I've been quietly waiting for someone to give me the assignment: "Photograph the places you’ve already forgotten."
Old neighborhoods, abandoned corners of my hometown, places I once passed every day but never really saw. I’ve always thought someone else would prompt me to go back and document them as if I needed permission. But I’m realizing I could just start. Quiet streets, faded paint, all the small ghosts of memory. A personal archive of the overlooked.
Love this and needed this (gentle yet loud) reminder!!! My project is interviewing the elders around me and documenting photos, recipes, and anything else they're willing to share from their personal archive. I've been wanting to start this for a long time but getting out of my head has been hard. Thank you for the push.
Less of something that I was waiting for someone to give me permission and more just doing the dang thing that I said I wanted to do. That thing is I started a film photography club and I’m planning our first photo walk to happen by the end of the month. I’m super excited.
One of my longest (and silliest) dream photo projects is making photographs on and around Maine’s smallest mountains. I found a list of all of the mountains in Maine and I was fascinated by the ones at the bottom of the list. Bigger than a hill but barely a mountain. I’ve been waiting for “permission” to do this project because I would literally need permission to access most of them because many don’t have public access or trails and I would need to be on private property to visit them.
that's such a fun and funny concept. And hard to shoot! I like this idea A LOT. I bet most folks would be happy to give your permission if approached in the right way.
Reading your post feels like confirmation that I’m heading in the right direction. I took an unexpected break from photography for a few months. During this break, I realized that I love to tell stories and that I really enjoy when my shots feel like they came out of a movie. I gave myself some prompts to follow for the next 4 weeks to help develop my style and to build momentum just like you mentioned. After I’ve completed my prompts, I am planning on using songs as my reference. I want to create photos that are inspired by their messages.
I’ve shot portraits of people, and I really enjoy it, but there’s something so special about bringing this vision to life. Thank you for the opportunity to share 🌸
Hi Wesley and cheers from Poland! My project doesn't have a title, but work has started. I'm photographing people doing all sort of sports in the city landscape. It's keeping me busy and with a purpose when I travel for work and have some time on my hands. I love to do sports myself so I'm always looking for busy-sporty areas to photograph. I see it in a zine once I have 20+ pictures taken in different places that I'm happy with :)
I meant to make a comment on the post before this one because the question was just so got and so was the potential Moment gift card! I hadn't because it just felt too big to sit down and write it out. I'm both detail oriented and see farther out, the bigger picture and don't mind when I don't see something and can listen to someone else's perspective. For years, very many years, voice has been key to me, music is my glue that keeps me together and where life makes the most sense. I only recently figured this out, like much of my life. I've been a suburban regen. gardener, rewilder, forager, home chef, traveler, writer, photographer, singer, "songwriter", deeply engaged in the environment and our own place in it, perhaps and probably more. I thought I had to choose ONE thing in all of this.
I don't.
Yesterday, I took photos in the garden of bees hanging out in my flowers waiting to dry off after the rain had stopped. Such a privilege to be in that space. Songs tumble out and I catch them. I'm currently picking berries and making liqueur and freezing and sharing my skills at a community garden. I've been working on my music while I eat my meals (it's a great trick and it works! Music and taste go together for me!)
I finally realized that all of these things are already somethings, somewhere on the map of my life.
It's time for me to show my work, make my own website and show my work, find my tribe, in real life and not just online. For the moment, I'm "invisible' because I haven't seen a website and something that is a part of this process of making my life, this weave that I'm fascinated with.
I often ask friends what their Why? Do I know what mine is?
My project is making a home for what I make, simply and with curiosity and a beginner's mind. I've been thinking that I needed an "experts" advice and I think it's time for me to just sit ASS in Chair and do it! Thanks for the great question!
Waiting can feel safe, but in that safety, time slips away and the spark starts to fade. The longer I wait for permission, the quieter my voice gets. I’ve learned (sometimes through frustration) that the spark often shows up once I’ve already begun, and most especially when I least expect it. That’s why I’m starting a new project this week, which I’m very much excited to share with everyone! I couldn’t wait any longer. It’s time.
Don't wait...my approach completely. Just start doing and making stuff. You have to make things happen for yourself. A wise lesson I learned years ago. Thanks for sharing.
I started a long term project photographing the Dutch coast (500km). No one asked for that but I just wanted to do this.
I wanted to share this today because thanks to one of your previous newsletter that was about giving yourself the jobs you want to have later, I started hotel photography that was always a dream of mine.
I paid to be in places I wanted to shoot, someone noticed me and gave me my first collaboration. Opened the door to many other collaborations that allowed me to create a portfolio. 6 months later (last week actually), I was contacted for 2 paid contracts for the first time. I wanted to thank you for empowering us to start :)
I’ve been wanting for some lifestyle projects to be assigned to me, they never really came my way but instead I started photographing my own life and everything in between and little by little it’s turning into a thing!
Thanks for the post and for the inspiration Wesley. I've just started my own substack - frame to grain - and so far (four posts in) I'm really enjoying the process (post #200 was really helpful thanks!). I've been toying with the idea of focusing on a project or a theme and sharing a portfolio with the world on that theme. I'm fascinated by archways, as both supporting structures and gateways between different areas. Maybe I should take the plunge and commit to it......
Really appreciate the reminder to just start rather than waiting for permission! I have been wanting to create my own website for years just to have a space to put my work that is my own and not dependent on the ever changing & political landscape of social media ownership, but keep waiting feeling like i don’t have enough to share yet.
I've been trying to build up the courage to take portraits of the people in my neighborhood. We have such an interesting, diverse group of people and businesses, and it needs to be preserved and shared. I just need to start!
Please, please, please START Zach. I know this feeling and I know how much fun you will have doing this and how much it will be appreciated not only as you do it but also for long after, by the people and their families and communities.
I've been quietly waiting for someone to give me the assignment: "Photograph the places you’ve already forgotten."
Old neighborhoods, abandoned corners of my hometown, places I once passed every day but never really saw. I’ve always thought someone else would prompt me to go back and document them as if I needed permission. But I’m realizing I could just start. Quiet streets, faded paint, all the small ghosts of memory. A personal archive of the overlooked.
I hope you start Jie, that sounds like a meaningful project! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Wesley, out of curiosity, who won the $250 Moment gift card? I couldn't see the announcement of the winner.
hasn't been picked yet so TBD, I batch these kinds of tasks so I do them all at the same time. should be this week.
Love this and needed this (gentle yet loud) reminder!!! My project is interviewing the elders around me and documenting photos, recipes, and anything else they're willing to share from their personal archive. I've been wanting to start this for a long time but getting out of my head has been hard. Thank you for the push.
You can do it! Just start :) That sounds like a SUPER cool project. Let us all know how it goes :)
Less of something that I was waiting for someone to give me permission and more just doing the dang thing that I said I wanted to do. That thing is I started a film photography club and I’m planning our first photo walk to happen by the end of the month. I’m super excited.
oh snap! that is awesome, in which city? Let folks know here in the comments, maybe there are others where you are.
In Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
One of my longest (and silliest) dream photo projects is making photographs on and around Maine’s smallest mountains. I found a list of all of the mountains in Maine and I was fascinated by the ones at the bottom of the list. Bigger than a hill but barely a mountain. I’ve been waiting for “permission” to do this project because I would literally need permission to access most of them because many don’t have public access or trails and I would need to be on private property to visit them.
that's such a fun and funny concept. And hard to shoot! I like this idea A LOT. I bet most folks would be happy to give your permission if approached in the right way.
Reading your post feels like confirmation that I’m heading in the right direction. I took an unexpected break from photography for a few months. During this break, I realized that I love to tell stories and that I really enjoy when my shots feel like they came out of a movie. I gave myself some prompts to follow for the next 4 weeks to help develop my style and to build momentum just like you mentioned. After I’ve completed my prompts, I am planning on using songs as my reference. I want to create photos that are inspired by their messages.
I’ve shot portraits of people, and I really enjoy it, but there’s something so special about bringing this vision to life. Thank you for the opportunity to share 🌸
That is very, very cool Jailene. And I love the moviescene/song notion about it too. Go you! Thank YOU for sharing!
Hi Wesley and cheers from Poland! My project doesn't have a title, but work has started. I'm photographing people doing all sort of sports in the city landscape. It's keeping me busy and with a purpose when I travel for work and have some time on my hands. I love to do sports myself so I'm always looking for busy-sporty areas to photograph. I see it in a zine once I have 20+ pictures taken in different places that I'm happy with :)
I dig that! Cheering you on from the other side of the EU!
Hi Wesley!
I meant to make a comment on the post before this one because the question was just so got and so was the potential Moment gift card! I hadn't because it just felt too big to sit down and write it out. I'm both detail oriented and see farther out, the bigger picture and don't mind when I don't see something and can listen to someone else's perspective. For years, very many years, voice has been key to me, music is my glue that keeps me together and where life makes the most sense. I only recently figured this out, like much of my life. I've been a suburban regen. gardener, rewilder, forager, home chef, traveler, writer, photographer, singer, "songwriter", deeply engaged in the environment and our own place in it, perhaps and probably more. I thought I had to choose ONE thing in all of this.
I don't.
Yesterday, I took photos in the garden of bees hanging out in my flowers waiting to dry off after the rain had stopped. Such a privilege to be in that space. Songs tumble out and I catch them. I'm currently picking berries and making liqueur and freezing and sharing my skills at a community garden. I've been working on my music while I eat my meals (it's a great trick and it works! Music and taste go together for me!)
I finally realized that all of these things are already somethings, somewhere on the map of my life.
It's time for me to show my work, make my own website and show my work, find my tribe, in real life and not just online. For the moment, I'm "invisible' because I haven't seen a website and something that is a part of this process of making my life, this weave that I'm fascinated with.
I often ask friends what their Why? Do I know what mine is?
My project is making a home for what I make, simply and with curiosity and a beginner's mind. I've been thinking that I needed an "experts" advice and I think it's time for me to just sit ASS in Chair and do it! Thanks for the great question!
THIS IS WONDERFUL Corinne! Go you!!
Oh the typos!!!
It does mostly feel wonderful!
Waiting can feel safe, but in that safety, time slips away and the spark starts to fade. The longer I wait for permission, the quieter my voice gets. I’ve learned (sometimes through frustration) that the spark often shows up once I’ve already begun, and most especially when I least expect it. That’s why I’m starting a new project this week, which I’m very much excited to share with everyone! I couldn’t wait any longer. It’s time.
Awesome!!!
Don't wait...my approach completely. Just start doing and making stuff. You have to make things happen for yourself. A wise lesson I learned years ago. Thanks for sharing.
I started a long term project photographing the Dutch coast (500km). No one asked for that but I just wanted to do this.
super cool Janko!
I wanted to share this today because thanks to one of your previous newsletter that was about giving yourself the jobs you want to have later, I started hotel photography that was always a dream of mine.
I paid to be in places I wanted to shoot, someone noticed me and gave me my first collaboration. Opened the door to many other collaborations that allowed me to create a portfolio. 6 months later (last week actually), I was contacted for 2 paid contracts for the first time. I wanted to thank you for empowering us to start :)
AMAZING!!! Congrats on the hard work and what it led to!
I’ve been wanting for some lifestyle projects to be assigned to me, they never really came my way but instead I started photographing my own life and everything in between and little by little it’s turning into a thing!
Congrats on that leap Johnny! Step by step is the way.
Thanks for the post and for the inspiration Wesley. I've just started my own substack - frame to grain - and so far (four posts in) I'm really enjoying the process (post #200 was really helpful thanks!). I've been toying with the idea of focusing on a project or a theme and sharing a portfolio with the world on that theme. I'm fascinated by archways, as both supporting structures and gateways between different areas. Maybe I should take the plunge and commit to it......
I think you already know :) plunge!
Really appreciate the reminder to just start rather than waiting for permission! I have been wanting to create my own website for years just to have a space to put my work that is my own and not dependent on the ever changing & political landscape of social media ownership, but keep waiting feeling like i don’t have enough to share yet.
I once saw a beautiful website of a well known photographer and all he had on there was 20 photos. Don't sell yourself short :)
To be honest, I am leaving a comment here for give away.
HAHAHA yoooooo
I've been trying to build up the courage to take portraits of the people in my neighborhood. We have such an interesting, diverse group of people and businesses, and it needs to be preserved and shared. I just need to start!
Zach! good news! You were randomly drawn as the winner! Pls email me so I can get you your gift card!
Hi Wesley! I emailed you at hello@wesley.co last week from an email with my last name in it. Let me know if you need anything else!
Oh wow! I never expected that!
Please, please, please START Zach. I know this feeling and I know how much fun you will have doing this and how much it will be appreciated not only as you do it but also for long after, by the people and their families and communities.
Been waiting to get commissioned for shooting musician portraits… maybe I need to get out and collaborate and create that work for free!
Do ittttt