I've been at a turning point with my photography for a while now. I think for the longest time I accidentally had this odd exclusivity with Hive. I think some of this came with running a very large community on the blockchain and having to put in a bit more effort than I do now given the previous obligations that were had. It's interesting to me how I see so many others falling into this trap over time, the assumption that Hive has to become a full-time job that is taken seriously despite the incredibly long hours that one has to put in, with little to no reward for it all. This is intentionally a bit vague, but that's how it ends up being for most that get a moderately large community with some backing. Curate, post, and read through a ton of other people's posts to curate some more. It was a lot of time which had me spending most of my days opening and closing Discord and Hive front-ends. When I regained some freedom, I came to Hive with a realisation that I had essentially been tying my legs together and trying to run. I take so many photographs every day, yet all of it was just posted to Hive. I never tried to find clients, I never tried to look elsewhere that could have potential in growing my income, as well as improving my own health and lifestyle.
For a few months now I have been taking to various stock agencies to upload my photography and videography. As well as taking on the odd client job for photography work in person. I want to continue doing both of these, and it's something that's really on my mind each day. I've had a few sales here and there, nothing major, but I'm quite early on in establishing some portfolios. It takes a bit of time to upload all the clips, apply metadata, and then wait. But it's a lot of fun to have that motivation to get out and explore more, to find new things to capture.
For example, I never thought I'd find capturing editorial content so fun. That is to participate in the chaos of the world in some capacities. Running through protests and integrating myself into the crowds, connecting with strangers in ways I otherwise wouldn't. Or to roam cities and environments within various weather environments and capturing them. This was a style of photography that was generally quite new to me, I hadn't really done it before as most of my photography was to be taken through general activities throughout the day, never really anything planned. To some degree that ideology remains, I still just roam through the streets with the camera and never really plan it, but I find the subjects I point the camera at have changed quite drastically. I never used to photograph people, for example, and now I find I almost daily do it. And it's something I find quite fun now, especially when I notice the atmosphere within them, the way it connects with the environment and tells a story. Coincidentally my main selling photograph on Shutterstock is a photograph I've uploaded here on Hive, one that details a woman walking through heavy rain in Yerevan. I never would've taken such an image a few years ago, yet I find a connection with them now.
It interests me to get caught up in the stories of people, and the events that unfold throughout their lives. I am someone that believes that politics are a stain on society and don't consider any side to be good, nor would I support any side. Yet when it comes to protests I freely roam through them and interact with the people within. Often enough they're kind, smiling, happy to share their opinions, and I'm happy to hear them. It's really fun to find things to shoot in the moment, to roam through an environment and search for subject, a moment that stands out. I love that run and gun style.
I think one day I'd like to really pursue photograph in a different way. The documentary style really speaks to me, to roam throughout the Earth as I currently am and finding stories to capture and tell in various ways, mixed with the beauty of the natural world that surrounds. Over the past year I have been slowly accumulating a bit more gear, bringing things together again and preparing. The drone is the favourite thing of mine at the moment, I just always want to pull that thing out and explore as it flies over the various locations I find myself in, and I daydream of entering the dense forestry of Georgia, especially when the weather changes and the autumn leaves begin to appear. To capture the atmosphere of dense fog and snow in the trees. All that beauty and ambience to use to tell stories and capture the beauty of the world. It's all really speaking to me, to the point in which the documentaries I watch are shot in a similar fashion, as if I am just doing research rather than watching for the entertainment factor. I find I'm always looking at the places I'm in and imagining how I'd capture them, looking around and seeing elements of potential storytelling. I think it's interesting how a space can influence someone so much.
But I still need a few more things to add to the gear before I can really run around. I'm in need of a new camera, something that can offer a bit more quality and in-body stabilisation. Something that can shoot 4k and offer a wider range of frames per second. Currently I'm limited to the 30 frames per second world, and I'm always looking at how certain moments would look better off shot on 120 frames per second, then slowed down in post.
I think in general I might be looking at the world beyond photography, looking at it again as a filmmaker. Mixing the best of both. I think the future is going to be really fun, as I start to accumulate footage and find uses for it all.
