People, this is supposed to be fun. Thanks to the assistance of many others, and the sprinkling in of good fortune, I can live a life that, by some measures, might be considered perversely enjoyable. I don’t know. But I know that I’m keen on blogging, which means I might also be keen on vlogging.
Many years ago I was exposed to the visual diary of photojournalist Tim Hetherington. Tim had an exhibition at Aperture Foundation in New York. I visited the show and was impressed by the work but was even more intrigued by a short “diary” style film they were showing in a small room just off from the main exhibition. Although semi-crude with almost no production value, the film was honest and simple and consequently impactful. I’ve never forgotten that short film. (He also went on do to Restrepo if you haven’t seen it. It’s full on and worth your time.)
I need to get better at filmmaking. One way to do this is to shoot a helluva lot more than I am currently, so this visual diary serves many purposes. Please don’t confuse this series with anything meant to be poignant in the terms of today. What this series will show is more of who I am in real life. Having said that, prepare yourself for childish behavior, temper tantrums, and off-color humor which is the only redeeming feature of my existence.
Comments 12
Oh man this is going to be great! I can tell already.
Taking pictures of the wife is not for the faint of heart…if I take one hundred photos of my wife she might like one…maybe!
Author
It’s like banging my head against the wall.
Go back to the source….Mondo Cane, 1962….
https://youtu.be/Sd5MU-HpOAg
Author
Good God. And just when I was feeling good about the world.
No plan necessary!
Author
Yes!
Milnor what is this devilry? How did you do a drop-cap on your blog?
Author
It’s a toggle. Easy as pie.
Hey! I´ve got pictures of your wife! And they are awesome! And this vlogging thing made me want to do the same. Maybe. However nowdays that would look like an old scrathed vinyl going over and over…
Author
Who doesn’t love vinyl!
For what it’s worth, you may be embarking on something more than you are bargaining for: video showing is possibly even more demanding than you may think. At a guess, and based on nothing more scientific my own appetites regarding these things, if a site fails to deliver at least one new video a week, then it faces the danger of sliding ever further down a reader or viewershio rating, running the risk of slipping into oblivion. There’s no point in stirring public interest and then failing to engage fully with the supply of a constant stream of stimulation: if you create an itch, the public, if it’s anything like me, needs to be able to scratch.
I love cars, especially those I can’t afford, and there are one or two online shows that provide at least two or three changes of programme per week. The frequency of new stuff provides something to watch regularly during times such as lunch, or other times of the day when life isn’t more demanding in personal terms. In other words, it’s nice to have the feeling that you can make a date to get some kind of personal online fix on a reliable basis.
There are other photographic sites that I sometimes visit, that just put out videos on a kinda here’s one now; maybe another in three weeks or a month’s time system. These become forgotten pdq.
As far as I can tell, if you want to put out regular videos of quality, it’s pretty much got to be a career doing just that.
Personally, I enjoy your somewhat eclectic output, particularly the videos where you speak about your photographic career, but my memories of cycling all remind me that the best part was when I got onto four wheels with an engine. My upstairs neighbour is a bike freak: he’s won quite a lot of championships for cycling, and whenever he comes out here to his holiday home, I hear the bloody shoes above my head before he leaves in the morning for his rides across the island. I was quite surprised one day, to see that when he came home and removed his helmet, it literally poured out about a cupful of water! Good grief, that can’t be healthy.
Out of interest: those videos that you do from your office: why do you choose such short lenses, and great DOF? It’s not as if you’re darting around all over the place; it drives me crazy every time, counting the framed pictures on the walls. It distracts me a lot; I’d rather be able to concentrate on what you are saying. A nice, blurry background would do no harm at all. But as you sometimes say, it’s your site to do with as you like… 😉 But please, don’t become a gear review site!
Author
Rob, I’m in no danger of ever doing anything that fits what I’m supposed to do. There is no plan to release anything at specific times or at specific rates. That is why so many YT types have mental health issues. If you play to those chords you are doomed. And I have no interest in doing that. Making films is maybe 5% of my time, so these are just sideshows that I squeeze between actual work. My career is full time Blurb, which it has been for 13 years and that is the only thing that matters. At some point in my life, down the road, maybe I will have more time to put toward filmmaking but with fishing, riding, hiking, climbing, paddling and general exploration, I’m not sure filmmaking can compete.