The Drifting Wayfarer
As I type and take a sip of a tall cappuccino in a coffee shop today, I see two very young girls sitting right in front of me discussing business ideas quite aloud. All I see is a spark in them, enthusiasm, hope, a sense of adventure and promises to do their best to achieve their goals. I was like that once, and I believe I am still like that now.
The Spark
The spark in me hasn’t died to do more practice, learn, improve, and create my best images and films. I have learned a lot in my journey and go through an ebb & flow of emotions.
Quite a few of you know I have a YouTube channel called Muji’s Photography, but it’s not active anymore. I created that channel as a young beginner photographer to share my knowledge and teach others what I learned. The aim was to grow both as a photographer and as a Youtuber. I hoped that if my YouTube channel grew, I could do it full-time and fulfil my dream of photography, travelling, and making videos. Long story short, the channel grew in the beginning, but life happened at the same time. In the last many years, there have been spells when I uploaded regularly, but if I look back, I was mostly inconsistent in my efforts. Also, I lacked the strategy to run a channel. I did grow as a photographer, made a name in the local industry, and continued to do photography with and without YouTube. I couldn’t focus because of office and family responsibilities. One good thing that happened is that filmmaking also became my passion to tell stories of my adventures and people. Motivating others through films and documentaries was an expressive outlet I discovered and became passionate about. My mistake was confusing my YouTube followers by uploading those videos on a landscape photography channel. Most people subscribed to me because of landscape photography tips, tricks and behind-the-scenes vlogs. When I uploaded the content of a different nature, the viewership stopped and halted. Also, sharing tips and behind-the-scenes took lower priority. I had niched down my channel so much that nothing I did on it got attention.
So, it’s time for a fresh start. My new channel is now up and running. How do I define myself? “Well, I am a storyteller and photography and short films are a medium to express that”. The channel showcases short films with a message to motivate and inspire people in the creative field. It shares life advice, my experiences, documentaries, and messages on nature, travel, and humanity. It targets a broader audience in the creative field. Also, I intend to put very non-technical behind-the-scenes for everyone. We will learn photography, filmmaking, travelling, and creativity and enjoy watching stories. If this is your cup of tea or coffee, join @muji.drifts on YouTube. What’s with “drifts” in the name? Well, I am a Drifting Wayfarer, and I will express myself through photos, films, and this newsletter about whatever comes my way. I am lucky to have you on board and pass my knowledge on to you. I hope you find inspiration, just like I did from those two girls who are now enjoying their smoothies! Click on the button below.
Khuda-e-Pamaan
Muji
