A few years ago, I shopped my photography portfolio to some select art galleries and was told that many of them just didn’t curate photo shows. I then toyed with the idea of making a photo book, but was promptly told that photo books don’t sell as well. “Well, what do I do with all these photos I’ve been shooting since I was 12 years old? Live photos from punk shows and ‘90s skaters and world travels and famous people before they became famous?” “Put them where everyone else puts them: Instagram.” My relationship with photography has felt different since that day. I truly love this medium. It has helped me digest the world and narrate it back to you. But, I’ve been disenchanted with the devaluing of the craft. Instagram made everyone a “photographer,” the art was democratized, expected to be handed out for free, and now people look past how special and important the practice is. There is a way, however, to restore much of the meaning that’s been lost. As well as the value. I’ll explain more in the year 2021.