Let's Get Real

Hello world,

Cameron (Troy), back from a much-needed hiatus. For those of you who have been reading my blog for the short time that its been live, thank you for joining me again. To those of you seeing it for the first time, welcome; I’m glad to have to have you.

Before we get into the realness mentioned in the title, I’d like to say I’m glad to be back to this writing thing. It’s hard, but it stretches me. Not every one of my thoughts can be expressed in a photograph, though that would be ideal…considering my chosen profession. BUT this is another way for me to connect with you, so I am happy to do it.

That being said, I’ve been AFK-away from keyboard (shouts to all my gamer mates) for a good reason…or a few very good reasons honestly.

I am tired.

Owning a business is hard. I don’t have to tell some of you that. From networking, to planning, to shooting, to editing (rinse and repeat), it gets rough. Fatigue can set in bloody quick if one is not careful. And I didn’t even mention all the mundane administrative stuff (which, truth be told, I’m kind of a nerd about and therefore enjoy).

In addition to that, though this has since been remedied, I’ve felt less than inspired. At times, in any field, though in creative fields such as photography and design this can be a crippling dilemma. What do you do when you can’t create?

Watch Netflix and eat baby carrots (totally didn’t do that…*ahem).

NO.

To create one must simply create. No one is asking you, or me to have this overwhelming incandescent pride in everything that is produced. However, there should be some pride had in the effort put forth to make something out of the nothingness feeling that is the drought of an uninspired mind.

I struggled; did the work I saw as tedious and mundane – shoot-edit-deliver – and moved on. But in my off time, I explored.

No one else can be blamed for my own lack of inspiration. My art is my responsibility.

This brings me to my final reason for my absence.

The saddening one, the infuriating one, poignant one and hopefully, the sobering one.

As mentioned before, my art is my responsibility.

However, it isn’t my only one. I have many; my realtionships, my health, the roof over my head…all (and many more) a part of this thing we call human existence.

There is one more thing though…one more thorn, one more speck of dust that has floated in the to collective eye of the freelancer.

My demand to be respected as a professional.

*queue awkwardly chirping crickets

Some of you who are reading this already know where I’m going with this, because you’re right there with me.

Months ago (I forget how many), I quit a job in an industry I’ve worked in for more years than I care to remember because my drive to do what I love was steering my down a path of apathy.

If you know me, then you know that I am a man of passion, therefore apathy is not a good place for me to dwell. It could never end well; it doesn’t for anyone.

So I struck out on my own and started a business. The one that funds the time I spend ranting on this blog.

Cameron Story Photography, under the umbrella of C.T.S Media LLC.

Yes, I actually own a company; this isn’t a playground 20 somethings who don’t want to grow up.

I am a photographer, designer, social media consultant and part-time educator.

Most people don’t know all those things because in order to stay organized, I have to compartmentalize.

I provide a service, a product, and in return I receive payment. That’s how businesses work. But I didn’t need to tell you that, did I?

No, because you and I frequent business of various kinds every single day; from coffee shops, to pet groomers.

So when I am asked to asked to wake up, arrive at a certain location at a certain time, photograph something, retouch/edit said photographs, name files, export to a useable file type and deliver them to someone, all without requiring them to do much more than lift a finger…I expect to be compensated the same as your dishwasher repair guy. It’s only how the world works.

I understand that the life of an artist is lost on most people. It’s hard to comprehend that we can make a living creating things that are beautiful, but not always necessarily functional…but wait, art is functional.

Its function is to bring the viewer some joy, some solace, some thought that may not have been found without looking through the eyes of another…the artist.

Look around you. The building in which you sit, the lampposts you walk by every day, maybe even the shirt on your back had an artist behind its inception.

And you handed them your dollars without a second thought.

So please, be kind to, and respect the artists around you.

Their grind is as gritty as the 9 to 5.

Furthermore, the question “Is that your real job?” will no longer be dignified with an answer.

I love you all.

Thanks for reading, scrolling and reading some more.

See you next week

Cameron (Troy) Story

Inspired?

This one goes out to all the creatives out there. I get stuck sometimes, often, in fact. 

Uninspired, blocked, stopped up. Whatever you want to call it. I was feeling it just a few moments before writing this actually. It sucks, to be frank. 

However, I am a creator by profession, so I can’t really afford not to create. This is my bread and butter, per se (though I prefer pita and hummus). So, what happens when I can’t create?

Do I break down, crash and burn, drink heavily?

Well…yes, sometimes. But more often than not, I try my best to overcome it. Here is my process….

Usually accompanied by coffee, I plant myself at my desk. Once there, I cry a little bit and wonder why I’m not a bartender anymore, because the pay was so, so good. 

Then I snap back to reality and remember I’m living the dream (or at least mine).

Out comes the legal pad; you know those obnoxiously coloured tablets of lined paper? Yeah, that’s what they’re called. I would grab different paper, but at this point I’ve already sat down, and let’s be honest, I won’t be getting up for awhile. 

Then comes the random doodling, scrawling of my name in various fonts, the lyrics from a song I didn’t even know was stuck in my head. This seems unproductive, I know. 

Remember, I said my process…

After all that, I start looking through the many folders of images I’ve captured, I critique a bit and pat myself on the back for a few. That’s when the real work comes in…that’s when I start to analyze. What have I done already? How can I take it further? From backgrounds to shadows, poses to wardrobe. I pop my headphones in, listen to Stormzy, and make some more notes…then…ROAM. 

Yeah, that’s a huge part of my process, I just walk around. I look at things; parking structures, abandoned schools, alleys, trees, textures. I take it all in. I probably look lost a lot of the time, but I suppose, in a way, I am. Lost in the experience, in discovery. I, in no way, claim to be some sort of inspiration specialist, if there even is such a thing. The point behind this somewhat comical description of my creative process is just to say that you can be inspired by anything. The important thing is to get out and focus on something besides the fact that you “can’t” do it.

You CAN, but you won’t unless you try.  This is not my own wisdom. It was imparted to me by many a mentor, but stands the test of time. Keep at it, you beautiful people. Thanks for clicking, scrolling, reading and gazing. 

Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure!

You’re the best

Cameron (Troy) Strory 

Locked Up...an Adventure Blog

Welcome back!

Did you miss me?

I did…

….Miss you…not myself…I’ve been here the whole time.

This week we're going on an adventure.

Well, I did, and now you can read about it. Yippee ki-yay, Mr. Falcon (free mini portrait session to the first person to comment the origin of that reference).

A few weeks ago I took a little road trip with some friends, and fellow ‘grammers (a slang term for people who are VERY into Instagram, which I am) to the abandoned and beautiful State penitentiary in the capital city of Missouri, Jefferson City.

There are SO many things to say about this place, but as my profession dictates, I will let my photographs do the majority of the talking. 

•••This is not a once in a lifetime experience like a lot of the things that often occur in my life, as you can can visit this place basically anytime you’d like, BUT it was indeed a spectacular one. Additionally, the opportunity to take this trip in the company I did was one that could not-in good conscience- be passed up. 

Pictured left to right: Adam, Aaron, Bri, Joe, Ray and Ty (click for their Instagram profiles).

Upon arrival in Jeff City we, as all Instagram enthusiasts do, gathered out front of the stone facade and snapped off a number of photos that would cause Henri Cartier-Bresson to hang his head, ashamed, and walk sullenly as far from us as possible. Which, interestingly enough would be about as haunting as the interior of this decommissioned prison would end up being. Now, I don’t believe in ghosts (most of the time), but I do believe in the staying power of history and its tendency to cast a shadow of emotion over the place in which in occurs.

I wish I could regurgitate all of the facts that I learned from out our tour guide, but I must admit, I was enamored  by my surroundings. In those moments, it was my job to capture the visual representation of the feeling of being captured…an inception of sorts….Christopher Nolan would be proud…maybe. 

We all feel trapped at one point or another, but what do we really know?

Pictured: @tysechler

Walking these rows, seeing the bars that, at one time, separated human beings from the outside world was sobering. There is nothing we value more than our freedom, even if we don’t realize it. 

My freedom allows me to take this little black box of plastic, metal and glass, point it at whatever I wish, and capture a moment, forever stealing it away from time to keep for myself, or those I choose to share it with. 

Pictured: @adampane

Can you really imagine not having that freedom? It’s all about perspective…

Maybe as a photographer I am biased, but what else do we have?

I'll just say it, perspective IS all we have; it's the means by which we analyze our situations i.e. the amount of freedom we possess. 

This was just a brief look into the great time we had at the MO Pen, but you can learn more, including how you can take the tour yourself, by hitting up www.missouripentours.com! I encourage you to check it out!

I love you all, thanks for clicking, scrolling and reading. 

You’re the best.

Cameron (Troy) Story

...beginnings

Hello world,

My name is Cameron Story, though some of you may know me as Cameron Troy from the social media world.

w e l c o m e  t o  m y  b l o g

I was sitting at my desk editing photos when I came to the striking realization that my life had taken a dramatic turn in just a matter of weeks. 

I left the coffee industry (which has been home to me for more years than most would willingly admit), picked up a camera and said, “Time to shoot for a living,” not out loud, as I was alone at the time.. 

Prior to making my grand exodus from the world of beverage service, I had been taking photographs here and there, and making some ripples in the professional realm, but I knew it was time for a change. I can’t say that one single event or occurrence spurred me to this, but whatever it was served as a giant [somehow subtle] "kick in the pants," as they say.

Since all that, I have launched the website, on which you are reading this blog, started a company and worked harder than I ever have.

The best part is that I am learning; learning and LOVING it. 

In the coming weeks I’ll be blogging about photography, those I meet a long this new journey, tips + tricks and likely many other related topics [and occasionally something not-so-related]. I believe it informs and supports the creative process to get things down on "paper," so I'm taking a crack at it.

I’d love for you to stop by and check out new posts each week. Be sure to tell your friends, family, dentist, the ice cream man or whoever else comes to mind. 

Have a go at the comment box if you like, and if you have any questions feel free to click the contact button up top and drop me a line. 

Cheers all!

Cameron (Troy) Story