The challenge of providing content worth viewing.
I’ve become really enamoured with quality vlogs over the past two years. It started as a way to learn. I was really motivated to hone my craft as a photographer and film maker and so I turned to YouTube.
Having a growing family means less time to sit in my favourite chair and get lost in a 500 page book about the fine art of exposure technique. As much as I’d like to do that, the opportunity to do so rarely presents itself. So, sneaking in a ten minute episode from one of the ever growing list of popular photography vloggers is just more practical.
As I began to consume a wider variety of vlogs I found myself becoming more and more inspired to make personal films myself (that’s my posh name for vlogs...).
Again, time is the issue here. In order to improve my craft I was watching others out in the field improving their craft. It seemed logical that I could improve my craft more effectively by practicing more. As a chronic procrastinator, I find deadlines and quotas somewhat helpful and motivating, so committing to a weekly vlog requires me to manage my time effectively enough so I can produce authentic and meaningful films.
One of the great benefits of this is that I am more organised in planning family trips. If I can have my creative outlet while also being a present father and husband then I avoid neglecting my family for my love of photography and film making.
So, at the risk of completely embarrassing myself (I am still quite uncomfortable in-front of the lens) I have launched a channel. I want to focus on balancing my creative life with my family and work commitments but also share my favourite photography and film subjects. This means a lot of outdoor adventures, particularly surfing and the exploration of this wonderful country. I’ll try to keep things focused on the purpose; to provide meaningful narratives regarding my photography journey and how I manage my time as a busy father with a full time day job.
Please feel free to like and subscribe. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed making the first few episodes (today is vlog 4) Next week’s episode involves me managing the garden and heading out for a surf at Piha.
Thanks for your precious time and enjoy!