Adventure: First Shoot

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I got out. My first shoot on my new project. The project I don’t want to tell you about just yet. It’s a long term thing and talking about it now, until I have my plan in place, really isn’t that useful, so for now I wait. I explained recently that my goal is to shift to a subscriber service for my films while also starting a paid newsletter on this site. A lot of what I do will remain free but I need to test these other models instead of telling other people to do the same. I’ve seen this methods work really well for people who both have a plan and who make good work. I need to know, so I need to test.

At this point, I know the general theme of the project, but what exactly I make in the field, and what I make after, are still rather fluid.

I do know the trim size and materials for the book, but that book is years away. My schedule exploded over the past few weeks. Not just for Blurb but also for me personally, and it could get worse. This project is based here in New Mexico, which was a key element of why I chose this project, but due to this reality, there will be three and four month periods when I won’t be here to access the story. I don’t really have a choice in this matter, so I will work around best as possible.

What I can tell you is it feels great to be in the field. Even after all these years, there is a palpable tension, pressure, and joy involved. I know I’m on a clock and I have to perform. I was with other people on this first shoot, which is never the best plan for making progress, but sharing the experience with others who also want to explore is worth any sacrifice. My goal is to complete a dozen or so shoots then formulate the look and feel of how I want to present what I’m doing. The goal being YOU following along. I want to share not just the work but the how and why and I am doing this. If I pull this off, this project will shine a light on the entire long-term project lifestyle and will also force me to be on top of my game creatively. And as I mentioned above, it will also help me learn new tools that could come in handy for countless others.

I won’t be sharing the main work from the project until I get much further along. I feel in sharing the end product as I do has a way of watering down the impact of the work itself. So, I will share a range of other things that help pinpoint how the story is progressing. This will never be my main focus. I just won’t have that kind of time, so I need to remind you that is will always be a sideshow, but I do think it will be an important sideshow for those wanting to know how this work is done. If I didn’t have to work I’d be producing this work full time.

Comments 7

  1. Hi Dan, may the creative force be with you! Let me know the subscription details asap, looking forward to it.

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  2. I’ll be subscribing. I’ve got to get rid of some other subscriptions first. I wonder how much gas is left in the newsletter/subscription model. Seems like 1000 new Substacks start daily. I’m sure just as many of them go inactive fairly quickly. I’ve been blogging off and on for years. Not as long as you, but a long time. I had some aspirations of a late career switch to photojournalism + writing. I don’t think I have it in me, though. Sorry, just rambling. Looking forward to the project.

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  3. I’m anxious to watch the pieces you share and to learn how, or if, you’re able to finish the project around all of your other stuff. Hope it’s a success.

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