Pro to Amateur

As I write this the world is currently still trying to control COVID-19

No. We aren’t purely in a post-pandemic world (in a literal sense) however things have opened up similar to what it was like before March 2020.

Approximately two years before the deadly virus took a grip of our planet, I was already experiencing a feeling that maybe it was time to do something different.

I was tired. I didn’t feel challenged. I felt that the cycle of booking a slate of clients and grinding my way to honour those photo/video contracts was exactly that: a grind.

True, I did enjoy the people and moments I was capturing, but was this my true potential?

I remember getting my first job inquiry in 2019 and inmediately feeling ill. Without much thought I impulsively declined.

This was the defining moment that ushered in a new era of my life.

Was I doing what I REALLY wanted to do? I felt like I could do more. The future was dim, but I knew it was entirely mine to sculpt.

Then a year later: COVID-19

The Coronavirus made my departure from a nearly two decade long “way of doing things” easier. Now I feel like these changes are for good.

Nearly three years after lockdowns, I ask myself: What stayed? What did I walk away with, after a professional career in photo/video? The answer? My passion for digital media production.

I can safely say this is a part of me.

I may have gone from an amatuer to professional to an amatuer again, but without a doubt my love for production digital media stands as true as ever.

During these down years, I have explored the new realms of 360 Virtual Reality & Augmented Reality production/editing.

I have also been able to take some of the old – digital photography and video and apply the “new” integrating it into Blockchains and Digital Wallets as NFT’s (Non-Fungible Tokens)

With the years taken from us by COVID-19, it was able to come back as time spent recharging and rejuvenating my passion for my art. This, combined with the freedom to devote my efforts towards the ventures I am enthusiastic about will truly change my “way of doing things” from here on out.

1st year – 360 Virtual Reality COMPLETE!!

It was Black Friday 2017 when the company officially took on the adventure of developing 360 Virtual Reality content, by completing the first order of a 360 VR camera. One year later, Apple Inc, has this on their website!

360 Virtual Reality

In December 2017, as I was struggling to figure out where I should push my career to, I started to look online and discovered the 360 Video section of YouTube.

360 panorama imaging was nothing new to me, as I dabbled with it briefly in 2003 and again in 2011.

It never really stuck with me though, as the technology seemed cumbersome, and the result was just ok.

I have seen 360 video footage on the Toronto Blue Jays Facebook page in partnership with Samsung before and thought it was amazing! Especially paired up with a mobile device and the ability to look in any direction.

I looked deeper into the topic and learned about 360 cameras.

I ordered one on Black Friday and when it arrived I began to capture all kinds of moments.

I quickly learned that the Samsung Gear 360 that I got was a great tool, but it was not a professional camera.

So, I ended up deciding to invest in the future, and jumped straight into the deep end with an 8K Insta360 Pro.

I produced my first work with it in late January 2018 and a week later it was put to the test.

Almost a month later, and several tests I can say now, that I am in the 360 Virtual Reality realm!

I look forward to producing a lot more content for the web and beyond!

Toronto Blue Jays WINTERFEST

It was the very first of it’s kind, and hopefully not the last!! It was an incredible experience where I was able to take part in some fan activities that plain and simply brought out the kid in me.

I was shooting 360 VR Video throughout the day, and can relive the moment through this video