Why a Photography Blog?
How a different era of connection became part of the identity of Videre Studios.
The year is 2005.….or maybe 2006. I’m sitting at the family computer (HP or Dell) adjusting the theme of my MySpace profile, trying to find the right colors and layout that captured who I was, or at least who I thought I was at the time. Very delicate decisions are made in reposting song lyrics, sharing music, and searching for posts that put words to my emotions like most youth, I didn’t quite know how to express myself.
But what does MySpace have to do with a photography blog?
Actually, quite a bit.
At the core of this blog is the same reason I stayed connected to a platform like MySpace all those years ago: connection itself.
“I wanted to create a space that encouraged the opposite. A place to pause for a moment, sit with an experience, and engage with something a little more intentionally”
We live in a world where everything moves fast. Information is consumed instantly, content is created endlessly, and attention is constantly being pulled in a dozen different directions. I wanted to create a space that encouraged the opposite. A place to pause for a moment, sit with an experience, and engage with something a little more intentionally.
I recognize that today, one of the most effective ways to grow a creative vision is by putting yourself in front of a camera. Record videos. Share behind-the-scenes footage. Talk directly to your audience. Build a personal brand.
And I thought about that.
Should I take more photos of myself while traveling?
Nah. That feels forced.
Should I record videos in the field and share quick thoughts about what I'm seeing?
Nah. Not interested, I hate the sound of my voice.
Should I constantly post images with captions just to stay active on social media, even when I haven't traveled anywhere?
Nope. That's not me either.
Then it hit me.
The time I was most active on an internet platform built around connection wasn't Instagram. It wasn't Facebook. It was MySpace.
A few years later came Tumblr, which I loved as well and still have, but MySpace felt different. It felt personal. People shared their thoughts, relationship struggles, favorite songs, random observations, and pieces of themselves. Looking back, those profiles were blogs and the underpinning of what we know as social media today.
And I realized that if I wanted to connect with people through my work, I should probably do it in the only way I've ever truly been comfortable doing it:
Images…Music…Words
If I'm going to share my experiences, then I want them to have context. I want people to learn about the places I visit, the people I meet, the cultures that welcome me in, the mistakes I make, and the lessons I learn from the equipment I bring along the way.
When I first started planning trips and exploring photography more seriously, I always appreciated the websites of travelers who documented their experiences and photographers who explained how they used their equipment in different environments. What I noticed though, was that it was rarely both.
You could find travel stories.
You could find photography tutorials.
But it was harder to find a place where the experience, the culture, the reflection, and the photography all lived together.
That's what I hope this becomes.
Could I accomplish the same thing through video? Probably.
But that wouldn't be authentic to who I am.
This approach feels more natural. More personal. More honest.
Sure, there's a little nostalgia involved. I won't pretend otherwise but if the goal is genuine connection, then this is the path that feels most aligned with Videre Studios.
A place where stories are told authentically.
A place where people are encouraged to slow down.
A place where photography serves as the starting point for conversations about exploration, culture, creativity, and the natural world.
And hopefully, along the way, there will be opportunities for all of us to learn from one another, whether that's through collaboration with fellow creatives, shared experiences from travelers, or conversations with people who simply share the same interests.
That, in many ways, is why Videre Studios exists.
Exploration.
Connection.
Evolution.
And besides, this blog would be pretty boring if it only ever featured my voice.
So there it is.
A photography journal. A travel journal. A place to document experiences, lessons learned, and the stories found somewhere between where I started and where I'm headed.
Join me.
Be patient, this probably should have been the first blog (as of writing, the moments from Fiji have yet to be edited), and I have absolutely no idea how often these will get published (once a month is the goal).
But we'll figure it out together
One thing you'll notice throughout these entries is that every journey comes with a soundtrack. Long before Videre Studios, I was pairing photographs with music because certain songs have a way of preserving emotions that images alone can't always capture. Every blog will include a song tied to the experience, not because it's part of a playlist, but because I believe you can learn a lot about people through the music they connect with. Some traditions are worth keeping.
~ Let's tell something real.