I follow quite a few blogs, mostly photographic ones, but a few others as well.

One photography blog that I’d really recommend is Zack Aria’s blog. Zack is a great photographer, and he runs some very cool workshops, but he’s a really good thinker as well. He’s deep, sincere and very inspirational.

Zack caused quite [...]]]>

I follow quite a few blogs, mostly photographic ones, but a few others as well.

One photography blog that I’d really recommend is Zack Aria’s blog. Zack is a great photographer, and he runs some very cool workshops, but he’s a really good thinker as well. He’s deep, sincere and very inspirational.

Zack caused quite a stir a few months back with a guest post he made on Scott Kelby’s blog. Instead of the usual “I am an expert” type post, Zack posted a really dark, thoughtful video, called Transform (see above). It’s a bit heavy going, and asked deep hard questions. But many people also found it highly inspirational.

And that wasn’t all. The story continued. Weeks later, a guy, called B, emailed Zack’s about his experience with the Transform video and being a photographer. He had the guts to tell it like it was, in his case, he found it hard to keep it going and be inspired to be a photographer. It was all just too hard. I think he imagined himself alone with those thoughts. Zack turned this email into a very thoughtful follow up post.

As it turned out, B was anything but alone. The comments on that post went on for ages, and a really fine dialogue was happening. People were speaking of their own fears and inspiring themselves to overcome them. It was heady stuff.

To top it all off, Zack had a visit by a door to door saleman the next day. That guy was so cool, and really knew what he had to do to succeed. Zack was quick enought to realise this, and he videoed the guy for his blog. The words of wisdom that guy spoke were there for all to see.

The whole series of posts, videos, comments and reactions make up quite a story. You should check it out. But be warned – it’s quite a journey. It’ll take at least an hour if you want to give yourself time to read a decent amount of the comments the posts generated.

But yeah, check out Zack Arias. His blog, his folio, his studio, his workshops. Very cool.

Magnolia Road, by Tyler E Nixon, of Wink Photoblog.

I haven’t been keeping much of an eye on the photoblog world lately, as I’ve been focussed on other things, but I came across this site today, and I recognised it immediately. Ahh, I thought, I remember this site. Bookmark it this time, so it doesn’t get [...]]]>

Magnolia Road, by Tyler E Nixon, of Wink Photoblog.

I haven’t been keeping much of an eye on the photoblog world lately, as I’ve been focussed on other things, but I came across this site today, and I recognised it immediately. Ahh, I thought, I remember this site. Bookmark it this time, so it doesn’t get away! I spent some time looking through the archives and I have to say I’m so impressed by the work there.

Now I look at his about page, and it seems Tyler, the perons in question, is no stranger to acclaim. Take this for example: Awarded “Photoblog of the Year” at the 2007 Photoblog Awards. OK, how on earth have I neglected this site before now? As I said, I obviously haven’t been paying attention to the blogosphere lately.

In any case, if you are as wayward and unobservant as I have been lately, check out wink. Tyler, I take my hat off to you mate. Some of your stuff I would put into the category of ‘sublime’. It’s my kind of work. It’s always good to find some inspiration, and I know wink will be a source of inspiration to me for some time.

What’s most interesting to me about Chromasia, apart from the fabulous photography, is how it has developed. I first ran across the site several years [...]]]> Chromasia is the website of a Blackpool, U.K based photographer by the name of David Nightingale. Really, if you don’t know this man and his work, go and check it out.

What’s most interesting to me about Chromasia, apart from the fabulous photography, is how it has developed. I first ran across the site several years back, in the first year of his blog back in 2003. I quickly became a regular visitor and watched with fascination as David’s photography seemed to improve visibly from post to post. At that point in my life I was also becoming more interested in photography again, and thinking about returning to school for more training. Chromasia inspired me in a big way.

David was a lecturer in Higher Education (lecturing in psychology at the University of Bolton), and photography was just a hobby. He had just bought a new camera (an EOS 20D) when I found his site, and I often wondered how he found time for photography considering his work load and the fact he already had three children at that point.

The man is obviously a bundle of energy, apart from being very gifted. Looking at chromasia today, less than 4 years later, it’s astounding to see how much he has achieved in such a short time. Apart from the fact he has added 3(?) more children to his family, you only have to have a good look round on the site to see what’s happened on a professional level. It was clear there was a lot of attention being paid to his site just by looking at how many comments he was getting, and I once worked out that even if only 1% of his visitors purchased a print, he was beginning to make some good money. Obviously it was going very well, because suddenly he quit his job, and started chromasia as a limited company, with his wife Libby doing the admin and David concentrating on what he does best. These days he has started with both online and private tutorials, as well as weekend tutorials in Blackpool and his site lists an impressive range of private commissions.

His journey is an inspiration to many photographers the world round no doubt, but it is clear that talent and energy are two things David has in abundance.

I could have unspoken aspirations to achieve as he has, but I certainly need to work on the energy side. The talent I can’t really do anything about, and it’s up to others beside myself to judge that area anyway, but I hold no real illusions of emulating his feats. I admire them greatly however, and can only use his journey as an inspiration to my own. Go David!

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