Update from a longtime photographer full time mom

Well hello everyone. It has been 5 months since we last spoke and I wanted to return your kindness and help in my struggles to find my place and purpose through my photography. I felt I owed that to all of you who really did help to inspire me to continue the search of finding me through photography. The journey continues but I have found a niche that seems to challenge me and hopefully can help me integrate and express my emotions into something tangible. I feel that I need to be honest in my update in exploring my journey.
Self portraiture seems to be the avenue that suits this purpose best for me. Exploring ways to express my emotions and thoughts through self portraiture challenges me on many different levels and helps me to delve into issues that surround me.
It is difficult to get across an emotional issue successfully but I feel using myself as a subject works best for me .
This pursuit is still very much in its early stages but the issues I struggle with is how to balance or whether I should consider expressing “sentiments” not considered politically or socially popular by some. I hesitate to share more as not to get involved in issues that some may have different opinions on and I do not wish to offend anyone. Although the various subject matter may perhaps not be of the popular opinion I feel the need to express myself on these subject .
Again thanks to all for caring enough to respond to my original introduction, and taking the time to read this update which I hope doesn’t come across as self involved as it sounds to me.
Anita

Every individual has their own path to pursue in photography; none should be subject to a vote outside of the person doing the creating. Just pursue what you are instinctively drawn to; there are no right or wrongs here.

Not everyone might enjoy or understand your path, but that's OK. Do as you like and feel compelled to do.

Good luck!

Anita, Thanks for coming back with an update. So glad you have found the beginnings of your journey. Pull that thread and listen to that voice, it will lead you to where you need to go.

Keep it up,
D.

Good to hear from you @AHL - and also that you've focused your photographic journey in a particular direction. Whether or not you choose to share the results here, I wish you the best of luck in further pursuing it!

AHL said:

issues I struggle with is how to balance or whether I should consider expressing “sentiments” not considered politically or socially popular by some.

Click to expand...

I think perhaps we could start by distinguishing making the photographs from showing them. And if they're going to be shown, there may be ways to exercise a certain degree of control over what audience gets to see them. This may make the endeavor feel safer?

I agree with the others.

Never censor your art at the moment of creation, because that is stifling to the flow of your ideas. You can choose who you show it to later.

There are many artists that I will never appreciate but I still like that they had the opportunity to express themselves. There are also artists out there who are considered broadly offensive but that doesn't mean their work is worth less from that. They just have a harder and less accepting road to travel.

It sounds like you mostly want to engage in a personal project of expression, so your main audience will be yourself - you will be the one that gets the greatest amount of value from it. You may also feel the need to show others (as the end point of that expressive attempt), and then you get to control what audience you are trying to reach and what you will show them.

All personal work has a value, even if no one sees it. As for being offensive - some offences are worse than others and sometimes the right thing to do is offend.