It has been over a month since my last entry. I have been busy with all sorts of things and it is the Holiday season and Christmas is just a few days away. But to be honest I just haven't had much that I felt was significant enough to devote the time.

I think I started this blog over a year ago. My intent was to create a journal which might facilitate the exchange of information related to photography and the creative process. In addition there is the marketing aspect of blogging that I was also interested in exploring. 

Since that time I have visited many other blogs for info, insight and general interest and I have discovered something that I hadn't anticipated. I am asking myself more and more, why are we doing this? When I first started this process I was rabid to see what everyone else was talking about and what incredible knowledge and insight I was going to gain. I suppose I have become somewhat jaded, and I guess that's to be expected, but I'm just not sure I'm "getting it" anymore. (insert joke here)

Please don't misunderstand. I am not anti-technology. I get the whole "viral thing" and the need to be relevant in the new millennium. I know it's important to stay current with new advancements. I have all the latest and greatest tech toys. At least the ones I can afford. I think the iphone is amazing and I don't know what I would do without my "Desktop Darkroom". Over the course of the last two years I have been finally swayed into the world of digital and I am a convert and believer. (Although I still love the preparation and thought that is required when loading a roll of 10 shots into the RZ and having to wait for processing before you know exactly what you got). When something is truly better because of technology I will be the first to sign on. So I cry Uncle. I give up. Please no more.

I guess where my issue lies is that I find myself more concerned about the mechanics of this whole thing when I know I should be concentrating less on the "how" and more on the "what". I am forever stressing over how long it's been since my last blog entry. I feel a self-imposed pressure to create a post even when I have nothing to say. But more than my own misgivings I am finding that I am increasingly disappointed with the lack of actual meaningful input on other blogs.

I know, glass houses and all, but lately I have been amazed at the useless, mindless, and blatantly amateur postings I have been experiencing. It's not so much the blogs themselves. At least not the ones that I read. Although there have been a few postings lately from what I had always considered responsible vehicles that have been less than riveting. But, I have spent too much time reading comments from knuckleheads. I suppose when you put your views out for everyone to see that's the danger you risk.

Here's my beef. Stop commenting just to drive readers back to your own blog or site. Or at least make an effort to present yourself, your work and your opinions in a more professional manner when I get there. I know that everyone is not Avedon, Penn or Stieglitz. But, please at least attempt an effort to make it look like you take pride in your work.

I am sure whoever has read this far, if anyone, is totally convinced I have a huge chip on my shoulder. Think what you like. Maybe I do. It is, however, disappointing to see the dumbing down of this profession at the hands of convenience via technology.

One specific example I can think of to illustrate my point is Flickr. I used to spend a decent amount of time reviewing peoples work on this site. I can't do it anymore. It's a complete waste of time. I know that I am probably missing out on some amazing work. The problem is I have to weed through all the junk to find it. There are reasons there are editors in this world. God knows the majority of what I create is crap. It's a process. A back and forth. An evolution to get to your final piece. The one you want the world to see. It's work. Just because we have cameras that enable us to bang off a thousand shots at a clip doesn't mean you have to upload every single one of them to your site, blog, webpage, youtube, vimeo, flickr, fbook, myspace, yourspace or whatever. Yikes. Exercise a little restraint. Maybe, just maybe, we might want to step back, take a breath and figure out exactly what we are trying to communicate though our imagery. Maybe we should spend more time deliberating in our heads before we fire the shutter. A little more thought and a little less "shoot from the hip".

I can't remember where I read this (probably a blog) but I think it carries an important message. Every once in a while shoot film. It teaches a couple of valuable lessons. First, you force yourself to think more about what you are going to shoot, both from an aesthetic (content and composition) as well as a tech (exposure, lighting, depth of field, etc..) perspective. And, second, patience, because you are forced to wait. No instant gratification. 

I'm ranting and rambling now, but I hope I have made my point. My final thought on this (Really) is this. Don't feel as though just because you have a blog you have to post to it all the time. If you don't post for a week or a month, so what. If you don't have anything good to say then don't say anything. By all means, though, if you feel the need to wax eternal far be it from me to rain on your parade. I guess what I am trying to say is that we are photographers, creatives, designers and such, maybe we should spend more time photographing, creating and designing and less time talking about it.

I'm gonna go take a picture.