explanation

So, I was listening to Pandora Radio yesterday (it was my "Mellow Electronic" station, pooled from the Postal Service, Junior Boys, Hot Chip, and the like) when I happened across Mike Milosh. I loved his music immediately and investigated him further. I found his photography blog and enjoyed that just as much. I shot him an email:

"So, I first happened upon your music via Pandora's radio. My ears perked up as soon as I heard "It's Over", so I looked you up and then found your photography blog, which was just as impressive. I love your emotive female portraits, especially. I am a photographer and a musician, too, and I feel like both endeavors fight for my full attention. How do you balance it out, I wonder? It's nice to see someone succeeding in both areas.

Thank you for sharing your artwork, both visual and musical."

I didn't expect a response, but I received one, only hours later. And it floored me:

"Interesting question. Basically the balance is that I just can't always be making music, I have to intentionally slow myself down, that way ideas mature, you take more time on the details make things more complex. Photography is the perfect alternative for me because it is so immediate. It just takes the time that I actually shoot and a little post but even that is really immediate, I don't think about shots for days on end. I love the contrast with it and the more time consuming act of composing, writing and recording music. I am a very visual person and I think it's no secret that I love shooting women, their faces and bodies. There is something so satisfying to me about capturing something rather subtle but alluring about someone I am visually drawn to. Also it is a beautiful outlet for a specific side of my sexuality."

!!!

!!1!!1!!!!

He articulated something I've been struggling to explain ever since my interest in photography developed.

If I'm not producing something, I get antsy and feel stagnant artistically. Photography is the perfect outlet for me- not only because of the immediacy of producing something the moment the shutter clicks, but because I can spend time editing them later in Photoshop. If I'm feeling anxious and unproductive, I find myself going through my most recent photoshoots for photos that I love whose tones I want to tweak until I get it just the way I like it, satisfying my need to produce.

However, since music was my first interest, with the introduction of photography in the mix, I've been feeling guilty for not balancing the passions properly, when really, my idea of "balance" didn't really apply to those activities because they are so different in their processes. I can't churn out music as quickly as I can churn out photos, is all. I've been struggling with this ever since I fell in love with photography. I knew that it never had to be a battle between one passion or the other, really, but his explanation just tied a bow around the whole thing.

I feel relieved.

Thank you.