Happy New Year, one and all! I write this as Distant Era moves into its fifth year. Three years ago, on January 1, 2021, The All Worlds Traveller blog began with a portrait called “Lady Brimstone,” featuring Elizabeth MacDougald. Every week since, The All Worlds Traveller has shared pictures and stories of Distant Era’s work. To begin year five, we look back on what was and look forward to what will be. Finally, to commemorate our fifth year, we present an alternate “Lady Brimstone” portrait edit from the very first edition of The All Worlds Traveller.
Looking Back
Like many businesses starting out, Distant Era’s first year was one of prolific experimentation, tons of personal photo sessions, and a couple clients. Projects rolled out month after month:
July 2019: Urban Fantasy
September 2019: Portraits from a Distant Era
October 2019: Hauntings from a Distant Era
November 2019: Chicago, November 2019
February 2020: The Contract
In March 2020, when the pandemic put a halt to photography projects, we spent time building the Distant Era website and branding, acquiring studio lights, painting backgrounds, and learning.
In September 2021, we began The People of Light and Shadow project, the spiritual successor to Portraits from a Distant Era and the new model for the kind of fantastical portraiture Distant Era could make. Also in 2021, client work starting coming in again, and a greater portion of our time went into client work.
Looking Forward
In 2021, I began to conceive Distant Era’s next series and client offering. First, I had to finish The People of Light and Shadow. Then there was a lot of learning to do. In June 2023, however, I photographed the project, and as we cross into 2024 I’ve finally begun work on it. As The People of Light and Shadow was the spiritual successor to Portraits from a Distant Era, this next one is the spiritual successor to Hauntings from a Distant Era in terms of what we were trying to achieve in those series. When it’s finished, hopefully in the first half of 2024, we’ll have a new body of work and a new offering for clients.
So why do these projects take so long?
In the early days, Distant Era had a few clients, a little technique, and big dreams. Now we have more clients, more technique, and bigger dreams, and each of these takes time
And yet! In 2024 I’m excited to present what I hope to be Distant Era’s best work, alongside our finest offerings for fantastical, futuristic, and historical portraiture. A little while longer yet, but it’s coming.
Maybe excited isn’t the right word. Rather, the thing I’m looking forward to the most in 2024 is learning, working on, and building this next work and offering. More than anything else. It’s what’s mattered most to me these past couple years. The dream. I don’t know how successful I’ll be in the art of it or the business. But none of that matters right now because the desire to make it is everything. There will be plenty of wrong turns along the way, but that’s how the process goes with anything.
Happy New Year once again, and we’ll see you on down the road…
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