2026 07 09
It’s been too long, blog friends!
The infinite weight of summer has me trapped in its grip. There’s a lot going on, so this here blog has been firmly neglected. I don’t like it, but it is what it is.
We were on the road last week and it was glorious. Many images made. Some good, perhaps? If I’m being honest, I’m quite down on myself these days about the work I’m making. Too many mid photos and not enough direction. I’m flailing a bit while I search for my new voice. The hard understanding is that I believe I’m on the right path, but much more hard work and rejection is needed before I can maybe get to where I’m trying to go. This is all vague and harsh sounding, I realize. It might not even be accurate. It’s just one of these things you go through as an artist in search of his big defining project. My standards are high; the art needs to be meaningful and that’s not an easy thing to accomplish.
Currently, I’m working on my third printed zine project. The good news is, it’s happening. The bad news is my enthusiasm has waned as I’m culling the images. Likely, I will expand my archival reach in an attempt to make the book stronger. This is, I think, the exact takeaway I should be having as I strive to learn and grow as a photographic artist.
Another compromise I’ve reached with myself is to write and post about the trips I am making in search of images. I’ve been getting down on myself that nothing is coming from these trips. I go out, shoot a bunch, get home and then the images mostly sit around on hard drives while I remain too busy to give them the time the require to go somewhere. Writing about, and sharing some of the images as I make them, will hopefully help me justify the time I’m dedicated to the process — and perhaps convince me to dedicate even more time (because much more is needed!) to finally give them an outlet in the world.
Lastly, today Realm is opening a small shared storefront space here in Chicago. It’s exciting! While a modest step towards hopefully achieving the larger space of our own we are dreaming about, the fact that we now have two stores in Chicago with photobooks available to purchase just after one year of operation is no small feat, I think.
This post feels like the above image. I’m here — I’m over there. I’m bright, I’m dim. I don’t like apologizing but I do so here in this frantic attempt at getting a post up without the required time to properly digest my thoughts. Anyway, off to get some yard work done and then open a damn shop! We’re at 2949 W Armitage Ave and will be open tonight (Friday, July 9th) from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Then, every Friday & Saturday from 1pm-6pm.