New Website - Let's Keep it Simple

In case you have followed me closely over the last few years and did some reading between the lines, you probably think I’m crazy by now. And you’re probably right too. Instead of making the most out of what once made me a reasonably successful photographer, I kept changing my mind about my direction, never settling on one thing. 

It drove me nuts (I told you, you were right) not knowing what I’m supposed to do, dealing with an industry in crisis and refusing to trade the passion for a business mindset. The truth is, I’m still not sure. But I have found peace and calm in the process (well, on the good days anyway). 

Doing the 50/50 project, almost immediately followed by doing something similar for the launch of the Fujifilm X100V, got me back to enjoying photography. Those projects were all about documenting life, exploring and creating freely. I didn’t think about the best times to schedule posts for social media. I didn’t worry about my post processing style not being in tune with the fashion of the moment. And I didn’t bother putting up an idealised version of myself for the outside world. That, my friends, was such a refreshing experience. 

To reflect the insights and the peace I found by just being myself, including the flaws, I’m changing my website completely. Instead of putting my educational stuff on www.bertstephani.info and trying to create a commercial wow-version of my work here on www.bertstephani.com, I’m merging the two into one site that is centered around an old fashioned blog. I should note that I’ve been highly inspired by my friend Patrick LaRoque’s website. I’ll never be Patrick, but I’m sure I can be Bert.

Instead of a tightly curated portfolio, I’m making a gallery for each year that contains the images that mean something to me wether they are portfolio worthy or not. 

The site is a work in progress and I’m sure it will change in the future, but for now, this is what feels right to me.