Back to Reality :: PYKtures Point of View

Now my Montreal summer has ended and I had time to think during my trip to Cancun about the way I’m going to tackle photography for my next college semester.

I believe I was too involved into that photography community thing. Last fall I was hyped in creating something amazing with the friends I made through photography. We were doing large-scale photo-outings and it was fun. I even started to seek for more people in my entourage and on the net to get them to join our little small and “supposedly” strong community. Then some went on pursuing studies, jobs and careers in the business as other were still keeping it as a hobby: reality was here to remind us to keep moving in our lives. As some learned more about others, groups were formed while some started to move on. As a result, interesting photo-outings would be more and more difficult to organize. Then, I stopped speaking to many of the people I met in the beginnings of that community. I have to admit that I still have some issue with some photographers as we speak today. Bottom line, my over-enthusiasm killed my desire to commute.

I met so much new faces through photography: people from all-round town and all-round the world. There are friends I would actually like to hang out with once I get to their faraway homes and others living in my neighborhood that have become some of my closest friends. Through the outings and conversations, I wasn’t prepared for what I would discover about some people once I learned more about them. It’s a risky business. As we are all different, we don’t walk the same path. As such, it is difficult to digest the sight of someone you consider a friend make terrible mistakes that you tried your best to point out countless times prior to the mistake; or to witness multiple behavior changes that you dislike. Sometimes, friendship isn’t enough to keep the boat afloat because friends (not contacts nor family members) aren’t people I am not forced to live with as I usually try to surround myself with the best ones I can make to hang out with for the little free time and I can find. Yes, the opposite can be true, I might have offended some people too. I’m truly sorry for my offenses. If you turn your back on me, it may be a sign that we weren’t made to understand each other.

Honestly, I feel that deep inside me, there is a lust for impression that drives me to shoot hundreds of pictures. By diving deep into that photography passion, I alienated myself from those I considered my best friends before I went crazy about the art. Thus, I really need to get back with some if they still remember me.

I can tell you this, be careful of the ones you choose to be your friends because some of the people you meet will suck you dry of forgiveness and drive you down the road of madness. I was over-enthused about photography, I’ve met many people through it, some sucked me dry of forgiveness and some drove me down the road of near madness. As a result, my desire to build a photography community has now come to a halt.

I’d also like to address the critics and watchers that follow my work.

Please know that every shot I took was taken out of pure passion. I do not aim for perfection nor shoot to sell. I shoot to relax and to be amazed at beauty during my free time. I don't shoot to improve. I show you my pictures because I like to share my amazement not because I want to win a contest or gain visibility. I believe out of all doubt that I’ve gotten to a level that I’m satisfied and don’t need to stress myself to improve further in order to compete with the REAL professionals (the ones that actually make a living out of this art NOT the ones doing it part time or the ones with pictures worst than mine charging pennies for shoots). I don’t mind people commenting on my shots; I’ll just delete the unwanted critiques that pollute the shots I post without asking for critiques, so don’t waste your time. The opposite is also true, I shall not critique any work nor help the photographer get better unless demanded.

I wish this to be as clear as water. I am not for hire.

Now that I’m fully dedicated to my college life, please know that any photography activities I plan to do might be cancelled due to school work, rendering me unfit to carry on a photography business based on a high cancellation probability.

The deviantART submissions, facebook photos and flickr uploads will continue as such as the PYKtures blog.

Anyhow, this is the way I plan to live my photography life for the next semester. I believe this is the sane way for me to move on from my madness.