Yeah, I’m still alive… just not really active.
Long story short, my priorities changed. I guess I’m getting old, but I feel far less connected with people at conventions nowadays. Also mentally I just wasn’t really feeling the cosplay scene anymore and decided if I ever shoot at cons anymore, I’ll just revert to my 2011-2012 style of hallway shots + free private shoots if I was really interested. COVID didn’t help either since it essentially removed everyone from the convention scene for a good year and a half to 2 years.
I guess I’ve become a cosplay snob too but truthfully, I’m usually only motivated by what I see at Anime North as far as quality, aside from a select few impressive displays I see locally. Since I’ve largely been away from cons for going on 3 years now, maybe I’ll feel differently after some time away from the scene, but that remains to be seen. There’s a possibility I show up to Youmacon 2023 but I don’t see myself going to anything before that.
In 2015 I was talking about I wanted to shoot less but make more… now I’m not shooting and making $0 from it essentially, aside from maybe a one off senior portrait session / couples photo shoot / and a possible maternity shoot this year. My stated goal income for photography back then was about $5000/year… well it’s around 4% of that usually a year now. I’ve chosen the old school route of overtime at work instead haha.
I’m still taking photos… but the doll hobby is primarily where my photo energy goes now. I plan to revive blog.rensuchan.com, and doll photos will definitely be posted. I think writing and getting some personal feelings out in the open is a good thing and I should probably do more of it, even if ultimately nobody is reading it.
continue…