Establishing Shots

Before my website was so rudely hacked and deleted, I’d not actually posted a site update in 11 months! My working situation over those months had changed somewhat and, as a result of that, I hadn’t felt there was much in my world of photography that warranted a post. I had been happily working weekends and very occasional weekdays for a couple of years, and that had provided enough income for me to maintain my car and afford as many drives out as I’d desired to explore photographic locations. About this time last year, however, I was made redundant. My income being decimated, I found myself unable to afford to actively pursue my photography hobby. I do still occasionally work for the same company as a photographer, but it is only very occasionally, so my situation isn’t dire but at the same time my finances haven’t been so buoyant that I could continue as before.

In considering relaunching my site, I wondered whether or not to change the name from “Simon’s Blog of Photography and Other Stuff” to something different, but decided – at least for now – to keep it as is. Though I’m broadening the scope of subjects, nevertheless the content will remain both about photography and then, as the title says, other stuff.

I suppose I’m leaning towards making this site into a life journal again. For the past decade and a half, most of us have been posting our life events on Facebook. I find that I use Facebook less and less frequently. In fact it’s so populated by ads these days, and I’ve blocked so many of those, that I don’t think Facebook displays properly for me at all any more. I barely see friends’ posts on there, just a few groups that I’m a member of, and otherwise the platform seems pretty much dead. But in any case, I don’t like that I can’t format my life story in the way that I choose, on Facebook. I can’t intersperse my posts with images for context as my post progresses. It’s not a journal-friendly environment, except for the fact that almost all my friends are on there. But how you tell a story is key to the story being told at all, and I have little to no control over how it’s done on Facebook. I don’t like it. It doesn’t suit my style at all.

These first posts on my site are establishing shots, in a sense, as I set out my stall. They’re also placeholders so that I can design the appearance of my website going forward – it’s impossible to design a website without some content to work with. You really can’t know how things will be formatted otherwise. I plan to get down to some proper content very soon! So stick with me, please! 🙂