuck up...

So one thing that I have found extremely inspiring and helpful in my process of growing as a photographer is connecting with other photographers.  But before this, school has always been what inspired me most, and when winter and summer breaks came around... I felt lost and almost as if I wasn't a photographer unless school was in session.  It's a really horrible feeling actually, because photography is such a huge part of who I am... so I felt very empty when I was on my winter break, spring break, etc. 

Every time another break in school came around, I would feel relieved and relaxed the first day, then I began to get more and more antsy the further it got into break.  I didn't know what to shoot, where to shoot, or why I was even in school for this if I can't think of one good thing to shoot on my own without being assigned and idea/concept by my instructors in school.

I knew this needed to be fixed, and one piece of advice I have always seen other photographers give is to just get out there and shoot.  Go take photos as often as possible!  So that is what I tried doing, but every time I went out I found myself being lazy and shooting only the same things over and over again.  I didn't want to travel very far to get the good shots, and I'd rather just stay indoors and search flickr and sulk as I looked at other photographer's beautiful talents unfold in front of me.

"This has got to stop."

I told myself, I had to find a way out of this groove that I continued to fall into each time school went on break.  I began the 365 project, and planned other projects that I thought would get me going.  Still, no luck!  I slacked horribly with my 365, and now my goal is just to get 365 photos taken and uploaded to facebook by the 365th day.  My other projects lasted a few weeks, but they all eventually became irrelevant to me.  At least that is what I kept telling myself to make myself feel better about it.  The projects I began weren't really my style anymore and I didn't feel it was necessary to finish them out.

Once again I told myself, "this has got to stop."

Now here I am, currently at the end of my winter break.  It hasn't stopped completely but I have definitely progressed a ton!  I started back up some of the projects that I stopped and even began new ones.  I am doing them with more confidence and less pressure.  It wasn't about finding things to keep me busy and motivated, and it isn't about my quantity of images, it's about the quality of them.  I took a huge leap and told myself that I wasn't any less than the photographers whom I admire on flickr, facebook, etc.  I began to connect with them, reach out and contact them.  Some didn't respond at all, some didn't say much more than a "thank you for your support," and some actually reached back out and were willing to help me by answering questions and giving me any advice they could.  The ones who reached out are the ones who gave me the confidence and inspiration that I am now able to have today on my own... without the help of my school instructors assigning me ideas/concepts to work with.

As for the photographers that I reached out to that didn't respond... well there could be many excuses for them.  I'm sure they're very busy, maybe they're not "internet people" and don't check things online often, or maybe they're just stuck up.  It happens people!!  People get attention and fans, and they're head begins to grow larger and larger.  They loose sight of who they once were and where they began.  They forget how hard it was to get to the point that they are at now.  I hold nothing against these photographers who may be "stuck up."  But I do feel sorry for them, as they do not get to experience how it feels to truly help other's and use they're knowledge and talent to it's fullest. 

I hope that one day when I become a stronger photographer and artist,

that I always make time for my fans.  I don't only want to improve my own life,

but I want to touch other's lives and be a part of their improvements.

The main piece of advice I say for today is to not be afraid to reach out to others.  Just because you are a beginner at your passion doesn't mean you are less than others that you look up to.  Break down that wall of fear and learn from others when you can, be inspired by others, and let your motivation feed off others.  If you do this, then the end result will always be you becoming a stronger artist who can stand on your own two feet much more often.  Not always though.  Every artist has their moments where they need a crutch or two.

Well, that's it for my blog post today.  Sorry it's so long.  Sometimes I'm just in the mood to write, open up a blank page for a new post, and my fingers play a voice for my mind.  Thank you all for taking the time to read it.  Hope I helped someone out today!

lot's of o's

-Ali Bee