It always comes as a surprise to people when I tell them that the photography on my Instagram isn’t really the style of photography I want to pursue. If people interpreted my life the way I conveyed it on my social media, they’d think I lived in a pastel-colored world with bright lights and eternal daytime.
My professional (paid) experience as a photographer has always been a bit darker (as restaurant photography depends largely on the mood of the establishment), and my project ideas are often darker in themes that reflect modern societal issues. My posts are often just fun little exercises where I get to play with fun colors and update my friends about what’s going on in my life.
Still, social media has been time-consuming lately, so I’m taking an intentional hiatus from Instagram. Adjusting back to school hasn’t ben easy for me (Week 0 hit me hard), and my body seems to have forgotten how tiresome commuting is. Battling a cold, I found myself laying in bed on a Week 1 evening, just wondering how I’m going to make it through the quarter.
With my time away from social media, I’m planning to focus on my more serious photography projects, as well as polishing my portfolio in preparation for full-time job applications. I really feel like I’ve made more progress towards discovering a personal brand / identity, and discovering what types of themes I would like to explore more. My creative work is moving in a new direction, and I’m excited to see how these projects grow.
Realistically, I think it’ll be difficult to carve out time for these projects. My two-hour commute to work doesn’t do anyone any favors, and the quarter will only grow tougher as the homework load increases.
