At least you published your work. My published work only appeared in magazines, hidden between the covers or decorating the magazine covers themselves. Publications have been thrown out with the trash decades ago.
Meanwhile, as I’m transitioning my studio into a studio apartment in the commercial building I own, It was purchased by my working at other jobs, I am aware that there are literally thousands of slides and negatives from assignments as well as weddings and portraits. All of them are just in boxes needing organization.
I quit photography around 1990 because the market was saturated with people giving their product away, training, quality, or talent doesn’t even matter anymore. Digital only made it worse.
In another aspect, I should be envious, but I’m not! Not anymore. Somewhere along the road I grew up.
So I went into magic and illusion entertainment after being encouraged by a few world class magicians. That lead to a far more profitable career, but yet another set of boxes of negatives and slides because I began photographing my peers at the conventions where we performed and around the towns we visited. The performer photos were created for 3 worldwide trade magazine’s articles so they are filed properly. I’m only giving you this brief sketch to explain why your Substack seems to resonate very deeply with me
Hey Robert, I totally get it. I hung in there, but I started a bit later than you (in 2001) and used to feel as though I was making the long-time film shooters a bit mad. It was a tough transition for all of you and for us that came in with film and were forced to go digital. I was very, very humble to the craft. Right now, as I type, I am sorting all those boxes you mentioned! lol. However, taking to writing, the archives have provided so much inspiration for stories. I hope you write them too. I will often get a picture I took in mind and a story simultaneously - and a song! Then I go dig through HD’s, etc., and begin to type away…
Very, very cool you continued on and picked up another craft! I am friends with @Charlotte Pendragon here - who was part of the Pendragon magic duo. If you don’t follow her already, she writes all about the magic of those days. Charlotte is amazing and a lovely human. Good inspiration to keep going and now? writing our stories, leaving a legacy behind. We will be found someday. It’s why I’m writing. Someday I hope my great-greats find me and who I was. I tell my brother, although he does not have a partner or children - he needs to be found someday. I want my grandchildren to know him, and their children and so on. Digging through all these boxes of our lives — we find ourselves, tell our stories.. and it’s beautiful.
It was Charlotte who got me here. We’ve been friends since Las Vegas in the early 1990s had a Magic convention and at the same time Charlotte and I decided to hang out with Dante Larsen in the Geni magazine booth. Both of us were contributors to that magazine.
Yes, I find writing here relieves my stress and anxiety, which is a side effect of my transplant medication. If nothing else I want to do the same thing pick a photograph and tell the backstory. I’d like to sell prints has decor and side income. If it happens, it happens.
I already tried posting a portfolio on deviant art under the name rvmagic and didn’t sell anything now over a decade. Maybe I could use social media and Substack to draw visitors to that gallery?
Thank you so much for the very kind words @Deborah T. Hewitt! Bless your heart! I really can’t wait until we get together soon. We will have to make some plans.
I am so glad you met my good friend @Robert Noel Clarkson who I know through magic! His journey has been a tough one these past year after a dental issue progressed into a lung transfer. 😔 But his resilience and strength gives me much courage and inspiration.
I recommended he start a Substack publication, because of his vast amount of writing and photography published work. He has just joined this last week and began his writing journey here. I sincerely welcomed him to our tribe. Like us, he is also guided by God’s spiritual light. If moved to do so, I hope you become one of his subscribers!
ha ha! I am definitely found to wander. A lot. From one room to the other wandering and wondering why I went there in the first place :). It's a thing when you're busy creating and dreaming. The occupied head. Cheers Curt!
I'm so glad you shared this, Deborah! Doug Murano’s meme has truly resonated with me, and I appreciate the deeper meaning it holds in your life and my life too. After I read your note, I found myself wishing I could repost it several more times, restacking the insights and wisdom the meaning of Doug’s message means. At 70, I absolutely relate to everything you expressed. It’s funny how when you turn 50, you start receiving mail from AARP, 🙈😂as if to remind you that life is already behind you. But there’s so much still ahead! Sending you blessings and lots of love!
This quote struck my heart hard and I know what you mean by all the stories we have and the deeper meaning. I used to say the word "AARRRRRP" and tell John it sounded like an old fart! ha ha! I have refused them since 50! ha ha! Heading to 65 end of the year. Sending you love and many always Charlotte! We have only just begun! WE ARE NEVER DONE until He says so! Thank you for reading this and for your support and kindness. ox
No truer words were ever spoken. "and btw, you can be blunt God. (me)."
So many of us pray, -Thank you Lord, or a recited "box" prayer (I'm guilty), or Lord, please fill in the blank. God loves me and all of humanity. We can be blunt with God. Your not going to piss him off. I believe God is happy to hear from us, whatever we want to say and however we want to say it. You're acknowledging The God of the Universe - that makes God happy. We have a lot of work to do, but keep talking (praying) to God. Everything is going to be okay.
Joel! Yes, yes, yes! All of this! I talk to God all day long. Where are we going with this? what do you have for me today? We keep going knowing everything truly will be okay. With Him. Thank you friend. ox
Cheers to us both! To keeping going through it all! To only just beginning! Keep doing the same friend. Sending you a huge hug and much love. ox Thank you!
Well, this made my day Charles! I ask Him what he has for me everyday. So the conversation keeps going, and I will keep saying "keep going" to everyone I come in contact with. Bless you. ox (think I said "keep" too many times. But He's a keeper!)
Oh I am so happy to hear this! We need to know that we are never done. He has so much more for us. I will keep saying it to all who I come in contact with. Love you Alison! Thank you. ox
Yessss. Thank you for this lovely comment Martin. The splendour is most definitely in our greying hair. I, you, them? We are never done until He says so. God Bless you. ox
Your Substack resonated with me!
At least you published your work. My published work only appeared in magazines, hidden between the covers or decorating the magazine covers themselves. Publications have been thrown out with the trash decades ago.
Meanwhile, as I’m transitioning my studio into a studio apartment in the commercial building I own, It was purchased by my working at other jobs, I am aware that there are literally thousands of slides and negatives from assignments as well as weddings and portraits. All of them are just in boxes needing organization.
I quit photography around 1990 because the market was saturated with people giving their product away, training, quality, or talent doesn’t even matter anymore. Digital only made it worse.
In another aspect, I should be envious, but I’m not! Not anymore. Somewhere along the road I grew up.
So I went into magic and illusion entertainment after being encouraged by a few world class magicians. That lead to a far more profitable career, but yet another set of boxes of negatives and slides because I began photographing my peers at the conventions where we performed and around the towns we visited. The performer photos were created for 3 worldwide trade magazine’s articles so they are filed properly. I’m only giving you this brief sketch to explain why your Substack seems to resonate very deeply with me
Hey Robert, I totally get it. I hung in there, but I started a bit later than you (in 2001) and used to feel as though I was making the long-time film shooters a bit mad. It was a tough transition for all of you and for us that came in with film and were forced to go digital. I was very, very humble to the craft. Right now, as I type, I am sorting all those boxes you mentioned! lol. However, taking to writing, the archives have provided so much inspiration for stories. I hope you write them too. I will often get a picture I took in mind and a story simultaneously - and a song! Then I go dig through HD’s, etc., and begin to type away…
Very, very cool you continued on and picked up another craft! I am friends with @Charlotte Pendragon here - who was part of the Pendragon magic duo. If you don’t follow her already, she writes all about the magic of those days. Charlotte is amazing and a lovely human. Good inspiration to keep going and now? writing our stories, leaving a legacy behind. We will be found someday. It’s why I’m writing. Someday I hope my great-greats find me and who I was. I tell my brother, although he does not have a partner or children - he needs to be found someday. I want my grandchildren to know him, and their children and so on. Digging through all these boxes of our lives — we find ourselves, tell our stories.. and it’s beautiful.
Thank you for writing to me here. ox
It was Charlotte who got me here. We’ve been friends since Las Vegas in the early 1990s had a Magic convention and at the same time Charlotte and I decided to hang out with Dante Larsen in the Geni magazine booth. Both of us were contributors to that magazine.
Yes, I find writing here relieves my stress and anxiety, which is a side effect of my transplant medication. If nothing else I want to do the same thing pick a photograph and tell the backstory. I’d like to sell prints has decor and side income. If it happens, it happens.
I already tried posting a portfolio on deviant art under the name rvmagic and didn’t sell anything now over a decade. Maybe I could use social media and Substack to draw visitors to that gallery?
Thank you so much for the very kind words @Deborah T. Hewitt! Bless your heart! I really can’t wait until we get together soon. We will have to make some plans.
I am so glad you met my good friend @Robert Noel Clarkson who I know through magic! His journey has been a tough one these past year after a dental issue progressed into a lung transfer. 😔 But his resilience and strength gives me much courage and inspiration.
I recommended he start a Substack publication, because of his vast amount of writing and photography published work. He has just joined this last week and began his writing journey here. I sincerely welcomed him to our tribe. Like us, he is also guided by God’s spiritual light. If moved to do so, I hope you become one of his subscribers!
To wander
ha ha! I am definitely found to wander. A lot. From one room to the other wandering and wondering why I went there in the first place :). It's a thing when you're busy creating and dreaming. The occupied head. Cheers Curt!
Cheers!
I'm so glad you shared this, Deborah! Doug Murano’s meme has truly resonated with me, and I appreciate the deeper meaning it holds in your life and my life too. After I read your note, I found myself wishing I could repost it several more times, restacking the insights and wisdom the meaning of Doug’s message means. At 70, I absolutely relate to everything you expressed. It’s funny how when you turn 50, you start receiving mail from AARP, 🙈😂as if to remind you that life is already behind you. But there’s so much still ahead! Sending you blessings and lots of love!
This quote struck my heart hard and I know what you mean by all the stories we have and the deeper meaning. I used to say the word "AARRRRRP" and tell John it sounded like an old fart! ha ha! I have refused them since 50! ha ha! Heading to 65 end of the year. Sending you love and many always Charlotte! We have only just begun! WE ARE NEVER DONE until He says so! Thank you for reading this and for your support and kindness. ox
Deborah,
No truer words were ever spoken. "and btw, you can be blunt God. (me)."
So many of us pray, -Thank you Lord, or a recited "box" prayer (I'm guilty), or Lord, please fill in the blank. God loves me and all of humanity. We can be blunt with God. Your not going to piss him off. I believe God is happy to hear from us, whatever we want to say and however we want to say it. You're acknowledging The God of the Universe - that makes God happy. We have a lot of work to do, but keep talking (praying) to God. Everything is going to be okay.
Joel
Joel! Yes, yes, yes! All of this! I talk to God all day long. Where are we going with this? what do you have for me today? We keep going knowing everything truly will be okay. With Him. Thank you friend. ox
Cheers Deborah, keep dreaming, loving, living, writing.💜🙏✍️
Cheers to us both! To keeping going through it all! To only just beginning! Keep doing the same friend. Sending you a huge hug and much love. ox Thank you!
Amazing stuff, Deborah.
Well, this made my day Charles! I ask Him what he has for me everyday. So the conversation keeps going, and I will keep saying "keep going" to everyone I come in contact with. Bless you. ox (think I said "keep" too many times. But He's a keeper!)
God brings me your essays when I need them the most!
Oh I am so happy to hear this! We need to know that we are never done. He has so much more for us. I will keep saying it to all who I come in contact with. Love you Alison! Thank you. ox
Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?
Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days.
“With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.
(Job 12:11-13)
Nice tasting words!
It takes a a long time to gain wisdom from God...
The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendour of old men is their grey hair.
(Prov 20:29)
Yessss. Thank you for this lovely comment Martin. The splendour is most definitely in our greying hair. I, you, them? We are never done until He says so. God Bless you. ox