I’ve been out of the game for a while lately, or so it may seem. In reality, I’m actually playing a different game and started on September 1st of 2009. I’ve reinvented myself. Not only as a person, but also in the way I approach my creative outlet that most call “photography”. While my outlet may be called or thought of as “photography” to some, to me it is yet another means of artistic expression for me. A means of internal expression and relaxation, if you will.

I shut down my Web site in the latter part of August, 2009. I pulled my portfolio, pricing, services offered, and my contact information. I began turning down potential clients. I was in the process of being repurposed internally which also meant putting things on hold externally. To put it bluntly, I shut the doors on my photography “business”.

To this day, in the early morning of December 4th, 2009, you can still consider “Jeff Cross Photography” closed, out of business, out to lunch, or whatever you want to call it when someone no longer has their doors open providing a service or product to the general public for money. My approach to my artistic expression became so skewed since I began in February 2008, and even after reinventing my process and photographic style in July of 2008.

I was destroying what I had so passionately and [somewhat] patiently learned and sought to do so that I may get my creative visions out to the screen, to print, and to the public. While trying to share my art with the world, I became dissatisfied. I was doing what I had grown to love for all the wrong reasons and was headed towards a dead end before I could even realize it.

So, I sat down. I became still. I refocused on what was important in life, totally unrelated to photography. I found that I was working too hard to please people with my talents and in the process, I myself was becoming dissatisfied with every click of the shutter and mouse.

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Tags: Appeal, Appeal Texarkana Magazine, Business, Closed, Magazine, Photography, Publication

2 Responses to “Creepin’ on a Come Up…”

1. 
   Jennifer Says:
   December 17th, 2009 at 9:15 pm

   Jeff,

   These are really powerful thoughts. I’m in the process of thinking through what I want out of MY creative life right now. I all but quit writing this year because what I was doing was what “others” wanted me to do but wasn’t fulfilling to ME. I’m slowly finding out what I want my writing to be — and I’m writing again. There should be more blog entries coming soon…. I’m just trying to take it slowly this time and make sure it comes together the “right” way this time — in the way that expresses MY creativity and fulfills ME. If not, why do it, right?

   Here, you express much of what is on my heart right now. Thanks for writing it down.

2. 

   Jeff Cross Says:
   December 18th, 2009 at 2:22 pm

   Thank you for the comment, Jennifer. I am glad that you found some encouragement in this post. I just had to get my thoughts out and let everybody know why I was somewhat “underground”. I haven’t quit quote-unquote photography, just what I shoot and who I shoot for.

   I am glad you are writing again and look forward to reading some of your new material.

   Jeff Cross // Photographist