This has been...

...the worst year for photo and footage sales yet.  It's down 40-60% month over month.  Even though I've increased my portfolios by as much as 100%, sales have fallen dramatically.  I've been marketing my portfolios over the past year, shooting even more, sales have dropped dramatically.  I've tried to stay positive and add customers and contributors to Shutterstock, Depositiphotos, Pond5 and Storybolocks, that has not helped an iota.  Zilch, zero, nadda, nothing.  I don't know if I can market on Youtube.  I hate being on camera.  I don't like self promotion as far as filming myself. 

I don't know if anyone is actually reading this blog or if it's just bots that are hitting this place.  Traffic is not increasing.  I'm not getting any responses to my blog entries.  I know not to quit and post regularly.  I know I have a small blog.  I'm hoping to grow it and make some decent money of off it but the ROI doesn't seem to be good right now.  I think it might take 2-4 years of me doing this for basically free with no return on investment.  I only pay for my domain name which is about $4 Canadian a year.  Blogger is free.  But my time is not.  That is the real pisser right there.

Back in 2010, I was diagnosed with cancer.  I went through one operation in 2010 and another one in 2011.  In 2015 I went through a divorce so I value my time very much.  I know you don't get any of it back which is why I have a lot of self doubt about doing this.  If it's worth my time.  I finally have a job I enjoy but again, it's a contract.  So it will come to an end at one point.  My girlfriend and I are moving at the end of the month to a cheaper place to save up some money so we can move out west to Calgary.  I was in Calgary for 4 months last year and I fell in love with the west.  I fell in love with the life style, the mountains, nature.  Alberta is so much closer to the American west as well.  I'm hoping that if we do move out there to take a few weeks and do some travelling and photography out there.  I love being out in the mountains and in nature.  I love doing photography and videography out there.  It's so peaceful and nice.  I'm hoping to get contract work or a full time job out there so I can support my girlfriend and I.  We both want to travel and we both love being out in nature.  I'm hoping it works out for both of us.

And no more Tim Horton's for this photog

Need an early morning coffee?  Late night snack?  You're Canadian and enjoy Timmies.  I suggest you have a little read here.  Also affects Kraft Dinner.  Who knew you needed an early morning dose of herbicide which, if consumed in large quantities causes cancer.  

A good one has gone home

I was going to do a review of the Canon Vixia HF G40 today after work.  That is not going to happen as this morning, I woke up to find out that one of my photography friends passed away at a young age from cancer.

As a cancer survivor myself, this hit me pretty hard.  I got cancer at the age of 35 and luckily got my 5 year clearance this past December.  My friend got her cancer while in her late 20's and passing away early in her 30's.  

You don't know the unimaginable guilt I feel that I'm still here and she is gone.  It's a total shock to the system to think that someone so young and full of promise could just pass away so quickly and so quietly.  I am still in shock and it's just really upsetting that I'm still here and she's not.  This is not the first friend that I've lost in my lifetime and it won't be the last.

I'm just mad that cancer took a young and promising person and not someone who has done evil in this world.  Death always takes the good ones too early and leaves us to mourn.  

I know she is in a good place now and the pain is gone for her.  I will truly miss you my friend.

R.I.P.