Friends are helpful. Any number of studies will tell you that having friends has beneficial effects, like delaying the onset of dementia. But even better is a community.
In the context of art and photography, a community helps
- push you
- question you
- celebrate you
- amplify you
I met up with my friend Andrew this week on a visit to Maine, and we spent a few hours shooting the shit and talking about life and art. More than a critique, we talked about the life experiences leading us to our creative output. We shared influences, crazy ideas, and hopes.
In Michigan, I have a photographic community, but I don’t interact with it as often as I’d like. The Internet offers more options, like this blog, but it can’t really replace in-person debates and time spent together (in my opinion).
My hope for the rest of 2021 is to engage that community more often, and more authentically.