As admirers of art (and scrollers of social media) it is often that we see the works of a great photographer, artist, writer, etc, and gush in awe at a finished project without any understanding of HOW it became.
Thankfully, it is getting increasingly common through the chaos of the internet for artists to be honest about their processes in all their messy, unflattering glory. Yes, we live in a ridiculous time of besieged democracy, competitive fixed mindsets, stifling tribalism, social disenchantment and nostalgia for simpler times, but with the internet as a tool there should be no excuse to shy from authenticity, whatever you do.
Everyone is creative. Everyone is capable of making great things. It is so important to make the creative process accessible to all.
As a kid I always thought, 'how cool would it be to create for a living?' without any idea of how it was actually possible. But duh! There ARE millions of people out there creating the music we listen to, the stories we read, we information we digest, the spaces we inhabit, the photos we admire, the art that moves us, the films that entertain us, etc - AND getting paid for their contribution and hard work.
So why not me?
Why not YOU?
Nothing should be barred from our perception of what we can achieve if we work for it. And the best way to learn is from others who have:
a) walked a similar path to you and/or
b) are already where you aspire to be.
Right now I have a looo00ooO0oO0ng way to go, and you might do to. That's cool, let's be a bit rubbish at this together. I mean, yikes, at the start of 2017 I was an iPhone-photographer with no idea how to use a DSLR outside of auto, and now I could call myself a professional artist, even if it feels phoney to do so. Hopefully anyone who wants to follow a similar route, either to becoming a creative professional, or is just interesting in learning, growing and benefiting from their passion, can gain from this ongoing journal. Or if you want nothing else than a peek into my wack thought-process, that's cool too.
Here I will be fully honest about how I tackle the creative process when it comes to photography and writing. I believe strongly in the teach everything you know philosophy, and am excited to share where I find inspiration, what gear I use, future goals, photographic diary entries and thoughts related to the creative industry with you. These posts will not be as polished or planned as articles I publish on Medium, but they will be real insights into my ongoing journey that can hopefully be of value to yours.
I'm excited. See you soon, cool people.
Anna
*insert inspirational quote about helping hands or something*