~ For me, one of the most important benefits of Twitter is that it reignited and focused my passion for creative expression. ~
I've enjoyed taking photos almost all of my life. As a child, my parents allowed me to place an order for a toy camera (that actually worked!) from one of those black and white, full-page ads in comic books. Over the years, I continued to take photos during outings, day trips and vacations, but I didn't live and breathe photography. It wasn't until I purchased my first smartphone several years ago that I started to familiarize myself with the technology. I tried numerous camera and photo apps and completely fell in love with Lightbox (a camera app and photography blog).
It seems as if I've been utilizing Twitter for much longer, but in fact, I joined in the summer of 2011. I had given Facebook a shot, but felt frustrated by privacy issues that kept recurring, so I deactivated my account. I made the decision to finally give Twitter a try. What I wasn't aware of, was how pervasive a stigma there is regarding the social platform. People unfamiliar with Twitter made fun of and laughed at terms such as, "tweet", "follow", etc. The name didn't help with credibility or image either, even though it's obviously catchy.
But I didn't care. I wanted to keep an open mind. And what I found was that the more time I spent on Twitter, the more I grew to appreciate how wondrous a network of information and people it is, and how difficult that is to convey to a non-user except in broad strokes. Seeing people share their photos, poems, stories and experiences is deeply inspiring. And discovering "kindred spirits" who I develop unique and rewarding friendships with over time, means the world to me.
As such, it's because of Twitter that I started to define myself as a true photographer. It also jump-started my writing, which is something that I have always had an affinity for, but suffered due to my tendency towards procrastination. But Twitter literally saved the day. It allowed me to take small steps forward in the task of microblogging. I rediscovered my excitement for the written word and from there, I felt ready to experiment with my first blog. The rest, as they say, is history!
I've enjoyed taking photos almost all of my life. As a child, my parents allowed me to place an order for a toy camera (that actually worked!) from one of those black and white, full-page ads in comic books. Over the years, I continued to take photos during outings, day trips and vacations, but I didn't live and breathe photography. It wasn't until I purchased my first smartphone several years ago that I started to familiarize myself with the technology. I tried numerous camera and photo apps and completely fell in love with Lightbox (a camera app and photography blog).
It seems as if I've been utilizing Twitter for much longer, but in fact, I joined in the summer of 2011. I had given Facebook a shot, but felt frustrated by privacy issues that kept recurring, so I deactivated my account. I made the decision to finally give Twitter a try. What I wasn't aware of, was how pervasive a stigma there is regarding the social platform. People unfamiliar with Twitter made fun of and laughed at terms such as, "tweet", "follow", etc. The name didn't help with credibility or image either, even though it's obviously catchy.
But I didn't care. I wanted to keep an open mind. And what I found was that the more time I spent on Twitter, the more I grew to appreciate how wondrous a network of information and people it is, and how difficult that is to convey to a non-user except in broad strokes. Seeing people share their photos, poems, stories and experiences is deeply inspiring. And discovering "kindred spirits" who I develop unique and rewarding friendships with over time, means the world to me.
As such, it's because of Twitter that I started to define myself as a true photographer. It also jump-started my writing, which is something that I have always had an affinity for, but suffered due to my tendency towards procrastination. But Twitter literally saved the day. It allowed me to take small steps forward in the task of microblogging. I rediscovered my excitement for the written word and from there, I felt ready to experiment with my first blog. The rest, as they say, is history!
Check out my behind-the-scenes film blog, 'Zen For Zoey' at www.zen4zoey.blogspot.com.
© Zoey Francis and Zen For Zoey, 2018. Unauthorized use, duplication, and/or alteration of this site's material without express and written permission from the owner is strictly prohibited. U.S. Copyright Law.
© Zoey Francis and Zen For Zoey, 2018. Unauthorized use, duplication, and/or alteration of this site's material without express and written permission from the owner is strictly prohibited. U.S. Copyright Law.