{"id":3314,"date":"2025-06-13T10:41:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-13T15:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/markgunterphotography.com\/abo\/?p=3314"},"modified":"2025-06-11T16:41:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T21:41:47","slug":"blog-check-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/markgunterphotography.com\/abo\/blog-check-in-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"One Year Check-In From the Quiet Side"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hello! How are you doing? I’m fine, thank you. A year since my last post, I thought it was a good time for a check-in. The question is whether or not anyone is out there. I have, for the most part, taken a year off of social media and posts on this blog and, well, there hasn’t been much of a difference in interactions here. Or anywhere else, really. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Check-In Now<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Purely because it has been a year. I could credit the Los Angeles Dodgers with a World Series win and a decent followup season (so far) despite all the obstacles making me happy and wanting to share the joy. Or, I could tell you I am working through the sadness of local weather hero Gary England<\/a> passing away, followed the very next day by my musical hero and legendary genius, Brian Wilson<\/a>. I expect this sort of thing to happen as I get older, but these are a couple of big hits to the gut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Bother With A Check-In<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Honestly? I’m not sure why I care to check-in. While I have a lot of posts here and many have hundreds of views, any actual interaction is nearly non-existant. So, off and on for several years, I have shared my thoughts and images, trying to keep to a regular schedule. It is hard feeling like nearly every post is little more than spitting in the wind. That is why I stopped a year ago. I was tired of putting in the work with nary an echo to let me know anyone cared. Fact is, I know a few people would check-in here themselves, letting me know, face-to-face, that they enjoyed what I had to say. But no matter how often I shared on social media, etc, it felt like I was talking to an empty room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does the Future Look Like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

No idea. I have been pretty honest not posting twice a week for the last year. It has freed up time for other things. And I have been quite busy. Not shared in the last year are the limited photoshoots I did, including three variations on a very old idea finally made real. But why share when no one gives me any feedback? Even on social media sites where I was active, I would get likes from the same few people, no comments, and no one sharing my posts. It just wasn’t worth the work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the meantime, I can be active in other social groups, both in-person and online, and I get the “Norm!” treatment. And with George Wendt<\/a>‘s passing, that hardly seems fitting. Barring some sudden change in my mindset, I think I’ll remain more reclusive. Life has been far more enjoyable without the seemingly meaningless attempt to be active in a world of social media posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you are reading this and wishing that I were still shooting, you are in luck. I am. But I’m not trawling the world wide web looking for people. Instead, try reaching out to me directly. I love to create with new people. I do not love the social exercise involved in finding like-minded people. I’ve got too many fun things to do and I don’t necessarily need models in front of my lens to click the shutter button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello! How are you doing? I’m fine, thank you. 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