Well I never thought it would come but my workload has increased to a point where maintaining the blog is not possible.
I am suspending posting here but will have a news and workshops page on my website. I will still be able to have my rants about things that are important to me and news of any workshops that I have coming up.
This will cost me in the SEO stakes for sure but I just don’t have the energy to maintain this forum. You all have a great network now and don’t need me anyway!
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this blog over the past 3 years. It has been a pleasure to meet you and share some awesome times. I’ll still be around but will focus on my photos and my family, the things that really mean the most to me.
All the best
CF
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Thank you for sharing your insights and photographic growth with us the blogging community …. I’ll surely be checking back often to read your rants and thoughts … 100% agree it takes a ton of work to maintain and run a blog and sometime I wonder if it is at all worth it myself, with all the emails asking questions etc, one can only imagine how much time this consume in your day …
Cheers again ….
thanks Neal and thanks for your support.
The King has fallen, lets see how many follow suit. My prediction – a lot. About as many people as started shooting bins and trolleys after you did haha…
Just kidding, im sure the blogging community will still be strong, its a great bunch of people thats for sure!
Make sure you check up on us from time to time!
will do young Matty, you are the future mate, your eye is tuned in and your producing great work. cheers
Funny you should shut yours down, as I was thinking about shutting mine down!! But in all seriousness, you started all this blog stuff, and look at what you created, lots of wannabe Christian Fletcher’s!!! Well done to you for putting all this effort into it, and as I’ve said before, I don;t know how you do it. All the best and we’ll catch up soon.
I did it Jamie by sitting up till 10.30 every night but in the end it just got too much. Will still be able to check what I’m doing via the website. Thanks for contributing to the community buddy.
You will be greatly missed!! Congrats on all the work you’ve done over the past 3 years! Looking forward to catching up with you in a few weeks in Karijini. Take care mate, cant wait to see some new photos! (By the way finally made it into the dunsb. gallery yesterday… WOW!!)
thanks Sheldon, it has been great fun. I just missed you at the gallery too, apparently!
It’s a bit like the loss of a pet! Will miss your banter! What will I read when coming into the gallery every morning haha! Well go on get out there and take some shots
you will have to wait till I call you Kym and then the banter will just flow!
Hi Christian,
You must be exhausted with the recent exhibition, trips and workshops. Quality time for yourself and family is well deserved.
By the way my little Christian is growing in leaps and bounds. He used to sleep in till 7am but now decides to get all active and verbal at 5 am. Could be a young landscape photog in the training waking up for the dawn light.
I did a photo a day thing for Jan recently.
melbournites.tumblr.com
Cheers
Peter
It is pretty hard to balance Peter, a good break is all I need, Glad your son is keeping landscape shooters hours! haha
Wow bit of a shot mate. But can definitely understand how much blog would have taken up all your time.
We will surely miss the little yellow and red aeroplane that travels all around blogland visiting sites all over the world!
Thanks mate.
ah yeah my little red bull Edge 300. Oh well you never know when it might fly again mate!
hey bud
you will be missed by heaps of us fellow bloggers we will miss all the unusual pics of wheelie bins and garage doors
id like to also say thanks for spending the time to look on everyones blog and commenting and giving us all advice to make out pics better
i no what you need mate and thats to hire a blog person to write your blog for ya hehehe
cheers mate
philbo
don’t worry Philbo I will have new wheelie bins on my website to admire and drool over!! hehe. I need a holiday on a deserted industrial island full of crap and environmental damage, ahhhh it would be perfect!
So whose place will we all meet online at now???
Julie
Christian, maybe you should pass the torch to a “chosen one” who can start a “Team Fletcher” blog – Merv get’s my vote. Then, budding CF’s can apply to be linked to as “Fletcher Approved” blogger’s. The “Chosen One” might even trawl through the “Fletcher Approved” posts for awesome shot’s that then land on the “Team Fletcher” blog. That way the spirit lives on…and there could even be “Fletcher Approved” t-shirts.
I like your style Scott…………..Merv is the man!!
You are both mental!!!
What you mean mental? Shade white balance, gradient……..you forgot who is the mastermind behind the images Muzz??
Merv is a powerhouse Jamie!
Scott you should be in marketing, all good ideas, but maybe Muzz sound get a blog finally and take over the top job! From zero to hero, do you think it might go to his head?
Christian I would personally like to thank you for all the time and effort you have given me over the past twelve months comments good and bad but always in a way to make images better and even thought proses better and I am sure we will see you from time to time and then we will appreciate it more perhaps
.
Well we do anyway but you know what I mean, family absolutely comes first and I bet the wife and kids will be stoked to spend more time with you and it will give you more time to spend on drumming up support for your beliefs on saving our precious land.
Thanks Brett, it has been great getting to meet you and share in your enthusiasm. I rode my bike to school today with the family, was great and the kids loved it.
Yes indeed mate family is one of the most important things in life and now you have started to smell the flowers it may even show through and you will get even greater images eh mate.
It has been great to meet you and share in enthusiasm thats for sure but your not going anywhere and I am sure we will all still catch up from time to time for a shoot or even a beer when we are in the area hey.
Totally understandable mate, I guess this means blogileaks has lived a very short life too then ?
Your blog has been informative and passionate as well as fun to follow. It’s been great meeting and shooting with you.
All the best with the family in particular and of course with the capturing/working new images
cheers,
ahh Blogileaks, it could have been so big! haha. Was fun whilst it lasted! 24 hours I think! Yep I enjoyed shooting with you too mate. I’m working on finishing my new book now, that will be the priority. Take it easy Tone.
Christian,
We understand. You are an incredible bloke and juggling your galleries, workshops, projects, and most importantly Jen, Shane and Matty (not to mention Fuji) is more than mere mortals can do.
We will stay in touch, mate, just through other methods.
We sure will Steve, love to see more from your unique vision so make sure you keep flicking me some pics. Cheers to you and Ali.
You are a legend in your own lifetime mate and you can see by the comments above how many hearts you have touched and people you have influenced. You should be proud that you were the instigator of all of this and you should also be proud that so many people get enjoyment from the many blogs you have encouraged to start.
I too would like to personally thank you for all of your insight and support since I started.
We will carry on the tradition that has been created and the community will remain strong…and you never know we might even have the ‘Christian Fletcher Award’ down the track for outstanding achievement!
Big buddy, you won’t see so much of me in cyber space but the adventures will continue in the real world. Thanks mate you have been a great inspiration to me too. Hey the Christian Fletcher award has to be a trophy with a shopping trolley on top, all gold and blingy!! Great idea.
Christian, I know of no other photographer in the world who has created such an amazing community. I started reading and commenting on your blog about 3 years ago and I have ended up making some lifelong good friends like yourself and Mark through this blog and it has snowballed into a life-altering path on my journey. On top of that, met many great people, learned a great deal and had many laughs.
Be proud of your achievement mate, and I think you’re doing the right thing, focusing energy and attention and letting the blog go out “on top of the game”. It was an amazing ride! Will call you tomorrow.
thanks for the great words as usual Flembot, you certainly are good at english for a Danish dude! I think you have been a big part of the community so it is thanks to you also that it has been a success. I feel like I won’t speak to anyone again but I know that isn’t true. Just a shuffle to the left and a change of focus! See you soon buddy.
Don’t get sucked in boys!
He’ll be back after 5 mins of crying, wondering if he has any mates anymore and if he’s unloyal fan base miss him for more than 5 seconds!
I give him a week. Just wait!
A week ha …. he won’t last more than a couple of days Tommy.
Tommy, you are typing this with tears in your eyes aren’t you? Go on admit it!!
WHAT the F##k !!!!!!!!!!!
How piss weak is that, shutting down our lifeline. I won’t hear of it. You can’t do that without asking first.
You’ll be back , you can’t do without us, and we can’t do without you, it’s the fun of it all that keeps us sane.
That will be the end of blogland as we know it , it will fade away quickly now and that is a crying shame in my opinion, but I guess it can’t be helped. ( feeling guilty yet )
Did you get out of bed on the wrong side this morning or or something or have you still got the girlie flu?
You did try this once before remember and away it went again, so have a good rest and think about it in the morning.
I don’t always keep up with it as I did but it’s still important. I think a bit of a comfort at times strange as that might sound. A lot of photographer’s around the world post plenty on their blogs but don’t reply to very many as I’m sure thats what takes up the time and I guess they don’t visit other blogs, it’s just for for feedback I suppose.
I’ve got it !!!!! It’s maybe just something to do with the weather as everyone is over this summer and going a bit troppo, I hope that’s all it is !!!!! Or maybe it’s all these altered landscapes , they take it out of you both mentally and physically that’s for sure, I found that out, I’m sure thats what it is.
I’ll wait for your next nice landscape shot and all will be well again in the world.
Cheers CF.
Oh yeah , what’s the SEO stakes ??
hehe Merv, I wish it was that easy mate. Shutting down my blog is like shutting down a nuclear reactor. You just don’t turn it back on the next day! the whole thing could just blow!!
You can never properly shut down a nuclear reactor …… there is always some trace of it.
Keep that in mind.
Christian, thank you for giving me the inspiration to pick up the camera and to start my own blog. I will miss stopping by and seeing your picks, but that only means i will have to get down south to the gallery more often! What a shame!!!!
Cheers mate.
P.S hope Tommy P is right.
Hey Cleggy, I’ll see you again mate and the website will have most of this stuff on it anyway. Keep the blog going, it is a great way to get known.
I told just told Helen about this and you know what she said …. TNFP !!!!!!
That is the best use of the TNFP ever Merv, Thank Helen for me! haha
C’mon guys, you know CF – he’s buggered up the dates. Hey Christian, today is March 1st mate, not April
Isn’t it April???
OK – if you are still a fool tomorrow, then I’ll believe it. That will give me enough time to try to think of something nice to say
Until then, it’s a yup from me!
Whatever you do Christian, good luck and thanks for all the fish!
Pleasure Tim, keep in contact mate.
Hey Christian, I would just like to commend you on bringing together such a great community of like-minded people – Photographers! You are truly an inspiration to us all..
Good luck with your future endeavors and I hope we will bump into each other one day in the great outdoors doing what we love most – PHOTOGRAPHY!!!
Cheers, Sam
For sure Sam, I’ll be the one swearing at my Phase! Thanks for the kind words.
Mate its been great following your blog. Everyone sounds like your going away to another world. It will be like the old days of hitting your newly added images section and then on day “Pop” you uploaded more gems. But it wont be film panoramics this time.
Enjoy the extra time with the family and the personal shooting.
Hi Matty, yeah I’ll be around. Thanks for being part of the community. Did you just mention film on my blog??? haha
Best of Luck Christian and thank you so very much for maintaining the blog for so long. Hope the energy you used for this page, transfers even better to more important tasks…ie Family! Take Care and see ya around
Thanks Tim, I will use my time wisely that is for sure. Family will be a big part of that. Cheers mate.
Hey Christian, like everyone else, just wanted to say thanks for the time and effort that you have put into the blog with the many tips, techniques, occasional rant and all with a sense of humour. Always entertaining. All the best mate.
I like telling jokes almost as much as I like taking photos Andrew. It has been fun having such a great audience. Thanks heaps Andrew.
A brave (yet understandable) decision to make. Thanks so much for all the posts and for sharing so much of what you do. You’ve been a huge inspiration to all of us
thanks Sandy, I will still be around somewhere on the net, ah thats right I still have a website! good to see you the other night!
Settle everyone ……. he hasn’t departed this world yet !!
Nah Merv I’m still bloody typing on this blog ;-0)
Christian, it takes a wise man to make a decision when you know so many people may be disappointed by it. I admire you for having the balls to act upon something now to ensure you fulfill the priorities in your own life. There is nothing more important than one’s own well being and one’s family. I know that you will inspire others regardless of the medium… and regardless of discontinuing this blog. You won’t be able to stop exuding your playfullness, willfullness and passion wherever you step. Have fun… and bring on those altered landscapes!
Julie
Julie you are a very cool lady, I will be pulling altered landscapes out of my hat every chance I get. My website will still be there with all my news and new images so it won’t change too much. Has been great getting to know you. Hope your healing well.
Ahh, a very difficult decision I’m sure. It reminds me of a 6-fingered guitar player I once counseled. His extra finger had allowed him to excel at guitar playing, which was his passion and later became his work and it brought him fame and success. This in turn attracted many new friends and followers, who knew him as “the 6-fingered guitar player”. So you see it was part of his identity. He had a family who never gave a thought to his extra digit (thankfully it was not passed on) however he hated the way the extra finger made him feel – it was after all an extra appendage and he felt a bit of a freak. He was torn between the burden it created and the success and enjoyment which it had brought to him. To remove it was to remove a known burden but it would also amputate part of his identity. Once removed, would he still have his identity? Would he still have fame and success, would he still stand head and shoulders above the others or would he now just be another guitar player amongst the crowd? Would his friends and followers look elsewhere? How would his passion be affected – would it affect his work? Would he feel better or worse? Many questions whose answers would remain unknown until he made a decision.
Thankfully in this case the appendage can be re-attached at a later date if the effects are too drastic. Perhaps there is a less severe surgery available, a trimming or reduction of size which could result in a maintenance of some of the positive aspects but with a relief of some of the burden.
I would advise you to try my new method of counseling – meet with some trusted associates and undertake a couple of hours of Coronatherapy 2 or 3 times a week for 2-3 weeks before completing the amputation process. And by all means, seek a second opinion – there are plenty of those out there for sure!
Dr Rudi …. even I feel better now after that.
I took your advise about Cornatherapy when you counseled me and i have to say it has done wonders, I highly recommend it .
PS Do you get $25 for this ????
I think that is Corona therapy Merv and it has something to do with drinking lots of beer to get your thoughts under control!
Cornatherapy is having someone do something with your feet!
I think your right it is Corona therapy I will change beer brands as soon as I finish this lot of Cornas.
Thanks Dr Rudi, you are a wise man and I will take your comments and give them some very deep thought. I also play the guitar and wondered why I sucked! Now all I need is someone to donate me a finger and I will become the worlds best guitarist. Thank you for showing me that I should give up photography and become a finger picking country and western superstar! Watch out Mr Urban!
I think you should look for a finger of your own choosing, rather than accept one that is donated. I’m sure you have recently been offered the finger many times, but do you really want to accept one of these gestures. Who knows where they have been and what dirtywork they have done.
It also appears that you need more help than I thought. Perhaps you should try the stronger Smirnofftherapy and see how that goes.
Hey Christian
The comments above say it all . . . you have left your mark!
I’m looking forward to the results of Christians new adventures, and perhaps sharing in a few.
Thanks Tone, you know how you have influenced me over the last decade, we will be on more trips together that is for sure. Cheers buddy.
Thanks Christian for everything. You’ve been a key inspiration to myself and I’m sure everyone following your blog. All the best for the future mate!
Ryan
Thanks Ryan, I hope to keep inspiring you guys, just in a slightly different format. Keep shooting!
You rode to school with the kids today, good job. The kids may have loved it, but deep down they just wish you didn’t wear your lycra outfit!!! Haha!
haha lycra is cool what do you mean!! I think you would look good in it.
You have definitely got the remnants of man flu if you reckon I’d look good in Lycra!! You should have seen Tegan’s face when I tried on an “Ironman” costume on for a dress up party recently……..I’ve been banned!!!
Christian thanks mate for your help and this blog. Thanks mate for inspiring me to get out to a few markets and get myself out there more.
You have done a great job getting people out there using their camera, give Nikon a boost as well as Phase!
And a massive thanks for having me on your blogroll. I feel truly honered!
Cheers mate, stop by for time to time, minus the lycra!
Thanks for everything CF you have done a lot with the Blog and for me and my photographs and I’m sure you still will even though you wont be on here.
Christian – photos come and go but families don’t. Decision well made. It must have been quite a struggle to close down the blog. I’m sure that you will enjoy the family time more than the photos in the future.
I look forward to having that beer in Karijini later in the month.
Thanks for all the inspiration over the years and the plugs (for Fuji)!
Family should always come first. Fortunately for me I live with a photographer so we sit and read and post blogs together and you have one of the best blogs around. ….. humour and technique doesn’t get much better. By the way went to see the exhibition…. ended up talking to one of the guys in there (Peter I think) for over an hour. …. very interesting. The stand out image for me was the washing on the line…. such a great story. Overall I connected with Tony Hewitts images the most.
Good luck Christian , thank you for sharing so much and enjoy your family.
Fair enuf mate, I never saw Peter Lik kicking around on the net! Let along a blog with his name on it that he ever had anything to do with!!
Surely just scale back your commitment! I only ever get a few comments and even then I’m too lazy to reply…
Well thanks again CF appreciate your comments over time and look forward to meeting you one day (when I can afford to come to a workshop LOL)
PS I’ll visit again in a few days cause I reckon you’ll be back sooner or later!
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Fair enuf mate, I never saw Peter Lik kicking around on the net! Let along a blog with his name on it that he ever had anything to do with!!
Surely just scale back your commitment! I only ever get a few comments and even then I’m too lazy to reply…
Well thanks again CF appreciate your comments over time and look forward to meeting you one day (when I can afford to come to a workshop LOL)
PS I’ll visit again in a few days cause I reckon you’ll be back sooner or later!
See ya round mate! Will still be checking out you new images on the web so keep them coming! I’m sure we will start seeing even more….have to go for a shoot sometime down south once Matt and I get the Canon
Awww Im gonna miss ya CF!! Take care of yourself and your family!! Hopefully we will see you back here soon!! x
When I read this I was hoping it was the 1st of April… not the 1st of March! It’s officially not an April Fools Day joke….
I can’t echo enough a lot of the comments above. You were influencial in creating one of the strongest online photography communities… both on and off the web!
I’m sure everyone greatly appreciate the time and effort that you’ve put into your blog and commenting on others!
Forget about this , there is bigger news.
The new ipad is out !!!!!!
Trust you Merv……..but what about England’s debacle against Ireland last night!!
Yeah I thought that was pretty good as well . Should throw them in the test arena.
All the best CF I know the phase can’t stand the heat so therefore it’s time to get out of the kitchen!!!! hehehehe On a serious note buddy all the best!! It was cool having a shoot with when you were in Sydney hopefully again one day.
What a shame, I have followed you on your blog for a few years now. I understand how difficult it is to keep up with though, I never have time for my own, there are always a million and one other things to be doing especially family life.
You have been one of my biggest sources of inspiration and your galleries completely inspired me to get to where I am right now. Your photography does all the talking, I look forward to seeing more and reading the odd rant here and there!
It was great to have met you all in Esperance earlier in the year, I hope I can return the favour one day if you make it over to the U.K.
All the best mate!
You’re having a laugh…?
Are you being blackmailed by the coal mine people?
See, any two-bit half-good team can beat the English at cricket… phwahahahahaha
Our loss and your families gain.
What you have achieved through this blog is remarkable. Well done.
Now for the next chapter……
Anyone home …… hello !!!!!
Bugger, I might have to post something myself.
Thanks Christian. Whilst I’ve not posted a great deal I’ve read your blog most days since day one … I’ve learned so much and drawn so much inspiration from you and the other photographers around WA and the World. The wife even won one of your first blog competitions which earned us a 30 inch print of Yallingup. You should be very proud of what you have achieved in starting this network, thank you so much!
Hey you can’t do this!! not only is my primary source of inspiration shutting down, but so is my primary source of blog hits; making my blog potentially a desolate wasteland! Come on, I’m not damn famous enough yet
Well, It was fun whilst it lasted, from the occasional landscape accompanied with light humour to the full on ‘stay up all night writing down controversial rants’ post that reeked passion. Cheers for the Blog times, CF!! Hopefully you’ll start er’ up again later on so i can get my landscape fix once again. And thanks for all that ‘endorsement’ that helped get my blog going throughout the years, couldn’t have done it without ya!
Until then I’ll have to head over to the next event and have a chat in person for once!
Hey CF. Like many of the other posts, I just wanted to say thank you. You are such a humble bloke (more so before the bloody the PhaseOne
). You have been inspirational and you produce some of the best work around. Good luck with the work life balance. See you around.
So it’s really over?? I’m not saying thanks or goodbye yet because I’m still in denial – apparently it’s a normal part of grieving but you can get stuck there. It’s why we have rights of passage like wakes – to formally acknowledge the passing. So this blog needs a wake – a bit like the famous pizza night I reckon.
By the way, where are you going to get your man-love now the blog is silent??? Ohh yeah, you have that workshop at Wilson’s Prom with Tommy P – you might find yourself wishing for more man and less love after that one…
See you at the wake…….