I’ve changed directions in a big way

The original intent of this website was dedicated to art and painting.  I spent a lot of years pursuing that.  I gained a lot of skills.  So what did I do starting about five years ago? I switched to photography, wtf.  I should clarify – I actually started with film photography in the late 1970’s, even took photography classes in high school.  Then somewhere around 1993 while going to sea in the US merchant marine I took up drawing and painting.  Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t jack around when I decide to do something and I didn’t.  Well, took all kinds of classed, private study, you name it.  I did gain skills.  But somewhere around the time of the big earthquake and nuclear plant meltdown (I live in Fukushima) I lost enthusiasm for it.  Probably had a lot to do with stress from that.  I think I had about 2 years of PTSD from that. Everyone says they have PTSD these days but in my case I think I did.

So why the switch to photography?  A few reasons. First, photography and painting are very similar at least as far as composition is concerned.  The same skills that allows one to “see” apply to both.  Then there is the immediacy of it – painting takes hours for one scene.  I watched a few YouTube videos on street photography before the pandemic, bought a Fujifilm X100F camera and got addicted.

Then I found out something.  Many of my photography heroes including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Saul Leiter, Fred Herzog, to name but a few all started off as painters.  Is this a coincidence? I think not.

I left up a few blog posts to prove my past abilities. I’m still going to pull out the brushes once in a while as you never really forget how to do it. But let it be know to all, I’m ALL in on photography for the last 5 years and that’s what I’m going to until the end.