I may be upgrading

Wassup world?

i may be upgrading to my personal site soon. it’s slightly just a bit of something that I have been wanting to do for a while, so yeah, I guess I am excited for it. the reason why? well, alot really, I have previously started some really cool projects that in the near future may go into my CV or my BIO. I am looking to get a personal site/blog kind of thing where I can post random information about myself and what I am doing. I am a firm believer of Bio being stronger than  a CV. Okay, look at it this way, right, if say someone like larry King was fired from CNN for whatever reason may be, when he applies for a new job, what are the chances that most people will more willing to hire his services than not? Why? because he has a much stronger bio and his life work speaks volume.

Well, the Internet sort of gives us the opportunity to create something close to that but on an online sphere. Look at how web 2.0 has gone to personalize the web, with the rise of many social networks and the advantages that have come along with it, which includes doing business, and doing it good.(making profit and marketing, not necessarily in that order)

So as much as I am doing a project 365 on my flickr, check out here, I am also doing school stuff that I am hoping will be of tremendous advantages to me and my career in future. yeah, also the coillusion project that took off is amazing. I talked about coillusion in this post here. I am also dancing, travelling, and a whole bunch of other stuff that I have not yet talked about.

What I’m looking to upgrade to is a very simple and basic site. Most preferably wordpress blog. I am in LOVE with the robustness of wordpress blogs, I do run a tumblr too, starting the beginning of this year that really just focuses on African stuff and all.

Aaaanywho, I hope to keep you updated.

Random Update

I’ve randomly thought of myself making this post and trying to explain exactly why I  have not been updating this blog. And yes, I know, I could come up with all forms of excuses right now, but I wont. Matter of fact, I do not think I will ever put up excuses on this blog. But rather, I will, (when I do) tell the truth about everything.

Now its been a crazy two months or something. I had a magazine coming out, had my first DSLR coming through, but that did not happen. I had the money alright, I had everything all planned out and boy, was I all excited. there’s nothing as better as that. nothing that I had waited so much for so long as that. but, you know, as LIFE would turn out. in the twists of events, that money just, well, disappeared. in the most hurtful of ways. I want to tell, but, in all honesty, I don’t think I have the strength to.

In a nut shell, that really ruined my creative process. yeah, its been a while before I finally bounced back. I went through these moments of  feeling really bad about everything. you see, its different, I had waited for this moment since last year. saved, work hard just to achieve this one thing. a DSLR camera. but what happens after you think you’ve finally gotten the cash? it disappears. Boy,you have no idea how that may feel.

But I got myself together. or so I think I did. I have been doing a lot of finding myself. And I’m almost getting to that moment where I can do it all over again. I evaluated if I really want this. I found out I do, because within the heart break, there was this bickering glimmer of hope.  It was too existent for me to ignore it. It is such moments I would laugh  to myself just to ease what I was feeling. I think it is easier for people to get over things that they don’t think are such a big deal to them. But this was sort of a big deal to me and I was really looking forward to it. I thank God all the same that whatever happened to me did, because it left me with more lessons than I’ve got before.

So what did it teach me,  probably that is a topic for yet another day, where I should explore those aspects. I’m just finally glad I had the strength to get back to blogging as I did with other stuff.

 

Of Gear, Vision and Photography

 

I am more convinced now more than ever, that it does not really matter the gear you use as a photographer. Vision is way more important. Vision is important for any artist out there who presents his art visually. For a long time I have heard numerous talk about which Camera is better than which one. True, most of the times the camera is better than the other, but the truth, its not the camera that determines the depth of photographs. It is the photographer. This argument is like chefs arguing about which cooking pan does the best Omelet. Well, yes, one cooking pan may be non stick, stainless steel and what not, but the truth is, the better chef makes the better food.

Now it is that point in my life where I am looking to buy my first DSLR camera. I have had a bunch of cameras in the last few years, but never owned a DSLR. I love Nikons. Why? Well, I do not really know, I just like the name more. Most of my friends have Canons, I like those cameras too. Funny thing, I have never really got to that level where I thought this camera was better than the other. In fact, as I have scouted for a DSLR to start me off, I have looked at Sony’s Pentaxes and what not, I have not only based my research on the Canons and Nikons. Been open minded.

I am convinced that a DSLR camera will be of super importance to me as I take the journey of wanting to be a photographer one day. It will through greater controls of settings. I will also be able to take better images. Why? Because I would have opened up my learning space. It will be more like getting out of the nest into the world. Into the world of photography.

I have not yet decided which one to get, but I will soon enough. Although I do not think I will be able to get a really amazing one based on the price set on those things, either way, I am getting a DSLR camera in the next few months.

The reason I am doing this post however, is not to tell the world that I am getting my first DSLR camera as a wannabe photographer. It is not to present arguments about which gear is better that which, but to present a way of thinking. An ideological personal view of the whole thing. Gear is good, Vision is better. This is David duChemin’s mantra. And I support him all the way. In his books, he talks about having the vision as a photographer. Vision is key to any artist. One has to be able to visualize what he wants and bring it out photographically, regardless of the gear.

You see, photography is an art and a craft that did not start the other year. It actually started at the beginning of the previous century. It has only been improved over the years. Some of the classical celebrated photographers did not use too great a gear, but their artistic vision shone right through the photograph. That is what (in my opinion) I think the industry should focus on. On playing the most soothing and complex (if it’s a good thing) notes, other than owning the most expensive guitar. The industry right now is saturated with the fan-boy perspective to photography. What we should focus more on is the craft.

A photographer’s desire and goal should be defining his vision. This is being certain or specific about what you want to get. Seeing the image in your head before going out to get it. After defining vision, it is important to clear vision. It is easy for one’s vision to be blurred. Having a clear vision is also key. From this, we see that a photographer should always strive to have a vision that is definite and clear. I think that with time I will talk more on that subject.

If I do turn out to be a photographer, one of my wishes is that I will be able to use the most diverse tools in the industry without creating a bias. Of course, I know that I will have a favorite, but then, I just hope that I grow into a person that values more the art and craft than the tool used, per se.

I look forward to be talking about vision. Especially in photography as  I feel that I have found a new aspect which I really respect and would like to expound more. I believe as I do more research and align my thinking to go in tune with Vision, it will develop me into an individual who’s more focused on the aesthetics, and eventually a better photographer.

“You are what you read” I hope I will read positivity.

The Krox.