Well I guess the time is now to let the cat out of the bag. Or the pigs out of the pen. Or the…well you know.
Last year, before coming out as trans and announcing my move to New Mexico, I made a post that definitely was overshadowed by the latter two about how I was taking a step back from the life of storm chasing/filmmaking and not doing any productions of my own, specifically weather productions until I said otherwise.
This is me saying otherwise.
I was truly burnt out at this point last year. I had dedicated a huge chunk of my life and a big chunk of my income to chasing weather. While thrilling, the many years of being on the road had led to me really not having any ideas worth anything and the days beginning to feel repetitive.
That wasn’t me, I love the weather. I know that now more than ever — but for many reasons I was absolutely done at this time last year. The feeling lasted throughout this Spring as well, as I only chased four times total — by far the lowest number since I started in 2003.
As monsoon season started anew I decided to give it a go and see what I could make happen as it felt like the right time to try something new altogether.
That was a good decision.
I’ve written on self discovery on this blog already a bit, but the whole experience of seeing the atmosphere do its thing again has been invigorating in new ways this summer. As time went on, I began realizing that I was ready to try something again.
For too long, I was being too narrow in what my pursuit of weather looked like. That limited vision led to my burnout as I was repeating the same processes over and over again and getting the same results. How tiresome.
A year away from the weather and other new experiences have given me a fresh perspective and a new set of ideas to pursue. Starting this fall, I’ll be launching a new project that I can’t wait to unveil. It’ll be my first self-created production since coming out as trans, and it’ll be the start of a new era in my creative life.
I can’t wait.
Keep an eye on this blog as I prepare to launch something new next month!
Raychel Sanner: Photographer and Filmmaker 