New times, new blog. (Shutter Slacker’s last post)
Yes people. I’ve moved on.
I started learning photography two years ago because i want to have a hobby that’s easy to get started. I began with a couple point-and-shoot cameras, but everything i know about photography i learned from a used Nikon DSLR i bought online. From there, everything went like a whirlwind. I created a weblog and called myself the Shutter Slacker. I got a few recognition from fellow bloggers and even taught basic photography at one point. Having a blog fueled me to shoot more so i can post more and maybe make a name for myself online.
A year later, i had to sell my DSLR because of financial reasons. Since then, posting on my blog became very scarce even if i finally got a new camera. I don’t know, i guess i just got too laxed until i lose the desire to go on. Shutter Slacker is, for me, a huge success, and it’s sad that i let it die a slow cyber death. But i just couldn’t push myself. :’(
Shutter Slacker gave me one of my best blogging experiences. Being able to share my work with people who appreciated it was beyond amazing. But right now, i have to set my priorities straight first, figure out what i really want, and then pick up from there. I’m no longer the Shutter Slacker. She was a serious, DSLR-wielding photographer. I am now just a little snapshooter.
I’m currently working on a new and much simpler photoblog. Only pictures and captions — no long and wordy posts. It’s still under construction but you may want to take a look at it and let me know what you think:
ODEEISAWESOME | SNAPSHOTS
Link: http://odeesnapshots.tumblr.com
Platform: Tumblr
You can also catch me at my personal blog, http://odeeisawesome.wordpress.com
Again, a huge and heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported my craft through the months. And to Christie, Stef, Prima, Joshua, Chester, Ayla, Anna… you guys were the ones who drove me the most to shoot. Thank you! :”>
THANK YOU THANK YOU.
Canon Powershot G12.
It is now my official camera. :))
Canon’s G-series targets enthusiasts who want to move on from normal compacts but can’t quite jump yet to a DSLR. The G12 is its latest model to date, which still continues to gain a steady number of users because of its DSLR-like features without the additional bulk and weight.
From this day onwards, photos that will appear on this blog are all taken by the G12 unless otherwise stated. :))
My DSLR is sold. I miss having a camera. And posting.
I couldn’t remember when it was bought exactly, but yeah, I’m camera-less for more than a month already. And I finally am missing it, which means getting a new one—no, not a DSLR—will be my top priority after I scraped enough money.
Nothing eventful or special has happened to me since the Chinese New Year. I wish I could tell you loads of exciting stories and show lots of amazing photos, but I have none. :( It’s sad when I think about it now, but yesterday I didn’t give a damn. Now I’m realizing the importance of blogging and photography in my life, and I have regrets for letting Shutter Slacker die a cyber death.
I’ll try to resuscitate it. I’ll try to resuscitate me.
First post for 2012! Oh, and I’m selling my DSLR. :)
Thanks to Jay of Pointless Paranoia for the reminder to post an update. ^_^
I would’ve loved to do a Happy New Year post to celebrate 2012, but some things took place in my life during the latter half of 2011 that made me do less of writing and photography. As I’ve said on my personal blog:
It was one heck of a year—2011, I mean—but while it wasn’t the good friend like 2010 was, its parting gift is a lot of very important life lessons I know I will always remember. Circumstances from the previous year taught me a lot about patience, strength, hope, determination, love, perseverance, and strong will. It gave me quiet moments and unforgettable memories. I don’t think I will ever forget 2011.
Picture-less ranting.
This is weird. I just learned today that one blogger’s photoblog is missing in my Blogroll when I’m so sure that I have her on my list ages ago. Her name also disappeared in my Subscribers list. Just as I was about to add her to my Blogroll again, I headed over her blog and saw that mine isn’t in her Blogroll anymore, too! How did that happen??
I treasure this blogger ‘cause she’s one of the first subscribers of Shutter Slacker when it started last January. She also takes amazing pictures as a photography hobbyist. I wonder what went wrong? :(
Sad.
This is a piece of cake.
Piece of cake indeed!
I can’t put my finger on it, but there really is a different effect when you convert a photo to black and white. Is it the mystery? Elegance? Drama? I may never know, nor will I mind if I don’t. :)
By the way, my Nikkor 18-55mm non-VR kitlens is already dead… I had it on my D40 when my bag accidentally slammed on a brick wall. The mount got broken so it is now impossible to screw it on to any DSLR. I’m still thankful though, ‘cause it’s the kitlens’ mount that got damaged and not the D40’s. Hence, starting today, I’ll be using my nifty-fifty (Nikkor 50mm prime) 24-7.
Thanks to Starbucks’ Oreo Cheesecake for being a gracious subject for this photo! :D
I don’t shoot; I run.
ALTERNATIVE TITLE: Shutter Slacker after the hibernation.
RUNNING. It’s my newest activity.
I only had 9 posts since my announcement of hibernation from photoblogging last May (read it HERE), and most of my photo entries were not even taken by a real camera. Sadly, I’m still not getting my drive back even after the 3-day Coron vacay-slash-photoshoot (here, here, and here).
How’s my photography? What have I been doing in the past couple of months? (more…)
Shutter Slacker is hibernating.
Today’s news from WordPress.com has the title Now More Than Ever: Just Write, which is an irony to my announcement of hibernation. But that’s the way it is. I’ll be taking some days off from Shutter Slacker, with maybe only one or two new posts a week.
(Maybe you’re thinking i don’t owe you guys one, but please let me rant still, just so i can get this thing out of my system. Thanks!)
I wasn’t able to shoot these past several days, hence no new contents were posted on schedule. I simply don’t feel like shooting, that’s all. Sometimes, even if you enjoy something, there are days when you don’t feel like doing it. Have you ever experienced that?
Anyway, after not being able to publish anything new, i felt miserable. Readership stats went down, comments stopped coming. I looked at my Archives and saw that this month had the lowest turnover of posts since February—only nine—and it made me ask myself, did i already lost my drive for photography?
Earlier today, i was reading Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami, and i came upon a paragraph that speaks in parallel to my situation:
Trying to avoid fingering mistakes or letting my fingers get all tangled up—all just to impress other people. It wasn’t until i gave up the idea of becoming a pianist that i finally understood how enjoyable playing the piano can be. And how wonderful music really is. It was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders, a weight i never realized i was lugging around until i got rid of it.
After reading that, i knew immediately that it’s exactly what my photography have become.
Shutter Slacker began as a humble little photo blog aimed at simply sharing my shots to whoever’s gonna notice. Soon, my shots were bringing in the numbers, and visitors were saying how good they are. It made me wanna shoot more and post more, and i didn’t quite realize that i am now trying to impress others instead of simply expressing myself.
Soon, shooting and posting became like work. I created a pressure that should never have existed. I pushed myself to post almost daily just so i can read people’s favorable comments on my latest photos—all just to impress other people. I ceased being a Shutter Slacker.
Maybe it’s only until i’ll give up the idea of becoming a web-famous photographer will i finally truly enjoy photography…
And so, the hibernation is to redeem myself before i become a total airhead. My personal blog, Odee:Blah!, is currently taking half of my time, and it’s where i’m gonna spend my hibernation days. Over there, i am not a photographer. And it’s cool to be not a photographer once in a while.
Here are some of my boring shots to match the mood. I took it earlier at St. Luke’s hospital.
Now it’s your turn to answer my self-talk. :)
How often should i post new content on this blog?
If you’ve been a good and loyal reader, you know that Shutter Slacker is updated almost daily. Recently, however, i’ve been worried about this regular but seemingly quick frequency in posting.
(It’s not because i’m having difficulty coming up with new content; heck, i’ve never enjoyed shooting and blogging like this before! And i’m only too happy to oblige publishing something new everyday. There, just so you know.)
My main concern is that older posts don’t get long enough exposure because of the very short interval between yesterday’s and today’s post. As much as i want to bring you all my latest photographic randomness, i’m thinking of maybe slowing down a bit and give a new post time to warm its butt off before being replaced by a new one.
That being said, is updating only on specific days sound like a good idea? Like, maybe Tuesday Thursday and Saturday? Or more/less frequent than that?
Please tell me your thoughts. Your readership keeps this blog alive, so when it comes to this type of decision-making, you’re the boss. :)
Love, Odee. :)
A moment of silence.
You probably knew by now the dreadful calamity that struck Japan.
At around 7:35 AM EST today, death toll reached 60 after an 8.9 magnitude earthquake followed by a series of aftershocks and a 10-meter-high tsunami in Japan’s eastern coast, while 56 others are still missing.
I saw CNN’s live coverage earlier of how the tsunami swept across Japan’s fields, carrying with it the bulk of a thousand boats, ruined properties, and dead bodies. The word “horrible” won’t even give the scene justice.
This is the strongest earthquake i have ever heard happen in my entire existence. I felt no drive to photograph beautiful things. I couldn’t bring myself to appreciate anything for a moment. The shock had my passion and my dreams immobilized.
Today, i am dedicating this bit of space in my blog to extend my deepest condolences to the thousands of properties ruined and lives destroyed.
Today, i weep for the sorrow of millions who were struck by untimely loss.
Today, i lift my glass to future hope—because i know Japan will heal, and Japan will rise again.
It’s the Land of the Rising Sun.
*****
A photographic silence–no new posts–will be imposed for the next 24 hours as this blog joins Japan in its weeping. #
Here i am again… discouraged.
I officially started photography last April 2010. I’ve seen photos of those who started at around the same time, or even later than i did, but their photos today already look as if they’ve been on business for years. And mine isn’t like that.
Now i’m thinking if i really have what it takes to pursue this hobby.
Found a paragraph off Shutter Sisters, in their “Our Philosophy” page. I wish i could really have this etched in my brain to ease my worries on not being “good enough”.
Right now, i’m in the dark.
Yes, i changed this blog’s URL. Again.
First, it’s I Click For Fun.
Then it became Odee Travels and Shots.
During the weekend i changed it to My Journey In Photos.
Now it’s Shutter Slacker. Who knows what crap i might come up next?
I’m sorry if i keep changing my blog URL… i dunno why i won’t be contented. But hey, i find this new one a li’l kick ass, if you know what i mean.
So, why Shutter Slacker? Does that mean i’m too lazy to take a picture? Nah. On the contrary, i looooove taking pictures! I just chose the name Shutter Slacker (and hopefully this one sticks throughout the year) because i shoot what i want to, when i want to. That’s pretty much the whole point of being a slacker—you do the things you want in your own pace and leisure. This is just another term i’ve “invented” to mean that my photography is more personal than professional.
The theme of the blog remains: diary (everyday stuff), travel, photo journal. I just changed the title and URL, no big deal, eh?
Keep on shooting, slackers! :D
For this book i’ve never read before…
(The photo above was taken by Flickr member Cindy. Check out her Flickr profile at http://www.flickr.com/people/71443419@N00/)
Expressive Photography: The Shutter Sisters’ Guide to Shooting from the Heart.
Before i knew about this book, i didn’t know who The Shutter Sisters were. Turned out that their blog, shuttersisters.com, have been inspiring modern photographers for quite some time now. Whether it is their intention or not, they redefined the definition of photography for many of their followers.
Here’s what Jen Lemen, co-author, has to say on the subject:
What happens when you choose once and for all to put what matters to you in the viewfinder, regardless of who approves or understands?
What happens when you claim your craft, your art, your expertise, and stop asking anyone more established or proficient or experienced to say it’s good enough?
What happens when you throw away the rule book and all the measuring sticks and just say what you were afraid to say all along?
“I am a photographer. Here is my work. Learn from it. Let it speak to you.”
From these questions, you could easily recognize that the book is more on the emotional, rather than being one of those technical how-to photography books. It’s daring you to get personal with your photography. Forget about what others will say, stop seeking for approval from those who you think does it better, walk away from the technicalities and start doing it the way you want to do it, the way that makes you happy.
