It's well over over a decade ago now, that I used to make a living from photography and making video's – in the adult industry.
I was never a brilliant photographer, or video-grapher (in my opinion).
But I was good enough to coin a living from it.
The female form was my muse, and it definitely inspired me to produce my best photography - without a doubt.
...Over a decade later and a couple of years without a 'real camera’ , I've found that my passion (if could ever be called that) has moved on.
I’m not a perfectionist so 'good enough' was good enough - and I've never let my ego get the better of me in that regard- to ever allow myself such decadent, time wasting, self indulgences.
'Good' is good enough.
‘Seeking perfection’ is a trip into disappointment.
It’s not logical to stress out about something that is, by definition, unattainable.
That’s just screwy.
Now I’m into photographing bitches instead!
Let me explain…
Luce, my partner, has shown an interest in doing some photography of late.
She has no experience of this kind - aside from the mobile ‘snapping shots’ type, and she's asked me to give her some 'pointers'.
MMmmmm...ok.....One problem....
Nowadays, I can’t recognize the difference between F-stops, and a pit stops . lol.
The knowledge I had/have - is stored somewhere deep in the depths of my gray matter.
I’ve simply forgotten all the 'instinctual skills' that I used to use, day in and day out.
The camera is not a ‘real one’ (how fucking elitist does that sound?).
But – it is ‘good enough’- and far better in many ways, than my old finepix...500?, 1300? 1500? – I’ve even forgotten the model of the camera that I used most frequently on models photoshoots!
( It’s just not that important to me).
Anyways... with Luce’s camera in hand, I tried to drudge up some of information that I’d forgotten.
I didn’t do too good a job either, in that regard.
(I'm sure some of it it will come back to me, with more use of the camera).
I went down a different route....
Instead, I tried to explain to her the process of finding good shots – the recognition of light and how it plays out in various environments, recognition of patterns and structure, that kind of thing.
Onto the bitches…
Our two bitches, Sophia and Poo -bear
So we went out for one of our regular walks- the evening one - and took the cam with us, and I must say , I enjoyed it immensely!
I found a pleasure in missing out on loads of good action shots of our two doggies playing! ( I'm soooo out of practice, it’s laughable).
I did however, point some things out to Luce on our walk, and she was really excited about it all!
She took some good shots!
If you want to check 'em out...
You can see profile, for the photo's of yesterdays 'evening walk'.
'An evening walk', will be the title of the post.
(I'll be uploading them later on today..)
I/We will be using that profile for the photography.
I/We, are going to use it as pictorial journey of Lucy's new found interest - and of my rekindled enthusiasm.
I'm interested in seeing how we both 'progress' and logging down how the journey unfolds...
Lucy has a background in clothes design, and she has a very good eye for that kind of thing (unlike me).This could probably be a talent that transfers - and might help in the composition of photographs.
I dunno though to be honest, because me being 'good enough' at photography definitely doesn’t translate to me having a good eye for clothes design.
I’m a ‘fashion desert’....
Onto need and greed…
The quality of life We now have together, is great.
No debt, not beholden to an employer – or employees (which is just as bad, but in a different way).
After selling a business recently ( something I kinda accidentally fell into through helping out a friend when he was in dire need) and no longer having any employees, life is simple for us.
As I wrote on a recent post, I’m ditching the other side of my business for three months – upto, and around, the US election time.
This time in history is one of ‘those times’. A pivotal one, in my opinion.
I don’t need to spend my time on my business for three months.
I can, instead, spend it on here, and other similar places.
My time is valuable to me – far more valuable than anything as shallow as 'pursuing money'.
It’s a non greedy mindset.
I have enough. And that's enough, you see.
A greedy mindset is a losing strategy.
It a scared mindset.
It may get you more money, money that you don’t need (the definition of 'need' is a personal one, but it can easily be hijacked and used to justify ‘getting more’).
Many times, I see ‘need’ merely as a fear of the future, and then it shifts - it becomes a justification for greed.
Here's simple illustration pertaining to 'need'- and how fear can drive you to making decisions - without you even realizing it...
You don’t NEED insurance.
To shell out money on events they may - or may not – happen, in the future, is a fear based perspective.
Fear of an event happening - or not- sometime in the future.
It’s a mindset . A 'fear based' mindset.
I’m not scared of the future.
Never have been, never will be.
Imagine a world where people were not scared?
Imagine need - and not greed - being the default operating system?