A New Experiment & Fly Fishing in Korea
I deleted Instagram last week, the final social media platform I’d been reluctantly holding onto. Over the past few years, I’ve gradually deactivated my Facebook and Twitter along with more obscure nostalgic apps like VSCO, but in spite of my recent disillusionment with unintentionally aimlessly scrolling through Reels on an app that used to be a fun way to keep up with friends and find creative inspiration, I still loved Instagram because it gave me a platform to share my art. Part of the allure was the narcissistic need for affirmation, to see others interact with and perhaps enjoy the work I create. Regardless of that self-realization, for better or worse I still know my personal love of photography will always revolve around showing others what I capture. Even though it’s admirable to create art simply for art’s sake, I find no enjoyment from my work existing in a vacuum. This blog will be an experiment for an alternative way to share that work, one that I know will reach only a minute fraction of the audience it could’ve potentially reached on social media. Even if it’s just close friends and family that read these posts, I’m hopeful this format will at least scratch the creative itch I need to feel fulfilled without the mindless distractions I’ve grown tired of.
Back in March, I hopped on a last minute fly fishing day trip with some friends on a river near a trout fishery a couple hours east of Pyeongtaek. I didn’t personally have high hopes for catching any fish, I was mostly just excited to spend some much-need time outside after a few weeks of the incessant grind at work, capture some photos, and try something new. Despite being a liability for my friends who turned out to be incredibly talented and knowledgable, I really enjoyed observing and learning from them. I didn’t catch a single fish that day, although to my limited credit it was a tough day and the group as a whole only caught one fish, but regardless I enjoyed and respect the art. It seems to be a hobby that blends the flow state of physical activity and working with your hands while simultaneously requiring deliberate study and a bit of intuition and luck. Unfortunately I ruined a quarter of the images I shot that day by initially forgetting to rewind the film prior to taking off the film back on my Rollei 35S, but I think the special ones still survived without significant light leaks. I love images #1 and #4 from this set, the light early in the morning was just right.
