On Being a Photographer

 I made the decision last week to include some of my photography in my Etsy shop. I was hesitant to do so, simply because I thought it would give my shop a less cohesive look; it seemed odd to add photographs to a shop that specializes in book and paper arts. However, I came to the conclusion that the shop is not just about the products I'm making to sell, it's about me as an artist. If that makes my shop seem scattered and unfocused, it's because my career as an artist has been such, and I embrace and celebrate that. It's not that I don't stick to my projects, it's that I'm always wanting to expand my skills and knowledge and I find learning about new techniques and tools really sparks my creativity. Every time I take a workshop or class, my work moves forward in a new direction and I grow as an artist. In short, my work is eclectic and mixed media.

As for the photography, I feel it's a really big part of my body of work that almost no one gets to see because I don't put it out there. I've been a photographer for over 15 years now (how the time has flown!), have a Bachelor's degree in the subject, and it's something I still really love doing, even if doing my serious work is generally relegated to vacation time. Traveling to new places is inspiring and I'm always sure to dust off the camera and shoot like it's going out of style when I'm on the road, but rarely do I do so at home. Perhaps posting my prints on Etsy will encourage me to bust out the camera (the real camera, not just the one on my iphone) and shoot close to home instead of waiting to travel to do so.

I think one reason I haven't shown my photographs to very many people or made any attempt to show my
photographic work in a gallery is because it seems everyone thinks they're a photographer now. With the

advent of digital cameras and smart phones putting cameras at every person's fingertips, the role of the professional photographer has been diminished. It's great that we all have the means to document the world around us but I don't think that should discount the fact that some people have a natural eye for framing a shot or picking out an interesting scene. In any case, it's not stopping me from shooting and now, here I am, putting it out there.