"...cause i'm feeling way too damn good."

For those that read my last journal entry, over a year ago, you might have read that verse that I put in there. Seems I should have knocked on wood when I did write it, heh.

Doing a complete 180 from only a year ago, seems like everything is different in such a short amount of time.

- I am no longer at Ringling College. Long story short, I could not afford college this year. I lost some of my financial aid due to some of my grades, and because i'd have to live on campus this year that's an extra $3k, and I just couldn't do it. However, I have come to complete acceptable terms with this. I've realized that though I loved Ringling and my friends there with all my heart, and I did learn a lot from just the one year I was there, I didn't want to continue to spend so much money just to keep stressing myself on creating works my teachers would enjoy just to get a passing grade. I started to feel as restricted there as I did in PSL, and that's the last thing I wanted. I want to be free, out doing what I love. If that means learning things on my own, picking up tricks and lessons here and there then so be it. The only thing I miss is having access to all that photo equipment. God do I miss it so ;_; But, it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. I'll have all my own equipment in time.

- I am no longer with my significant other, hence the "i'd have to live on campus" statement. This is a personal situation which I don't think should be discussed here. We're both still good friends and that's what matters.


So at the moment, I am back in PSL working at my old Target and working on my photography in my spare time. Though to many it comes off that I don't put much effort into my work and obtaining my goal, it's really the only thing that's ever on my mind. On my mental bulletin board, I have my goal written in big bold letters: Get Out of PSL. Become a Known Photographer. Make Your Work Impact The World. Sometimes I want to take photos so badly I get a physical ache in my chest. I see the world in photographs, I see the lighting, the shadows, tones, hues, composition, and it just overwhelms my heart sometimes all the things I see and imagine, and how much I want to capture it and let everyone in the world to see.

I do have some jobs lined up, doing weddings and photos for a business website. And i'm keeping my fingers crossed to hear back from a producer from Sound Tree Entertainment who commented that he really liked my photographs from the Mitchel Musso concert (their company is the one that put on the concert). Hopefully there's a chance for me there, which would be a major foot in the door in my opinion. But, we can only wait and see.


That's really all I have to say. I guess i'll end with some inspirational people I admire here on DA.


~aanoi

This is a great friend of mine from Ringling, someone I am still really honored to have met and become friends with. He has such amazing talent, especially for someone his age (though a lot of the time he doesn't give himself the credit he deserves ). He's already been featured several times on websites, and I know he's going to go really far in life and become the top of the graphic designing world.

Samples of His Work

57

NeverSleepLetsRokk

Slave of Bolas


~cippow25

ALso known as Sheena. She's someone i've watched on DA for a while now but it's not until recently I realized how much of an inspiration she is to me. She'll think i'm a little weird typing this out i'm sure, after sending her a note pouring out my admiration to her, heh. But she truly is an amazing artist and person. Her artwork isn't anything extravagant, complex, detailed, nothing like that. They're just simple little miniature people drawn adorably. But looking at the ones that have a story to them, looking at the drawings that she posts up on her tumblr ( located here), it shouldn't be hard to figure out why I admire her. Her work is simple, and just radiate peace, love, and happiness. This is what i've always wanted for my photographs, what I strive for every time. I've always said that with every picture I produce, I want people to be overwhelmed with emotion when they see it. I want their hearts to swell with passion as if they were listening to Billie Holiday or Frank Sintra sing, reading The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, seeing fireworks from the Eiffel Tower in Paris while the city glows with lights below, or falling in love for the very first time. Her works, though so simple, have really given me the closest to that feeling. One day I want to take her drawings and reproduce them at photographs. But only when I feel confident that I could make them have the same emotion that her drawings have. But for now, I keep her work in mind when photographing so that I always remember why i'm doing what i'm doing and what I want to achieve with it.

Samples of Her Work

Photobooth Love

Let Us Not Say Goodbye

Stay Where I Can See You




That's all I really have for now. I hope to stop being lazy and start updating this more often.

To close out, I want to thank every one of you watching me for your continuing support of me and my work. It means a great deal to me that there are people that enjoy my photography, it's what helps me to keep striving and working hard. I hope you'll continue to support me and cheer me on in my future endeavors, and I promise to not let you down.


Stay safe, stay well, continue to love and be happy. Goodnight


-Simple Beauty