12-27-2013
This has been a great year, one filled with changes, growth and plenty of fun.
The year started with relocating to Lincoln, California. While Lincoln is not far from Sacramento, it has a very different feel. With a population of 44,000 people, Lincoln offers a quieter and slower-paced lifestyle. Local businesses are very friendly and comfortable. People regularly say “Hello” on the sidewalks and I’ve seen numerous examples of the community coming together to help a neighbor who may struggling with one of life’s challenges.
One of the hurdles of moving was establishing my photo business in our new location. After living in Sacramento for almost 50 years, I knew it would be important to make new connections in Lincoln. Joining the local Chamber of Commerce and Art League were the first steps; both of these organizations were very welcoming and open to new members. I immediately met some friendly and supportive people and began making connections to others.
Before moving to Lincoln, I tried to research information about Lincoln and noticed a dearth of information about the town, its traditions and events. I realized there was likely an unmet need for local news, so I launched “LIFE in Lincoln,” a feature-news website. I figured this would be a great way to learn more about the town and gain some exposure to the locals at the same time. I asked around about interesting events and people, interviewed them and took their photos and posted stories. I was a bit surprised at the response. In 2013, LIFE in Lincoln had 3,575 unique visitors and 7,410 pageviews. I consider that a big accomplishment for the first year.
In addition to the exposure provided by the site, I had the greater pleasure of learning more about the people of Lincoln. Some examples:
- I met a school dad who ran for 24 hours straight to raise awareness for his daughters’ school fundraising efforts.
- I attended high school rodeo events.
- I saw hundreds of people run in the mud for suicide awareness and prevention.
- I met parents who camped out “Black-Friday style” for kindergarten registration.
- I attended a genuine small-town-Americana 4th of July parade.
- I met a family who covers two acres of their property with holiday lights for others to visit…at no charge.
Fortunately, the move to Lincoln did not disrupt my current photography business in Sacramento. I had the pleasure of working some new clients in 2013, including KB Homes, Range of Light, Motel 6 and Hill Physicians. I also enjoyed shooting again for many regular clients, some of whom have been working with me for several years.
After teaching photo classes at the Learning Exchange for four years, I decided it was time to pass it on to someone else. I’ve meet over 1,000 students in these classes and teaching has been very rewarding. The additional miles of driving began to wear on me, plus I’m really compelled to begin teaching photo classes in Lincoln.
Some personal projects also kept me busy this year. I helped a friend convert a few hundred 35mm color slides to digital files. These were photos he took as a young man in the service in the 60’s. It was fun to hear his reactions when he saw the images of old friends and family members. Some of these images looked better after digital enhancement than they did as the original slides. I also had the honor of hanging some of my photographic art in art shows and coffee shops. With all the digital viewing methods available, sometimes a framed print is still the most enjoyable to look at.
In the category of photo gear, this was also a year of changes. I downsized, both in the quantity of equipment and the footprint as well. I noticed a growing accumulation of camera gear and decided I needed to lighten my load. I sold off most of it and in doing so, I’ve also moved over to a new system of cameras. These cameras offer excellent image quality in a smaller and lighter design. I’m really enjoying the freedom and fun in shooting with less clutter, both in my hands and in my head.
I’m looking forward to 2014 – every year is better than the last. Happy New Year!
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Ron Nabity Photography 