One of Archie’s wide angle shots of the Chicago Photobloggers

This is the first in what will hopefully be a series of interviews of Chicago Photobloggers. For this first interview we were lucky enough to convince Archie FlorCruz of Whateverland to answer a few questions.

This is part 2 of a 2 part interview. View Part 1 here

Do you have any future projects planned? A book, a calendar?

I have always wanted to do a book, but I have major issues with having to make choices on which photos to use. This could easily be solved by including everything but that would be quite costly to publish! The similar issue happens when I’ve had to choose photos for gallery showings, where an invisible challenge exists to post images more recent and refined than the prior show. What also happens is that I am continually moving forward with my work and I tend to leave the past work behind. An example of this would be that I shoot a great series of photos one weekend and not get around to processing them. If the following week I shoot a subject that I like even more, the prior shots get put aside and I often forget to revisit and finish them.

Has the photoblog helped you grow and learn in your photography?

The community aspect of the photoblogging scene has always played a critical role in my self-improvement. It’s a blessing to be located in a city full of photobloggers where there are regularly scheduled events and open-invite meetups planned by individuals. Some people prefer to shoot alone; however shooting in large groups does allow you to share the creative energy and also make you feel more comfortable in a world where street photography can be scrutinized by those of authority. I have had the privilege of getting to meet many photobloggers in person and building solid friendships afterwards. It’s an added bonus to be able to appreciate the person behind the images. On a side note… photoblogging can indirectly put your personal life in the public spotlight depending on the images you share. Each post is giving a piece of you to others and that can lead to good or bad consequences.

You once told me that you like going to people’s websites instead of just reading their rss feeds because you feel that the site in combination with the photo is all part of the presentation. Does that affect how often you visit other photoblogs? Are you able to separate the two?

You are correct about how I prefer to directly visit photoblogs instead of adding their RSS feeds. I have always enjoyed the framing and presentation of the photos in a custom interface. I do not prefer any particular type of design, whether it’s highly ornate or minimal, but it does add to the viewing experience similar to how art gets framed when displayed in a gallery or museum. A well designed interface does encourage me to visit a site more frequently, but site interfaces that I find cumbersome will not keep me away if the photographs are amazing.

Bike the Drive

Do you plan to make photography your profession someday?

At this time, I don’t see myself using photography as the primary way of paying the bills. I enjoy it too much to have it ruined like that! laughs It’s nice to be able to take breaks from it, focus more on my other hobbies such as cycling, music, movies, converting oxygen into carbon dioxide, etc. and come back to it when I feel motivated. I feel the glimpse of what professional photography would be like for me when people expect me to take photos at some gathering I am at, yet I feel disinterested and leave the camera in the bag. I refer to that as backseat photography!

Any final words?

The Whateverland Project was one of the best life decisions I ever made. It has allowed my photography to continuously grow and mature since others can offer feedback, whether good or bad. I’ve always felt the comments were encouraging and inspiring. The frequency of updates has become less and less over the years, partly because I try to make each post as unique possible to my previous ones, and partly because I haven’t been able to dedicate as much time to shoot. I do plan on keeping the site up as long as I can pay the hosting bill! At this time, I do not have any other projects planned. I guess I will think of something new when I know for sure that Whateverland will receive its final update.