Welcome

We live in a world that is changing at a faster pace than we can keep up with. Almost everyone has a capable digital camera in their back pocket, social media use is at an all-time high and new digital technologies such as machine learning and AI are allowing users to consume content that is tailored to their specific interests - cat videos, memes and all.

Where am I going with this? I guess I’m trying to stress that there is a ridiculous amount of content out there, all fighting for your precious and dwindling attention span. The thing is, if you don’t even try to push above all the noise, you’ll be quickly drowned out by it. Now I’m a pretty terrible swimmer but I’m not bad at floating on my back, and although it’s not glamorous it’s definitely preferable than drowning. But I digress.

Let’s rewind a year or two.

I cut my teeth as the online editor and social media manager of a large action sports magazine. The role I had was very much a digital one from the start. To succeed in my job I had to master multiple aspects of content creation - a multi-media assassin of sorts. When I wasn’t typing up a longform interview, I would be up a mountain shooting a snowboard event, researching SEO keywords, or editing a video - all while constantly posting about it on Facebook and Instagram (of course).

After I left that job and moved onto a far more serious office job I discovered that I still needed an outlet for my photography. I started an Instagram account for my landscape and drone shots in November 2017 and one year later I have an almost 30,000 strong audience. It’s been a huge motivator to get out there and shoot. I’ve now arrived at the point where I want to start taking things a little more seriously. But being a one-trick pony probably won’t cut it. Instagram is all well and good until Zuck decides to cut everyone’s reach in half and make us all beg (read:pay) to get it back. We’re already seeing it happen, and I for one am not willing to pay for reach that I can get for free elsewhere.

To be successful as a content creator in 2018 you can’t afford to put all of your eggs in one basket. This is where my website comes in. I want this to be a place where I can share my best shots as well as some snaps that don’t make the cut for whatever reason. I also want to provide more in-depth content than a single image and caption - photography tips, location guides, editing tutorials, gear reviews - it’s all in the pipeline.

Working full time as an IT consultant, having to learn the ridiculously taxing German language, and keeping my engagement up on Instagram doesn’t leave a huge amount of free time for blogging, but I’m sure as hell going to give it my best shot. If you’ve made it this far I guess I’m not totally blowing it, so go have a beer on me.

That’s it for now, you can pick up your phone and refresh your Insta again now :)