Up to Now
2012 has indeed been exciting. I’ve spent much time this year redefining my artistic vision, exploring a vast array of different topics of study in the sciences as well as the arts, self-developing over thirty rolls of film, and in the latter part of the year, deciding how to begin to add high quality cinematography services to the package lineup.
In late March, my wife and I took a risk and quit our jobs to pursue photography full time. Soon after, I was nearly overcome by worry over finances. . .contrary to popular belief, photographers don’t usually get rich. Even Ansel Adams’ typical financial state was precarious at best. This sparked a mental debate: To proceed as a poor happy artist or to revert to a depressed, yet financially sound employee under someone else’s rule? I chose poor, happy artist. That decision would require a radical change in my philosophy of life.
A Radical Shift
The way I wish to live from now on could almost be considered bohemian, however, I do plan on remaining faithful to my wife! I also plan on remaining financially responsible. Much of this proposed lifestyle is labeled as unconventional. It involves being frugal to the extreme, saying no to many comforts, and cutting many permanent ties to allow for whimsical decision making, often living in a way that would be considered borderline poverty level by the layperson. My influences include but are not limited to: Albert Einstein, Ansel Adams, Steve Jobs, and Vincent Van Gogh. All four of those individuals were able to channel vast amounts of their energy towards their passion. That’s how I want to live. To me, this revised lifestyle is simply an attempt to apply the philosophy behind minimalist art to life itself; shifting more concern and energy towards what really matters, and eliminating what doesn’t. In short, frugality will allow the worries from paragraph one to play a smaller role in life. Our finances have been reduced to the bare necessities. My credit score will remain zero forever. I don’t balance a checkbook. I don’t set an ongoing budget. Minimizing spending allows for the finances to be easily processed entirely within the mind: my recipe for financial security on a shoestring budget.
Conclusion + Looking Forward
All of that said, financial security still won’t buy happiness. As cliche as that statement is, I rarely see it lived out in full. My happiness comes from working hard at something I enjoy, learning new things, getting inspired, perfecting my art, but most importantly seeking unique stories, and then telling them to the world. This is what 2013 and beyond will be about.
We’ve been blessed this year being able to travel a good amount for the job. We had two weddings in Pennsylvania, one in Virginia Beach, a Hanover wedding (near Richmond, Virginia), a few in Staunton, and one in our own town of Elkton, Virginia. Below is a handful of my favorite work from this year.
