This is the 18th in my series of post about people, ideas, images, art, creatives, that inspire me to continue on this journey of artistic creation through photography. Today’s post is about someone I’ve just discovered through the link-mania that is Twitter: Daniel Milnor and his website and blog, www.smogranch.com.
Daniel had me hooked right from his tagline, “breathing the photographic dream with Daniel Milnor.” If this isn’t a tagline that speaks straight to my heart, I don’t know what is. And poking around his site is an experience much like what Daniel puts front and center: a big breath of much needed fresh air.
I want to say that Milnor’s approach and photographic style are sweet, kind, encouraging, supportive, grounded, creative…but all these adjectives somehow fall short. His approach is soulful and solid and he appears to connect with his subjects and his photography with a gentleness and playfulness that is rare in today’s .jpg world of photography. I dunno, maybe that’s why he shoots film.
In one recent post, I can’t find the reference now, he encourages his readers to let their art, their photography, breathe; to get their images off the computer screen and into frames, into photobooks, oonto canvas, out in the light of day rather than trapped in the electronic prison of 1’s and 0’s. Well, yep, I was moved (who can resist after he posts images of his beautiful book-form creations!) and spent the next 6 hours creating a notebook on Blurb.com. I just loved it, I felt so energized, inspired. And just think, this inspiration was as simple as breathing in a bit of Daniel Milnor and smogranch.com.
I’m revisiting this blog post after spending some more time with Milnor’s blog, reading through some of his posts more carefully, quietly, slowly. And you know, he does seem to be calling me to slow down. Yes, I know it sounds trite, but good, soulful, writing like this-whether intended or not-slows me down and makes me believe I am the only intended audience. It feels like a letter from a good friend. It makes me glad I know him. And it makes me want to be like him-a kind of “I want to be like him when I become a grown-up photographer” feeling. Nice!
And Blurb.com made a short docu-movie about him, and right in my own backyard too:
Brian,
Wow, I’m flattered. Glad you found something of note in my ramblings. For me, the key for writing or putting out information on our beloved photography is simply to be honest. Write what we feel. My goal with writing is not to sell, which allows me a freedom that others might not have. Film fits my lifestyle. I realize that I don’t want to live my life in the fast lane or in a hurry. Thanks for reading.
DRM
Daniel,
Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. I very much appreciate it and am flattered and grateful for the thought you put into it. I agree with you, and sometimes need reminding, about the value of a slower, more thoughtful, less frenzied approach to both photography and life. Your blog posts have helped me remember.
My best to you and thanks again,
Brian