Welcome back to my Blog!
I wasn’t sure that I would ever write here again.
I’d convinced myself that I didn’t have the knack for it. That I didn’t know how to engage an audience.
Well, talking myself out of things stops now. I can’t promise that I’ll blog as often as The Powers That Be™ say that you should, but it will be a lot more frequent than once every 18 months.
This is my second attempt at writing this blog, because as one does when they’ve forgotten the blogging rules,
saving didn’t happen
- and as such I hit the wrong button and lost everything. Haha.
That said, this is going to be somewhat abridged, but I promise it will be better going forward!
Image ID: Blue sky with light, white clouds in the background. There is a status of Buddha in the foreground from the chest up on the right side of the frame. The Buddha is golden with and smiling with the first light of the sun.
So what has happened lately?
In bullet-point form, let’s talk about it!
I published a book. It is single-handedly the scariest and most significant undertaking I have ever accomplished in my life. I don’t know how to describe it other than that, but I urge you to buy it immediately, because 1) I have some remaining for a limited time only, and 2) the money from sales goes towards funding more art. So it’s 100% worth it.
I created my own Patr30n-esque version subscription services, offering six tiers of services starting from as low as $2/month. Every tier gets a little something, but like anything, the more you invest, the more you get back. I kept the service in-house so you don’t have to go somewhere else and tangle with a third party to enjoy art, and also so that I can afford to keep prices at a minimum for folks who need support in being able to financially access art. The only fee I have to pay is from Stripe, which is significantly less than what Patreon takes from creators. So now you can get everything in one place!
I also created a donation area for folks who want to support my work but can’t consistently afford a monthly incursion on their expenses.
All revenue from sales on this site goes towards purchasing film, keeping my equipment in excellent repair and/or making needed repairs, keeping the studio lights on, and most importantly, keeping up with purchasing photo envelopes and stamps so that everyone can enjoy some art!
Image ID: The day is grey and stormy, and pouring with rain. In the foreground is an ocean with a male-presenting person in a black wetsuit, standing on a paddleboard on the right side of the frame. The person is looking out towards the left side of the frame, which is seemingly open ocean with white-capped waves. The background has a rocky beach and a copse of coniferous trees.
What else is going on?
I am participating in Holga week from October 1-7, 2021. In case you’re not sure what that is, Holga Week takes place in the first week of October each year, and is a challenge for photographers to work with cameras where the only options you have available are a shutter and a winder on a plastic film camera with few options for settings (seriously, there’s light mode and bulb mode, that’s it). My goal is to shoot one roll per day. I will be giving free images of my best work from this week to folks who subscribe to the Carrie Hill Creative quarterly newsletter AND 1) subscribe as monthly donors on any subscription tier; 2) pledge a donation of $5 or more. If I’m feeling generous, I may also post an image or two on my Instagram account, so stay tuned!
The work on my mental health project continues. Right now I’m facing logistical challenges because the majority of people interested in sitting for this project are located on Vancouver Island, and crossing to/from by car is expensive! If you are interested in participating, please send me a line and let’s talk. I’m willing to make the trip if you’re willing to be raw, honest, and vulnerable about what living with mental illness is like for you. Exposing your belly, so to speak, is going to be the spark that humanizes this experience for people who are fortunate enough not to have to know what it’s like. So long as I have enough time off and have the means to make the trip (hint-hint, potential sponsors!), I’m willing to cross the province up to 5 hours out-of-city (Vancouver) to make this happen. Let’s talk about it.
I’m personally facing a bit of an identity crisis, as I was recently (officially!!!) diagnosed with a trauma-related disability, as well as two anxiety-related disorders. I’m being referred to a psychiatric therapist to address some loose ends that they want to confirm, which may mean additional diagnoses. So my time since this last Friday has been spent wrapping my head around the fact that after 20 years of on-again-off-again seeking help for my mental health, I finally have some answers, surprising as the outcome was. As nice as it is to know that my concerns were never “just in my head,” it is also enraging to recognize that it literally took two decades to get answers because the medical system passed me off as dramatic. Sigh.
I am building my engagement and wedding portfolio! If you are seeking a photographer for your upcoming wedding, please contact me and let’s talk. I can’t offer any free sessions, but once you take a look at my portfolio and get an idea of my style, if you are willing to take a leap of faith with me, I’ll offer a really reasonable rate and a whole heckin’ LOT of photos. Just tell me you found the offer on my blog, and we are golden! I’m booking as of now and into 2022.
Last but not least: WHERE ARE MY BOUDOIR BABES AT? I feel a MIGHTY need to photograph gods, goddesses, nymphs, sprites, and pixies in their glory. Please take a look at my portfolio, and if what I do interests you, let’s get you scheduled for a FREE consultation!
Image ID: Extreme close-up of my cat Sam in early 2011 as a kitten, approximately 3 months old. He is a blue-point Siamese with blue-green eyes. The only thing in focus are his eyes. In the frame, he is giving me the “stink-eye”.
I leave you here with an obligatory photo of my cat in his ridiculously adorable kittenness.