I have been very much mia again. Somehow this year just flew by and I got a list of excuses as to why I didn’t post more on the blog or on social media, but let me not bore you. I am re-evaluating my photography work and with that all my creative endeavors.
I have been reflecting a lot on my current work situation lately and realized that I have been going in a direction that I am not really interested in. I keep asking myself: why be a freelancer and end up doing projects that I find not creatively fulfilling? I am taking December off to decide what I would like to do next. I have a vague idea but need to set proper outlines and also to just see what emerges when I just take photos for joy.
I have kept up with the 365 photo project, I am posting the photos on my personal IG. I am really enjoying it actually. It’s very fluid and kinda just whatever catches my eye, a lot of the time they just snap taken on my phone. Yet I am really happy with it and I am thinking of printing them all and making a little book for myself at the end of it.
It has become a space for me to just follow creative whims at times and that has been quite invigorating but also eye-opening. I still love photography very much, but somehow I feel like I might kill my own creative drive by setting limits and definitions for myself. I find that I still am trying to fit a niche half the time. The worst part for me personally however is that I suddenly realized that I have put myself into a niche professionally that doesn’t really suit me. Now I have the luxury that I can just step away and redefine things as my husband is covering rent and food for me. Which is why I am going to do exactly that.
Talking about niches I still find it really hard to answer the question: So what do you do?
It’s simply not so clear-cut. I tend to answer that I am a freelance photographer these days. But then when the conversation goes on people realize that I also studied chemistry, did counseling, was a teacher, an artisan.. quite a few different things. I still think it sounds like I am a bit of a flake. So I try to limit the exposure of my illustrious jack-of-all-trades CV. I basically niche myself with each person differently. It’s something I have for some reason always done, quite unconsciously actually. This results in me having a very diverse social circle, something I actually really cherish. It means I am challenged to grow and see many different angles of life.
I always had many diverse interests. I was the chemistry student who made paper mache bowls during her downtime. While I was working in refugee camps I took up embroidery and when I worked as a jewelry designer I ended up making porcelain bowls on the side.
I find that I do my best work when I do several different things at one time. Like if I study a lot, I do something creatively that allows my mind to wander or if I am socializing a lot, I do something that needs my attention and solitude. Most of my creative endeavors end up overlapping and becoming a multimedium kind of a thing.
Looking at my creative history I find that I always looked to combine my passions, like bringing my creative life together into one project. I keep feeling like I fail utterly at this endeavor.
I know I said this before, but I am back to thinking: I am my niche.
Long story short, I will be posting more about my creative endeavors. Whatever they are.
I decided that one of my goals for the next year is to follow and share my passions. So this will space will be more of a what inspires me, my passions and interests kind of blog.
What might that encompass you ask?
Well the things that inspire me are traveling, nature, and the beauty of this world.
My passions are history, food, all things artisan, books, fountain pens, and exploring.