I find it refreshing, daunting and quite surprising when planning a refresh and realising that there are so many things that the ‘me’ of a few years ago does not impress the ‘me’ of now. That might sound harsh, but I like this realisation. It’s a sign of movement. Not forward, not backward but away from what I was content with. Maybe this is growth, possibly an improvement or it just time and changing of perspective. This is all from reviewing other photographers' websites, their work and reflecting on my website and wanting to give it a refresh. I’m still gathering ideas and laying out a plan of the way I would like it. It will take quite a bit of time but I am excited not only for the new but for clearing out what I think is most definitely the old (me).
My favourite things in January.
Music.
I have enjoyed listening to the radio and discovering new music. I find the amount of music on my Apple Music too much sometimes and I like not having to make a decision when I am focusing on another task. I have a very eclectic taste in music and the one radio station that satisfies this is Fip. This is a French station that can be found online and through smart speakers. Some of the artists and groups I have discovered on this station are truly stunning. https://www.radiofrance.fr/fip
Books.
I loved The Electric State by Simon Stalenhag. I guess this can be classed as a graphic novel?? Which is something I have never been interested in. What first struck me when I was browsing the shelves in my local bookshop (yes, we have a local bookshop and it is so lovely to have) was the front page. I know, I know…. But the imagery in this is so vast and draws you in. It makes me think of how I could create similar images with a camera. https://www.simonstalenhag.se/es.html
Things.
I have been reading a lot about how to allow your mind to explore ideas and be free to create, and most importantly, capture these ideas because they will be fleeting. The reoccurring tool for this is a system where you capture this idea/creative thought. This requires something as simple as a pen and paper. The brain is for creating not for storing. This has helped me not only with creative ideas but generally helping me remember ‘things’..It takes a bit of a system to bring it all together so that you can access these ‘things’. I have found that an app that can easily accept a quick note is the most frictionless option. After trying quite a few I landed on ‘Twos’ which is built in such a way that my head can work with it without feeling lost in drop-down lists and an unnatural workflow. This app coupled with Tiago Forte’s Building a Second Brain make for a good system. Twos - https://www.twosapp.com. Building a Second Brain - https://www.buildingasecondbrain.com/
New from me.
At the end of last year we had a few days on the Isle of Skye and obviously I took my camera bag with me and captured some images that I’m really happy with. I also recorded some short vlogs over the course of our holiday. The vlogs are up on YouTube and the Blog is up on my website.