Four Years of Vagabonding

I was reminded this week of an anniversary. Four years ago this month I began writing to you here as the Vagabond Photographer! At the time, I never really thought about the why’s or when’s of blogging. Indeed I am quite surprised that I kept a fairly regular schedule of writing Sunday missives and on this anniversary I find myself reflecting on the why’s and the when’s.

The when is easy. For me Sunday has always been a day of reflection. It has not been too difficult to carve out an hour or two to blog here. The why, however, has changed over the four years. I actually started out blogging with a simple purpose: to share with my family what I have been up to each week. Back then (September 2009 onwards) I was travelling heavily for my work. You could close your eyes and point to a place on the map and you might just find me there, with my camera tagging along. In fact, the name of this blog originated in these hectic travels that I loved so much. Here’s an early post from my favourite city, Vancouver, and one from my second favourite city, New York.

Somewhere along the way, this blog also became a place to air my reflections on both publishing and photography, two industries that are near and dear to my heart and two industries that are currently struggling through a phase that can best be described as digital disruption. I hope that you, my loyal readers, haven’t minded too much when I climbed upon my soapbox on a few occasions, like here and here. I have to thank you for your interest and patience as I have worked through these challenges on certain Sundays when work may have been weighing heavily on my mind or heart.

Which brings me to the posts that I have most feared sharing with you. The ones where I have bared my sometimes weary, worried or wounded soul. Like most folks I know, we all have our challenges in life, and it is usually the way we respond to them that either makes or breaks us. I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart for listening when I have had to work out a few things in writing here. By now I trust that you will keep me in your thoughts and cheer me along when it is most needed. Thankfully these posts are few and far between and keep me grounded and appreciative of the best of times.

Thanks so much for continuing to vagabond along with me. With you in my corner, I always know I am not vagabonding through this wide, wonderful world alone. Thank you!