I announced today on my Facebook page that as of December 25th, I am quitting social media. In this episode I want to give a little more context about why I am making that choice. My goal is not to drop the mic and walk off the stage, but rather to continue the pivot that I have started in the last several months towards creating better work–not more following on social media. My Podcast, my YouTube and Blog will remain very much active–but trying to create “micro” content for disposable platforms is something I’m not going to do any more. Below are some points that I explore in this podcast episode and I hope they will explain why I am quitting social media. It’s not a grand gesture to generate engagement. It’s a self interested effort to stop wasting my time and focus. I hope the net result of this experiment will be better work which will serve people who care the most.

• Distraction is now the main role of social media
• Conversation and relationship building is my goal
• Trying to make content or art for everyone everywhere reduces its impact
• Going the opposite direction has value if you care more about being heard
• The context that our work “lives” in matters
• Technology is evolving at a speed that requires us to be selective
• Time and attention should be invested with great care
• We have a choice about the world we participate in
• This choice is a creative process that belongs to everyone
• This might be a bad idea but that unknown begs for exploration
• If you’re not psyched on quitting social media that’s totally fine
• This is a question I want to explore as a sort of social expedition into the unknown

Featured in my “Book Club” this episode:

David DuChemin’s Within the Frame: http://amzn.to/2grAYJZ

Bonus: Check out https://craftandvision.com/ which is a site dedicated to empowering the vision of photographers of all kinds. David DuChemin is a mentor of mine and a huge inspiration. If you sign up for their email list (the contact sheet) you will receive a handful of awesome free ebooks that will inspire you to keep thinking differently about your work!

My “Practical” focus: 

Slowing down. Shooting less and observing more. Film has been a really useful tool to accomplish this. Read more: http://livingvertical.org/2016/11/20/heres-why-im-thankful-for-film-photography-this-thanksgiving/

Here’s why I’m thankful for film this Thanksgiving

Additional Links:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/jobs/quit-social-media-your-career-may-depend-on-it.html?_r=0

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Music:

Victor Lenoir “Something Intro”

Rozkol “Soy Sauce”

Spinningmerkaba “Across the pacific”

Chuzauzen “Raro bueno”

all artists and titles can be found at: http://freemusicarchive.org/