Not A Starving Artist

(one of the few photos of the 3 of us together)

While cleaning my workspace I found a photo that the talented Michelle Krusiec shot of my partners (Benny and Julie from OA) and I after we did a feature on her back in early June.  I’m kind of being nostalgic right now.  I miss the early days of OA when the three of us had more “free” time together.  Every Monday night we’d jump on Skype and update each other on plans and who we could reach out to in the community to feature.  After talking to the potential interviewee we’d lock down a date and the three of us would all go out and do the interview followed by a shoot with yours truly.  I enjoyed these outings together because our personalities seemed to balance out one another well.  Benny ours entrepreneurial hustler, Julie is the bubbly-sweet-gullible-you’ll-love-her-no-matter-what-person, and I was am the sarcastic, weirdo kid with the camera.  Together none of us got any sleep and generated weekly content that rocked your socks off >:] 

Moments like these aren’t meant to last forever.  I think that why looking back we appreciate and enjoy them so much more.  Starting up OA was an awesome learning experience.  I couldn’t be more thankful for the opportunity.  Obviously the online publication has slowed down a lot because Benny, Julie, and I no longer have the that much free time anymore.  Julie parted with OA beginning of September to focus more on acting.  We’d be hypocrites to the website if we didn’t follow our own dreams.  Benny and I are focusing on a new project called NewMediaRockstars while keeping OA alive on the side as a passion project.  Its funny how much we’ve grown within the last few months.  Looking back it feels like we were little, lost kids not knowing what they were going to do with their lives.  We came together because of an idea and ran with it.  There aren’t that many AA role models out there.  We wanted to find them all and share the experience of meeting them with others around the world.  I guess through the accumulation of these inspiring stories the three of us ourselves are gradually forming a more solid idea of what we’ll individually be doing in the next few years.  For myself I knew I wanted to give this photography thing a go few years back, but I never had an idea of how I wanted to shoot.  Only now am I beginning to see what my style might be and what I want out of the images I make.  Only time and hard work will tell what will become of my “photography career” will become. 

Okay, I’m done being nostalgic.

I can’t believe 2011 is almost over though!  This year has honestly been a crazy ride for me, considering that it is the first year that I am putting all my efforts into growing as a photographer.  I’m all in with no backup plan, and I’m fully enjoying the ride.  

Stay tuned ..because I need to produce and plan four upcoming shoots in the next few weeks.  Oh and finish editing that mountain of files.  Argh.