It is my birthday today, and I officially have turned 40. That sounds so surreal, I really cannot believe I am hitting 40 already. In the midst of all the tornado of busy activities happening around me, I'd like to take a small moment to just commemorate this mini milestone in my life. I feel blessed and extremely fortunate to be alive, being surrounded by amazing and kind people all the time, for that I cannot ask for more in life. The year has been interesting - career wise there was nothing much to report, but I am still surviving and fighting, and I still enjoy every little bit of work that I have done throughout the whole year, for that I am truly grateful. If I were to make a wish for my birthday, I'd ask for more time - it seems like I can never get enough time to spend with my awesome friends, though I don't have that many honestly! Time seems to increase in value as we age.
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| Image taken by Van Ligutom, used with permission. |
Let me paint a picture of how busy I have been as of late. Here is a list of projects, jobs and engagements I have in December:
1. A sponsored video content - start to finish within a week
2. Engagement with Nikon Malaysia - this is a speaking engagement, I will be sharing about my experience shooting with the new Z50 II, which will be in January 2025, but I need to make my content and start my preparations in December
3. Viltrox sent their 35mm F1.7 lens for APS-C Nikon, and I am in the midst of reviewing this lens
4. An overseas wedding shoot in Medan, Indonesia, I will be away from tomorrow till the end of the week.
5. The video sponsor was happy with my first content, they asked me to do another one which will start soon, this time a magnetic filter accessory for lenses.
6. A few small jobs there and here (nothing major, birthday parties, small company private events) but they do take up a chunk of my time.
7. My usual weekly videos and live stream sessions? They still continue on and they also take time to create.
It almost felt like I had back to back shoots and projects, with very little room to breathe in between. I am not complaining, I am actually very thankful for the opportunities and influx of jobs. Not only I am getting a good steady flow of income, the flurry of activities also keep me on my toes and always ready to perform, instead of slacking off and wasting my time away.
How do I feel about 2024? How has the year been, and what it is like at the end of my thirties?
Health wise, I have been putting a lot more work in the gym. I have been working out more consistently than ever, lifting heavier weights and pushing my limits. The goal is to stay as strong as I can and being able to function effectively as I age, and I know as I get older it will be harder to build muscle mass and improve fitness. Hence, now is an important time to really focus on working harder in the gym. Being physically fit also boosts my other areas in life, I can work more optimally as a photographer, being able to move around with agility, and not struggling while handling cameras and lenses which are not exactly that light. I think everyone should put health as a priority and start working on improving fitness regardless of age. There is no excuse, you are responsible for your own body and well being.
Photography jobs have had the cycles of ups and downs. I have lost several recurring clients (not from my own fault really), one company got shut down, and another was involved in such a huge scandal that hit front pages of newspapers, I'd rather not get involved, and keep my distance. I have also made a few new clients, and at the end everything balances up, but I cannot guarantee that the momentum or consistency of jobs will remain the same until the next years. That is the nature of freelance jobs, even for photographers, there is always that uncertainty of losing jobs or clients and not getting enough to hit your own minimum earning quota. I am doing the best I can, and I am thankful that photography jobs is not my sole source of income now.
Then there is the YouTube channel. The viewership and engagement from the existing audience have been steady and strong throughout the year. I have introduced membership subscription this year, perhaps the only big thing that changed on the channel, and it was well received. It is nice knowing that I have supporters who would contribute to me monthly to keep me going. I have also done Live Streams on every Thursdays without fail for the whole year, and the numbers are not too insignificant either. While there is no exponential growth or viral videos making waves out there, I am quite happy with the performance of the channel so far. I'd rather have a smaller high-quality audience who would comment regularly and actually care about me, than a million empty fans who hit the subscribe button but do nothing more than that.
I am truly thankful that I am still able to do what I love to do and have not burned out yet. I love photography, I love playing with cameras. Having a career that utilizes my talent and passion at the same time was a huge blessing, really. The YouTube is a happy place for me - what more can I say, I can share and talk about what I love to a considerably large audience, that itself is a gift I am not taking for granted.
Let's not forget that I still have this blog where it all started, and I still continue to write on. Funny story, I have written more articles this year than any of the past 10 years. Not only do I reshare thoughts and images from my video content on YouTube, but I have also made a few original, non-YouTube related articles here, which I got to say I am quite proud of. Also, the traffic to this blog has remained consistently high, which was something I did not expect at all, I get about 150k page views per month, that is averaging 5k views per day! Not bad for an old blog still surviving into an era where blogs are considered dinosaurs. I enjoy writing, and I will continue to use this platform to share my thoughts, and some things are better shared in written format versus video.
Are there any regrets in 2024? Some things I wish I have done differently. Well, there is only one, not so much of a regret, but I did not take much time off for myself. Not that I am working nonstop or going crazy making content, I always made sure I have enough sleep and rest. However, time away, like a holiday or vacation would have been nice. Therefore, I am planning some overseas vacations next year, just to get away from everything, celebrate the small wins and enjoy life!
I also must make an effort to spend more time with friends. After all, without my friends, I would not be here today. Unfortunately, I have to postpone my own birthday celebrations till next year, until this crazy whirlwind of projects and work subsided a little bit. Not a good excuse really, but I will make time. My awesome friends, you all know who you are, if you are reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart for believing in me, and being here with me. You know I appreciate you and I love you.
As usual, no new year resolutions. At least, nothing specific. One thing that is an on-going work in progress - to be a better person. Because, like what Jerry Ghionis (international award winning wedding photographer) said, to be a better photographer, be a better person first.
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