“There is an incredible amount of purpose in taking photos just for you. Just look at Vivian Maier.”
You don’t need Instagram. You don’t need validation. You need to follow your heart and create what you want.
Create a lot of it.
Vivian Maier self-portrait, 1975 | Isaiah Rustad self-portrait, 2021.
That’s what Vivian Maier did for over half a century, and today she is posthumously known as one of the all time great photographers.
She was never in it for the fame or the followers. There was just an internal desire to go out and shoot every day, even if no one ever saw any of her shots. Here’s 10 beautiful photos from her website. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
I mean, she left behind over 100,000 negatives (!!!) in a storage locker after her death! That’s a TON of unseen images. Luckily they were found and have since been archived, cataloged, and exhibited for the world to see.
I wonder what she would do as a photographer in 2021. Would she have social media or hate it? Would she be famous on Instagram or have a private account with 0 followers and the most beautiful, secret profile? In an age where sharing and consuming is everything, would she indulge?
Vivian Maier self-portrait, 1950s.
For years Instagram made me think that I had to make photos to impress others. To only show my best stuff. Post what I know will get likes.
(Now granted, I wouldn’t be near as good at photography without Instagram. It’s given me a wealth of inspiration and helped me as I’ve grown creatively. I still use it most days and enjoy it for the most part.)
But something shifted in my creative work two summers ago. I began to go out and shoot for myself. My trusty little Fufilm x100t began accompanying me everywhere, allowing to me to capture whatever I found interesting.
Self-portrait with the trusty Fujifilm x100t at Grandma’s. Christmas 2020.
There’s thousands of unedited images on my hard drive right now. Sometimes I post them, sometimes I don’t. Here’s a selection of photos yet to be featured on the ol’ social channels ⬇️⬇️⬇️
I just try to get out there, create, get better, and repeat. Vivian Maier has been my greatest influence with this. I’ve fallen in love with photographing again, even if it’s not being seen or awarded.
This quote from Justin Vernon on the making of his first “Bon Iver” album sums up the blog well: “I was making it for myself. I had given up on the idea of chasing anymore. And one you’re done chasing, you’re arriving.”
I don’t know if I’ve fully arrived just yet, but like Vivian Maier and Justin Vernon, I’m making my work for myself. And it feels amazing.