What a Summer it has been!
With summer winding down here in Washington State I thought I would stop and reflect on the events of the last few months. As I am sitting here at the computer I’m looking out my office window, watching a black tail deer steeling my almost ripe apples. I’m torn as to whether to grab my camera or continue writing—but since the lighting is very low I’ll continue writing.
This last May I decided to turn my hobby of photography into a profession. I applied for a business license, registered my business name (Wandering 101 Photography), made a lot of prints, matted and framed a dozen or so images and joined a local art gallery (Ebb Tide Gallery) here in Gig Harbor, WA. For an artist starting out in business I have been fortunate—selling enough images each month to pay my rent and I’m even starting to make up some of the monies that were involved in the initial business start-up costs. Working at the gallery and capturing images is a lot of fun but I’m not to sure about the business side of the operation—figuring taxes, setting prices and the like are not all that enjoyable. It has definitely been a learning experience.
As far as Redbubble goes; what a great venue for me to gain the confidence in my photography skills and images to even think that I could sell my work and hopefully someday make some money at doing something I enjoy so much!! To be able to have peers from all around the world critique, appraise and sometimes enjoy my work has given me that confidence. I have had the exceptional honor of having 17 of my images placed as Featured Works in 9 different groups in the last 2 months, I even had one image featured in 2 groups at the same time. At this site I have my favored images posted “http://buzzimage.redbubble.com/”. I do not have the words to express what it means to me to have my images represent the artistic thoughts and impressions of these groups of wonderful artists. Thank you all very much, you are all exceptional artists.
I have been able to wander from the Pacific Ocean of Washington to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado this summer—capturing images whenever possible with 1 more camping trip planned at Mount Rainier National Park before the winter rains descend upon this part of the world. Hopefully I should have enough images to to keep me busy processing throughout our gray winter days.
Thank you all one more time for your beautiful artwork and your encouragement of your fellow artists to produce and improve our art forms.
Bryan S. Peterson