“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life”. This sentiment has been hammered into my head regularly since I was a child. Usually, I would question it because the person saying it didn’t seem to be particularly happy. After all, if we are supposed to find a way to make our passion profitable, where does the term “starving artist” fit in?

I’ve found that it’s easy to get caught in a trap as a photographer. You can start to take jobs that aren’t exciting anymore, or become so busy doing the same thing that you stop growing. 

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll notice that I started a series called “52 Fridays”. The idea is to post a short photoset that can tell a story from one day of that week for an entire year. Think of it as a 365 for someone who has a toddler. So far, January has been a blast. To send the first month off with a bang, I decided to try something new.

I’m currently in the process of switching to Fujifilm (sorry Canon) and decided to try the X-Pro3 out for a long weekend. Don’t worry, this isn’t a technical camera review. There is plenty to say about the amazing features of this camera, and you can find hundreds of blogs all about those with a quick Google search. 

Shoutout to Lensrentals.com for being a genuinely easy company to work with.

Camera - Fujifilm X-Pro3

Lens - Fujifilm 23mm f1.4

Somewhere, in the void of the internet, there’s a ten year old photo of Megan resting her head on Bill while he is operating a camera. It was one of the first photos I took of a couple. 

I thought about this as I sat in my car before their wedding. Normally I take a minute to gather my thoughts and focus on the big day ahead, and of those thoughts I couldn’t help but think of that day and smile.

Their wedding was a beautiful ceremony and reception at the Avanti Mansion in Hamburg, NY. The Fall weather came through and the light held out for an amazing wedding to send off the 2019 wedding season. 

And for those who are wondering where in the void they can find that ten year old photo, follow @derosacreative on Instagram. I may have shared it. 

When I first got started in photography, I, like a lot of people, had this weird focus on abandoned buildings. As someone who grew up in Niagara Falls, I had plenty to choose from in my teenage years. I loved walking through these desolate places and imagining what they used to be. I don’t know if it was the textures, or the architecture, or just the spirit of these once-great structures that drew me into many a vacant space. 

I’ve been following the Niagara Post Theatre project since the beginning. Within walking distance from my home, I am thrilled to see such an awesome piece of culture come to life in my own town. 

When I had the opportunity to photograph the facility for their “before” pictures, I could feel 18-year-old Cristian losing his mind. I had a great time walking through the building and listening to not just what the theatre used to be, but what it is going to be.

For more information on how to volunteer, donate, or just stay in the loop - check them out at https://niagaraposttheater.org/.