January has been been one of change and renewal, not because of some New Years resolution or some well intentioned fad. For me it has been something that has been brewing for sometime.
With little time for personal work, nature, landscape or urban genres, etc. because of the day job, (Photographer at HMS Collingwood), paid commissions, freelance work for the Portsmouth and personal family commitments, I began to feel that I lacked direction and creative satisfaction, as well as time beginning to feel like a luxury.
There were also subtle inroads into my mental health through the pressures of social media. I know it sounds passé but I did not realise how much time it was taking from me. So I decided to delete my ‘X’ (Twitter) account, reduce my Facebook interaction and switch more to Instagram. I cannot say that the current setup is perfect me but it will do for the moment.
My second decision was to stop my freelance work with Portsmouth News. It is not the end of this relationship but a pause.
Hopefully, these small changes may start to give me what I seek.
So far, these changes do not feel as though anything has changed.
As a way of seeking out inspiration I have began watching Japanese lifestyle videos on Youtube (I assume they are both). From these I have been extracting screenshots in the hope it will inspire me.
So, apart from the day job most of my photography has been taken up with rugby, either union or league. As a result I am still trying to catch up and process the images for my website.
With a little less introspection and much more organisation and resolve I might just begin to feel the benefit of these choices.
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social-media
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News from K Woodland Photography
Over the past few months I have become very disillusioned with social media, not just with the amount of time you have to spend promoting your business and creativity, etc. etc. which results in very little interaction and response. Social Media, as everybody knows, has become a toxic environment with little relevance to the truth. As well as the constant barrage of pointless advertising and irrelevant suggested pages all can quickly erode your mental health and your confidence in yourself as well as the human race.
So I will be deleting my Twitter/X account and my K Woodland Photography page on Facebook. My personal Facebook page will used more as portal to this website. My Instagram page will be my main social media presence but even here’re the number of images posted will be greatly reduced.
If you are interested in what K Woodland Photography is up too or the images I have taken then the new “News” page will be the place to visit. Here you will find an expanded selection of images, News of my success’s, galleries ready to view, new images that are ready to be purchased and other information about my photographic journey. My thoughts and opinions on photography, the arts, the creative world and other things will continue to be found here on my blog page “Musings from a small room”.
I hope you all understand my decision and continue to support K Woodland Photography.
Social-Media
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News
There are sometimes I feel I have the word “Mug” tattooed across my forehead. People and organisations getting my services as a professional photographer for nothing or next to nothing. I know I should charge my rate, which by the way is not that bad but I see the opportunity and say ‘yes’. Perhaps I should learn to say ‘No’ more often. But then they will go and get some other photographer with an iPhone who will provide images for picture credits and a pint of shandy!
Photography is not just pressing the button and out pops an image, irrespective of what the manufacturers will tell you. There’s the planning, travel, parking, insurances, permissions, website hosting, editing, processing and storage of images, etc, etc.
And did I mention, its expensive. Cameras, lenses, computers, batteries, cards, etc.etc, all seem to cost an arm and a leg. If you need to shoot as a professional, you need professional equipment. It is a never ending outflow of cash and time with very little to show for it. As somebody once said, “the fastest way to make money form your photography is to sell your cameras and lenses”.
March was another busy month and again was sport centric. The month began with a shift at the Portsmouth News with a couple of news stories, a fundraising walk for someone battling Cancer and some images of the spring like weather we briefly had and two football matches back to back.
The following week was busy! Royal Navy Women v Army Women in the Knight Cup final. The RN took home the silverware. The following day, two matches, the RN v Army Masters match and the RN v Army at Fratton Park. It was nice to be photographing a sports match under decent lights. The following night was a boxing tournament at HMS Collingwood, the day job. The Saturday saw a rugby match at Burnaby Road, USRFC v Basingstoke.
The following Saturday saw another shift for the News. A PR style job the theatrical show, Grease. A brief trip to Port Solent where a group of Cosplay inspired Ghostbuster themed characters were raising money for charity at the opening week of the latest film in the Ghostbuster franchise. Finally, some more football. Though this get me two ‘Big Picture’ centre spreads in the Portsmouth News.
The last jobs of the month was the rugby match, Royal Navy Senior side v the British Police and then my final shift at the News saw back to back jobs, Spinnaker Tower Easter Chocolate Workshop, a Save our Swimming Pool protest, a Easter themed image at Whitely Village then back into Portsmouth for a Shop opening and a Pub reopening.
I still haven’t been able to find time for my own work but have been experimenting with multiple exposure/montaged images in Photoshop. (I still have a lot to learn with this programme) with some pleasing end results. Though this does underline my lack of new personal images for source material.
So to sum up March. I must try harder, especially with my own work and try to earn some money from my photography by not being taken for granted.
