Welcome to My Thoughts!

A blog about my thoughts on photography, concerts, entrepreneurship, and so much more...

My name is Nathan Thompson, and I tell stories.

Stories have always been my constant — whether I’m behind a camera, a keyboard, a mic, or just scribbling into a journal at 2 a.m. This blog is a long-overdue extension of that impulse and another way to document, reflect, and connect through honest storytelling.

Me shooting CU Buffs Football at Folsom Field

After hundreds of thousands of shutter clicks, and thousands of hours toiling over Adobe software, budgets, emails, how-to YouTube videos, other photo blogs, more emails, and all the other unseen muck that photographers, freelancers, and small business owners trudge through, I thought, "what better way to chronicle this learning process than by opening myself up to the harsh digital landscape that is our internet." (Place your bets now for how long you think I can survive). This is meant to be a space for my brain vomit to see the light of day in hopes that someone, somewhere may find something useful, someway, somehow.

I must say, the true catalyst for the departure of my thoughts from my journals was my sixth severe head injury. After that many bonks to the noggin, I've found it more and more difficult to effectively put my thoughts together and communicate my ideas. This blog forces my brain to train itself back to full strength. I'd be remiss if I didn't thank my past cognitive psychologists for their encouragement to push my brain-- even more so if I didn't thank the lovely folks with Kaiser's MFA team for clearing my medical debt. Sometimes being broke has its perks.

Enough about the "why" these words are meeting your eyeballs, let's dig into the "what" and "how;" the two reasons you'll want to stay up to date with this blog.

What you can expect, and why you'll want to stick around

First off, there's a comment section, so you have free rein to make fun of me. You could also use this power for good, like sharing your own stories, opening up productive dialogue about a relevant topic, developing a digital creative community, or providing constructive feedback based on the things you've learned... But this is the internet, why would we do that?

Beyond acting on your primal impulses in the comments, this blog is meant to share with you the knowledge I have worked for over six years to build, and it puts you in the passenger seat as I continue to figure shit out. Imagine that, you can learn from my mistakes so you don't have to make them! This is all meant for photographers, bands, producers, and any freelancer or young professional looking to make their rent.

I'm also promising my commitment to sharing my authentic voice in a world that seems all too processed and saturated with thoughtless words and creations from out-of-touch big wigs who have forgotten what it means to be a starving artist. The lonely ramen and lentils that decorate my cabinet should be proof enough that I'm still working at taking the "starving" out of starving artist. (Tip number one: find a partner with a steady job)

For all the photographers out there, I'll leave you with this...

If you have any doubts about yourself or what you do, congratulations, you are a beautiful, moral being, and that consciousness can take you much further than you know. While your doubts are likely incredibly irrational, I hope these words show you that, if a jackass like me can carve out pockets of success, you can too.

The secret to photography is that anyone can do it, but it takes a lot to do it well. We've got image-making devices in our pockets that would make Niépce shit his britches. What separates you from a cul-de-sac mom with an iPhone is your commitment to learning, growing, and staying consistent. One of the reasons photography is so beautiful is that it is an ever-evolving practice. While the foundational ideas like the exposure triangle and the rule of thirds never change, the art form, industry, and technology seem to evolve every day.

As long as you are relentless in both the evolution of your craft and your drive to seek out opportunities, I have no doubt you will find success. The opportunities will very rarely find you. Be relentless, be ambitious, and don't be afraid to fuck up-- that's the only way to learn.

-NT

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