Beginning of the Blog (again)

At the time of writing, it has been a year and a day since I last published a blog post. The results of the 2020 Presidential Election have yet to be called, and the election is trending in favor of Joe Biden. It’s been quite the year. Earlier this week I received confirmation that the major I designed has been approved; I will be receiving a BA from W&L University with a major in Film Production. Last week, on the 25th of October, my first feature length film, Intimate Violence, premiered at Hull’s Drive In in Lexington, Virginia. Now is a time of celebration in so many ways.

This year has been a struggle as well. The Coronavirus Pandemic has ripped through America, and the fabric of our (pseudo-)democracy is being torn by the weight of a fascistic leader. Particularly relevant to my research, rates of domestic violence have increased since economic lock downs rocked the country. On a personal level, my summer was rocked with mental illness and isolation. As simple as it is to type, I’ve struggled in deciding whether or not to share this online. Despite the uncertainty, I ultimately decided that my coming forward would be a drop in the ocean of de-stigmatizing mental illness.

Since then, I sought treatment with my physician and am doing significantly better. School is back in session and the fall term is speeding toward a close. The semester has whirred by, propelled by the racial reckoning occurring on and off campus, an uncanny social environment and the premiere of Intimate Violence. Also new, I am directing The Cave Man, a horror short film on campus, which is going extraordinarily well.

For the first time, I’m receiving a formal education in photography. I am currently enrolled in Photo 1 with Professor Clover Archer. The instruction has largely emphasized the foundational knowledge of photography as an art form, which has allowed me to dive deep into a massive vat of self-discovery. The course inspired me to begin a formal series of self portraits, which I am currently working on for our final project. I plan to continue my (formal) study of photography in subsequent terms, with my eyes looking forward to learning the cyanotype process this spring.

I aim to post on this blog regularly. At this moment, I’m not comfortable sharing the self portraits I’ve taken on social media, but that may change. For now, I will share them on this blog. I don’t believe anyone reads this blog, but if you’re reading this, please feel free to leave a comment. Hopefully that will keep me motivated to continue posting on the blog.

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