I'm ready.

So I’m writing this on my half birthday thinking about how much has changed since March. In the past six months or so, I lost the job that I loved dearly, produced my first music video, moved, and have received too many emails stating “in these unprecedented times”. In January I had so many exciting plans for this year: travel, hopefully moving up in a company I adored, being on my first tour, and celebrating all the creativity that this year would include. Clearly, this year has looked a lot different than those dreams I had. Yet, I refused to lose the momentum I was gaining.

So I made sure to live each day with intention. To me, intention does not equate to productivity. To live with intention means not waiting to do the thing you want + creating the life you dream of.

After losing my cushy studio job, I had to pivot (not without a couple weeks sulking in bed and crying, of course). This pivot was extra challenging because not only did I lose my main gig, but every concert or wedding I had booked for the year would be canceled too. I couldn’t just embrace the full-time student life and live off my savings. No, that just isn’t my style. I needed to create. On one of the many drives I would go on to my favorite lookout, I wrote a list of what I needed to feel whole again. The top of that list said, “make cool sh*t w/ cool people”. It’s a little silly and maybe a little more surface-level than what I believe my work is. After all, I strive to make work that is smart and based on insights, not just “cool” and definitely not “sh*t”. “Cool” is definitely a bonus though!

So here I am 5 months after writing that mantra. In that time I produced my first music video with a group of musicians I adore and my dream crew, created 3 different single cover art campaigns for 2 different artists, 2 album covers for 2 other artists, and have begun production for my next music video which I will be directing. So yeah I’ve been making cool sh*t w/ cool people and have proven that I am more than just a photographer.

Through it all, I have learned a lot. One of the biggest learnings for me has been that I don’t need to wait. A shiny degree or someone else’s permission isn’t going to mean I’m ready for this.

So here I am, launching a new creative endeavor. It’s called a\tr. It’s creative direction for musicians.