McGuinness Blvd – Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Nobody said it’d be easy.  I’m coming up on one year in Greenpoint, one year in this closet that passes as a room.  I don’t mind the lack of space. It fits with my developing minimalist approach to living.  I could use my books, but there’s really no room for them, so they’ll have to stay back in Minnesota until I can upgrade.

I’m marginally employed, working a freelance gig that pays the rent, but that’s about it.  It’s an interesting gig. I’ve started to write a little for the blog while continuing with the social media stuff.  If I could find three more clients/gigs doing the same things, I’d be ok, but right now it’s tough. I’m hunting in the usual places but coming back empty.  It’s nerve wracking for sure. I’m still debating about launching the creative firm at this point. We have the name and the domain. I’ve started to write some of the copy but there are business aspects that I’m just uncertain about. If I were to follow the advice I read daily, I’d kill those thoughts and just jump in.

A few more days of sweating and hunting, and I might have to.

InOrbit New York

A couple weeks ago we launched InOrbit New York, a site dedicated to visual stories from New York. My editing/biz partner James has taken it by the reigns and has edited some great features thus far.  It’s been well received and we have some good ideas lined up for the future, but these things take time.  These days there are so many new websites being rolled out that I’m become a bit pessimistic about the prospects for any independent website. You need money behind you so you can crank out content, and even then, it’s a slog because the business models are a mess.

That said, the photographers have been excited and right now that’s what matters.

la pura vida

I’ve been happy with the work we’ve been publishing on LPV.  It’s gotten better and I think my writing has improved but there’s still work to be done.  In December we’ll be dropping the monthly show format and moving to more of an online magazine format that will come out quarterly.  I think the monthly shows have run their course, and even though the edits have improved, I think it’s time to switch courses.  We have some other ideas too that I think will be interesting if we can execute them.

Unfortunately, The LPV Collection hasn’t exactly taken off. I knew it’d be a tough, but I think the prints we’re offering are pretty great.  We’ll just have to keep at it and maybe try out some new ideas.

I must admit, my passion for LPV has been zapped recently.  The work still inspires me, but the machinery of photography on the web has been grinding me down.

The Greenpoint Photographs

I’ve accumulated a good number of photographs from Greenpoint, and know the hood block by block by this point. There are a few nooks I need to explore a few more times, but basically by this point, I’m trying to see the same scenes with different eyes each time I go out.  It’s not easy, and it can be a bit dull.  At some point I’d like to try some street portraits, but that’s something I always say.  I’m not sure portraits will ever be my thing.

I’m not completely certain where I’m going with the series. Maybe I’ll end it abruptly and choose another hood. Or maybe I’ll just keep going.  It all depends on where I’m living of course.  And right now, who knows where I’ll be at the end of the year.  There are some very positive things happening, but the economic pressures are always challenging.

I have two prints available for sale right now and will be launching another one shortly.  I’ve also fleshed out a Hire Me section with writing samples.

I’ve been doing almost daily blogging over at The Brayn if you’re interested in what I find most interesting from the daily flow of content.

Time to stick my head in front of the fan.