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2015 and looking forward to 2016
10 years ago
General
If you don't like long Journals... you probably don't want to read further. Because this will be a long one. However, I'll try to keep it objective and to the point and not go off on any Rants or Tangents. Because this isn't a Rant persay but just a thoughtdump of what was 2015 and what lies ahead for 2016.
2015 started off, early on (in March) with getting cheated out of a potentially long-term job due to, quite honestly Office Bureaucracy while my boss was on Medical leave. I was working for Healthcare IT and they decided to outsource my job to a cheaper "all one solution" bidder without discussing it with my manager, but rather going around him while he was unable to respond due to recovery from surgery.
I did however make it through my first Board Retreat for MNFurs and at the time was still feeling pretty good about my place there.
faelyncypher and I were (and still are ^^) going together and for the first time ever I had a steady relationship on V-Day though we mutually agreed it is nothing more than an overly commercialized holiday; and ignored it except for 1/2 price candy the day after >.>
Needless to say, 2015 started off pretty bittersweet. I spent a lot of my time Unemployed doing little road trips across MN, IA and SD. It helped get the edge off, and I finally got access to some funds in a retirement account from my old (and now ironically current) employer that got cleared up which ended up paying for these trips and helping keep me afloat for a few months.
Right as my UI was about to run out; I got an offer from a sub contractor for my old company on a different contract they had in Burnsville doing IT for an Aerospace parts manufacturing facility. It was contract to Perm and I got converted in less then three months, which is where I'm still working now. Unlike the previous job I held with said company, it was a steady-slower pace and I was working as part of a team; so if I called in Sick or took off Vacation the world didn't end and there was someone else able to cover my tickets and work. My work related stress, other then the odd occasional one off stressful day/week (but who doesn't have a few of those) went and remained way down into the start of 2016.
Then in June, I got into my first Major auto accident. My car got totaled. As I was making a left turn on a Yellow turning to Red a car I didn't even see coming had swerved around the car ahead of me slowing to stop at the light in order to make a stop. I was not injured at all - I didn't even get a minor bruise or whiplash for which I am very thankful for. The car, which I only had a year and was brand new when I bought it, took the brunt of the damage as I got nailed by an accelerating (not braking) car in the passenger's side engine compartment.
The car got totaled. Fortunately I had been working a new job for a month when it happened; if I was out of work I would have been screwed. I wouldn't have been able to burn my savings on a downpayment on a new car; and I wouldn't have been able to get a new Bank Loan. Luckily for me, it did NOT happen a month earlier when I was between jobs.
The paperwork and legal stuff was a nightmare. It took a week just to get the car in for an estimate, about a month total before I got the car totaled and cleared so I could get a new vehicle without being stuck with two car loans at once. My insurance company wanted to HANG ME out to dry for 100% of the fault for the accident. The Police Report along with an admission of guilt from the 15 year old driving the other vehicle got it flipped around to a 20% fault on my part; which was a lot more reasonable. I was in the intersection though the other car swerved around another vehicle and ran the red and accelerated rather then braking.
When the Dust settled, the Silver lining is I was able to get a new car, and I had put a ton of miles (35,000) on the car I had totaled; which was more then I ever had (and probably ever will) in a single year. This means the new vehicle won't have as much wear and tear on it when it reaches its first birthday; and I got a slightly larger, more comfortable ride in the process. The downside is I was forced to buy at one of the worst car buying times of the year, when all the old stock had been liquidated and the new stock was just coming in. Most dealerships were short on supply, only had "Next Year" inventory and thus were NOT running any sales or promotions of any kind. I had to pay pretty close to MSRP for my new vehicle rather then being able to get it for 5-7k off....
At the end of summer my boat broke down on a fishing trip in WI. The gear shift box completely wore out, causing me not to be able to shift gears on the outboard regardless of how many times I reassembled the gear box. Since it wouldn't shift into Neutral it wouldn't start. It still hasn't been fixed. I didn't have the finances nor the time to fix it; more then jury rigging the electric motor to give it limited useage during the Fall.
Towards the end of the year, I started becoming more stressed, not due to work, not due to Relationship things (those were both going swimmingly) but due to the fact I was doing well just too many things at once for Volunteering in different areas.
The fishing trip where my boat broke down made me start to realize there was more to life then doing everything I possibly could do for the Furry Fandom. It helped me re-define who I was and realize I had a common shared skill or talent that was useful across many different clubs and non-profits alike, something that was in High need ironically in a world saturated with cameras; and that was my Photography.
I had to take a step back and realize that Photography above ALL other things (Including my dabble with Videography) was what I was good at, what I was known for, and what people looked for and wanted.
In the world of Videography - the Demand and attention is very fickle. It's a Thankless job and has very specific niches, IE getting hired to do a promotional film which is where most of my Videography will henceforth lie.
I got burned out at Midwest Furfest this year running gaming. I found myself stressed but more then that realized I did NOT have the passion for the Gaming department that I once did. My heart, just wasn't in it.
Photography at MFF caught my eye. It was something that I missed doing hardly any of at MFF and each year I became increasingly regretful that I wasn't able to get any good photos from MFF. I was too drained from my gaming staff duties at MFF to take Photos when I was all said and done. I was lucky if I had the energy to go around with a Video camera, which truthfully DOES take less energy then framing and taking photos.
So 2015 in two words: Eye Opener. I had a brush with my own mortality in a situation that could have easily gone another way. My faith in my Photography was restored at the cost of having to admit that I am NOT a Leader of the Furry Fandom. None of what I really am qualified to do or makes me happy any more revolves around running major events, and I don't have the Charisma to lead. Instead, more people look to me for my Photography, and I had been ignoring them; Thinking to myself "Oh I don't get as much attention as such and such".
By that token, it also reminded me a lot of how most photographers are off in their own little world. They don't work together. They don't post their photos or have a good means of advertising themselves and thus people just think they don't post any photos and go on Rants "I had so many people take photos of me at X Con and I didn't see a single one of them! Photographers are lame!". That seemed to be a pretty loud rant from the Fursuiting community towards the end of 2015.
Which brings me into my Resolutions for 2016. There is one really BIG one, so I'll go into that and kinda put aside the more minor ones:
Having put a great amount of thought into this: I see a problem with Photography. It's present in general society, but its RAMPANT in the Furry Fandom. This is not one that I cannot solve by my own but I am one of the best candidates to help lead a charge to change it.
The problem is twofold: both on the Photographer and the Subject. Like many things, a lot of it has to do with communication.
On the Subject: I RARELY get asked by a suiter I took a photo of where I am posting my photos. There is an assumption "Oh they'll just put it on Facebook right now and it will be super easy to find. I don't even know his name but I'll still be able to find it because it will be the first thing I see as soon as I open my Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/etc and it will just magically appear, right there, photos of ME"
For the Photographers: We need to stop being Lone Wolves. We need to work TOGETHER as a PACK. If we are AWARE of each other rather then just sitting in our own little worlds... we can realize that every photographer has their own group of followers. But not everyone who follows one photographer is going to know about the other photographer who just took their photo; and therefore assumes that since couldn't find it the other photographer is Lame and doesn't post any photos.
But if I was there, at the Convention and knew of other photographers who were out shooting... I might be able to point said person "Oh I didn't get any photos of you... but I know RedFox12 was also out taking photos too. Maybe you should check them out? This is their site...." We can start promoting each other.
Most Photographers are Introverts. We hide behind our cameras. We have a hard time starting a conversation and prefer just going back to hiding behind the camera to take more photos.
We are also Artists and therefore Perfectionists. We sometimes have problems letting others see our work because we either don't think it is good enough or get distracted by a new shiny, a new event, and start snapping more photos before going through and posting the ones we like from our last event because we think these new photos will be "better".
Maybe the Photographer DOES post them, but only shares the photos with a select group of people that they know will give them infinite praise... because lets face it, Artists are Ego driven, and Photographers ARE Artists. We thrive on people complimenting us on our work but at the same time fear criticism including our own. The Photographer is always his own worst critic.
Being socially awkward creatures we are, many Photographers don't carry business cards. I'm guilty of this one to the letter. I print a few out then I either forget to hand them out, or I run out and forget to print more.
So in the end, people just assume we don't post any photos because they can't find them. A lot of us do, but they may not be in an obvious place. Plus we look at Thousands upon Thousands of photos - and many of us only have the time to put up the ones we like.
I want to see people able to find their photos. I want to see Conventions have better coverage for Staff Photographers... A convention the size of MFF you'd think it'd be easy to get people who'd be willing to take photos and get a shiny staff badge for it... on the flipside; I'm walking into a department that was hurting for good help. Many many Fandom conventions are in the same situation. Some don't even have a photography department at all.
Its Easy to get a Professional Photographer hired for money. Its Incredibly hard to get the same service for someone as a Volunteer for FREE.
A lot of this is about letting go. Knowing that while credit where credit is due for the photographer is nice, its far more rewarding that people actually see your photos.
So in recap, my BIG resolution for 2016 is this:
-Slowly step down and sunset my duties in the Fandom outside of Photography. This won't happen overnight and I will still be helping with Logistics for events in 2016 but I'll be slowly cutting back in stages. By the end of 2016 I will only offer my volunteer services for Photography regardless of the event or non-profit I am helping with.
-Create events and opportunities that help Photographers learn and network with each other. I've already started this in the latter half of 2015 and even within my pilot test group it has done really well. This includes revivng
photografurs once and for all on FA, running photography panels and meetups at just about every convention I attend, etc. I may not have time to do as much as my grand scheme allows- but that will come in 2017 for sure.
-Focus all of my remaining time into doing Staff Photography. This means I'll be doing a circuit of conventions as a Staff Photographer; something I was trying to do but never had the time to implement fully. Get done with one convention, edit my photos; give them to the Con, move onto and prep myself for the next event. My studio strobes are going to see a lot of use in 2016 and even more in 2017; this is what I bought them for. Why have all this specialized photography gear if it rarely gets used?
For 2016 I'll be a staff photographer at the following conventions: Anime Detour, Mars Con (Sci-Fi) (probably), Furry Migration, Anime Fusion and for the first time: Midwest Furfest. MFF will be the big show for me. That will be my A game; and I haven't been so excited to work that con since my first year as gaming staff. Another con or two might get thrown into that mix for 2017, as well as other events such as the local Zoo's annual Halloween fundraiser.
This is refreshing because I really didn't want to step down from MFF, but I was getting burned out after doing the same thing for 9 years in a passion of mine that is still there, but sunsetting and that is Gaming.
Photography, even doing the Studio stuff brings the action to me. The hours can be long, you are on your feet a lot and constantly moving around to get better angles. My body is sore after every convention and event I'm a staff photographer at. But at this point, its the one thing that still makes me feel that I accomplished something and made someone smile. It's totally worth it.
I'm not a Fursuiter. I can't draw.
I'm a Photographer... and Damn Proud of it. And I want to help instill the same confidence in other Photographers... because it can get quite overwhelming.
In the modern world, cameras are everywhere. Anyone can take a camera, push a button and take a picture. Selfie sticks are the Bane of all existence...
But it takes someone Special to be a Photographer.
2015 started off, early on (in March) with getting cheated out of a potentially long-term job due to, quite honestly Office Bureaucracy while my boss was on Medical leave. I was working for Healthcare IT and they decided to outsource my job to a cheaper "all one solution" bidder without discussing it with my manager, but rather going around him while he was unable to respond due to recovery from surgery.
I did however make it through my first Board Retreat for MNFurs and at the time was still feeling pretty good about my place there.
faelyncypher and I were (and still are ^^) going together and for the first time ever I had a steady relationship on V-Day though we mutually agreed it is nothing more than an overly commercialized holiday; and ignored it except for 1/2 price candy the day after >.>Needless to say, 2015 started off pretty bittersweet. I spent a lot of my time Unemployed doing little road trips across MN, IA and SD. It helped get the edge off, and I finally got access to some funds in a retirement account from my old (and now ironically current) employer that got cleared up which ended up paying for these trips and helping keep me afloat for a few months.
Right as my UI was about to run out; I got an offer from a sub contractor for my old company on a different contract they had in Burnsville doing IT for an Aerospace parts manufacturing facility. It was contract to Perm and I got converted in less then three months, which is where I'm still working now. Unlike the previous job I held with said company, it was a steady-slower pace and I was working as part of a team; so if I called in Sick or took off Vacation the world didn't end and there was someone else able to cover my tickets and work. My work related stress, other then the odd occasional one off stressful day/week (but who doesn't have a few of those) went and remained way down into the start of 2016.
Then in June, I got into my first Major auto accident. My car got totaled. As I was making a left turn on a Yellow turning to Red a car I didn't even see coming had swerved around the car ahead of me slowing to stop at the light in order to make a stop. I was not injured at all - I didn't even get a minor bruise or whiplash for which I am very thankful for. The car, which I only had a year and was brand new when I bought it, took the brunt of the damage as I got nailed by an accelerating (not braking) car in the passenger's side engine compartment.
The car got totaled. Fortunately I had been working a new job for a month when it happened; if I was out of work I would have been screwed. I wouldn't have been able to burn my savings on a downpayment on a new car; and I wouldn't have been able to get a new Bank Loan. Luckily for me, it did NOT happen a month earlier when I was between jobs.
The paperwork and legal stuff was a nightmare. It took a week just to get the car in for an estimate, about a month total before I got the car totaled and cleared so I could get a new vehicle without being stuck with two car loans at once. My insurance company wanted to HANG ME out to dry for 100% of the fault for the accident. The Police Report along with an admission of guilt from the 15 year old driving the other vehicle got it flipped around to a 20% fault on my part; which was a lot more reasonable. I was in the intersection though the other car swerved around another vehicle and ran the red and accelerated rather then braking.
When the Dust settled, the Silver lining is I was able to get a new car, and I had put a ton of miles (35,000) on the car I had totaled; which was more then I ever had (and probably ever will) in a single year. This means the new vehicle won't have as much wear and tear on it when it reaches its first birthday; and I got a slightly larger, more comfortable ride in the process. The downside is I was forced to buy at one of the worst car buying times of the year, when all the old stock had been liquidated and the new stock was just coming in. Most dealerships were short on supply, only had "Next Year" inventory and thus were NOT running any sales or promotions of any kind. I had to pay pretty close to MSRP for my new vehicle rather then being able to get it for 5-7k off....
At the end of summer my boat broke down on a fishing trip in WI. The gear shift box completely wore out, causing me not to be able to shift gears on the outboard regardless of how many times I reassembled the gear box. Since it wouldn't shift into Neutral it wouldn't start. It still hasn't been fixed. I didn't have the finances nor the time to fix it; more then jury rigging the electric motor to give it limited useage during the Fall.
Towards the end of the year, I started becoming more stressed, not due to work, not due to Relationship things (those were both going swimmingly) but due to the fact I was doing well just too many things at once for Volunteering in different areas.
The fishing trip where my boat broke down made me start to realize there was more to life then doing everything I possibly could do for the Furry Fandom. It helped me re-define who I was and realize I had a common shared skill or talent that was useful across many different clubs and non-profits alike, something that was in High need ironically in a world saturated with cameras; and that was my Photography.
I had to take a step back and realize that Photography above ALL other things (Including my dabble with Videography) was what I was good at, what I was known for, and what people looked for and wanted.
In the world of Videography - the Demand and attention is very fickle. It's a Thankless job and has very specific niches, IE getting hired to do a promotional film which is where most of my Videography will henceforth lie.
I got burned out at Midwest Furfest this year running gaming. I found myself stressed but more then that realized I did NOT have the passion for the Gaming department that I once did. My heart, just wasn't in it.
Photography at MFF caught my eye. It was something that I missed doing hardly any of at MFF and each year I became increasingly regretful that I wasn't able to get any good photos from MFF. I was too drained from my gaming staff duties at MFF to take Photos when I was all said and done. I was lucky if I had the energy to go around with a Video camera, which truthfully DOES take less energy then framing and taking photos.
So 2015 in two words: Eye Opener. I had a brush with my own mortality in a situation that could have easily gone another way. My faith in my Photography was restored at the cost of having to admit that I am NOT a Leader of the Furry Fandom. None of what I really am qualified to do or makes me happy any more revolves around running major events, and I don't have the Charisma to lead. Instead, more people look to me for my Photography, and I had been ignoring them; Thinking to myself "Oh I don't get as much attention as such and such".
By that token, it also reminded me a lot of how most photographers are off in their own little world. They don't work together. They don't post their photos or have a good means of advertising themselves and thus people just think they don't post any photos and go on Rants "I had so many people take photos of me at X Con and I didn't see a single one of them! Photographers are lame!". That seemed to be a pretty loud rant from the Fursuiting community towards the end of 2015.
Which brings me into my Resolutions for 2016. There is one really BIG one, so I'll go into that and kinda put aside the more minor ones:
Having put a great amount of thought into this: I see a problem with Photography. It's present in general society, but its RAMPANT in the Furry Fandom. This is not one that I cannot solve by my own but I am one of the best candidates to help lead a charge to change it.
The problem is twofold: both on the Photographer and the Subject. Like many things, a lot of it has to do with communication.
On the Subject: I RARELY get asked by a suiter I took a photo of where I am posting my photos. There is an assumption "Oh they'll just put it on Facebook right now and it will be super easy to find. I don't even know his name but I'll still be able to find it because it will be the first thing I see as soon as I open my Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/etc and it will just magically appear, right there, photos of ME"
For the Photographers: We need to stop being Lone Wolves. We need to work TOGETHER as a PACK. If we are AWARE of each other rather then just sitting in our own little worlds... we can realize that every photographer has their own group of followers. But not everyone who follows one photographer is going to know about the other photographer who just took their photo; and therefore assumes that since couldn't find it the other photographer is Lame and doesn't post any photos.
But if I was there, at the Convention and knew of other photographers who were out shooting... I might be able to point said person "Oh I didn't get any photos of you... but I know RedFox12 was also out taking photos too. Maybe you should check them out? This is their site...." We can start promoting each other.
Most Photographers are Introverts. We hide behind our cameras. We have a hard time starting a conversation and prefer just going back to hiding behind the camera to take more photos.
We are also Artists and therefore Perfectionists. We sometimes have problems letting others see our work because we either don't think it is good enough or get distracted by a new shiny, a new event, and start snapping more photos before going through and posting the ones we like from our last event because we think these new photos will be "better".
Maybe the Photographer DOES post them, but only shares the photos with a select group of people that they know will give them infinite praise... because lets face it, Artists are Ego driven, and Photographers ARE Artists. We thrive on people complimenting us on our work but at the same time fear criticism including our own. The Photographer is always his own worst critic.
Being socially awkward creatures we are, many Photographers don't carry business cards. I'm guilty of this one to the letter. I print a few out then I either forget to hand them out, or I run out and forget to print more.
So in the end, people just assume we don't post any photos because they can't find them. A lot of us do, but they may not be in an obvious place. Plus we look at Thousands upon Thousands of photos - and many of us only have the time to put up the ones we like.
I want to see people able to find their photos. I want to see Conventions have better coverage for Staff Photographers... A convention the size of MFF you'd think it'd be easy to get people who'd be willing to take photos and get a shiny staff badge for it... on the flipside; I'm walking into a department that was hurting for good help. Many many Fandom conventions are in the same situation. Some don't even have a photography department at all.
Its Easy to get a Professional Photographer hired for money. Its Incredibly hard to get the same service for someone as a Volunteer for FREE.
A lot of this is about letting go. Knowing that while credit where credit is due for the photographer is nice, its far more rewarding that people actually see your photos.
So in recap, my BIG resolution for 2016 is this:
-Slowly step down and sunset my duties in the Fandom outside of Photography. This won't happen overnight and I will still be helping with Logistics for events in 2016 but I'll be slowly cutting back in stages. By the end of 2016 I will only offer my volunteer services for Photography regardless of the event or non-profit I am helping with.
-Create events and opportunities that help Photographers learn and network with each other. I've already started this in the latter half of 2015 and even within my pilot test group it has done really well. This includes revivng
photografurs once and for all on FA, running photography panels and meetups at just about every convention I attend, etc. I may not have time to do as much as my grand scheme allows- but that will come in 2017 for sure.-Focus all of my remaining time into doing Staff Photography. This means I'll be doing a circuit of conventions as a Staff Photographer; something I was trying to do but never had the time to implement fully. Get done with one convention, edit my photos; give them to the Con, move onto and prep myself for the next event. My studio strobes are going to see a lot of use in 2016 and even more in 2017; this is what I bought them for. Why have all this specialized photography gear if it rarely gets used?
For 2016 I'll be a staff photographer at the following conventions: Anime Detour, Mars Con (Sci-Fi) (probably), Furry Migration, Anime Fusion and for the first time: Midwest Furfest. MFF will be the big show for me. That will be my A game; and I haven't been so excited to work that con since my first year as gaming staff. Another con or two might get thrown into that mix for 2017, as well as other events such as the local Zoo's annual Halloween fundraiser.
This is refreshing because I really didn't want to step down from MFF, but I was getting burned out after doing the same thing for 9 years in a passion of mine that is still there, but sunsetting and that is Gaming.
Photography, even doing the Studio stuff brings the action to me. The hours can be long, you are on your feet a lot and constantly moving around to get better angles. My body is sore after every convention and event I'm a staff photographer at. But at this point, its the one thing that still makes me feel that I accomplished something and made someone smile. It's totally worth it.
I'm not a Fursuiter. I can't draw.
I'm a Photographer... and Damn Proud of it. And I want to help instill the same confidence in other Photographers... because it can get quite overwhelming.
In the modern world, cameras are everywhere. Anyone can take a camera, push a button and take a picture. Selfie sticks are the Bane of all existence...
But it takes someone Special to be a Photographer.
As a rank amateur photographer and a newborn to the furry community, I read your thoughts on photographers and photography within the fandom with interest. And I was very glad to read this:
Create events and opportunities that help Photographers learn and network with each other... This includes revivng photografurs...
I've been to exactly one con so far and, even though it was a relatively small one, found it difficult to do more than hide behind my camera, as you put it. I'd like to do more and do BETTER. So thanks in advance. I hope to learn much more from you.