Hive community spotlight: Interview with an avid photographer

Welcome to another exciting edition of the Hive Community Spotlight! I had the pleasure of chatting with Hive account@tattoodjay, a talented photographer and creator of the beloved Wednesday Walk Community. In this interview, you'll learn about his journey on Hive, the projects he’s passionate about, and his love for photography and nature walks. Plus, get inspired by his advice for new Hivers and his thoughts on making Hive even better!

Hive account@tattoodjay is a talented photographer and active Hive user known for his love of nature, photography, and community engagement. He is the creator of the popular Wednesday Walk Community, a project that encourages users to share photos and experiences from their walks around the world. With decades of experience in photography, Hive account@tattoodjay captures stunning landscapes, urban scenes, and natural beauty, often showcasing the world through his unique lens.
He has been part of the Hive ecosystem since its early days, transitioning from its predecessor platform, and is deeply involved in supporting fellow creators. Though retired, he continues to find joy in his hobbies, balancing them with his Hive activities. His journey reflects his passion for creativity, community building, and connecting with like-minded individuals.

Why Read This Interview?

If you’re a fan of photography, a nature enthusiast, or simply looking for inspiration on how to grow on Hive, this interview with Hive account@tattoodjay is a must-read! Discover his unique journey, learn about his favorite Hive projects, and take away some practical tips for your Hive experience.

Let’s get started!:

Hive account@madilyn02: Welcome to my show Jay! How would you describe yourself in a few words?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: Thank you for inviting me, lets see, I'm just an easy going guy now retired, and enjoying nice days to get out for walks both to try and keep healthy and to take photos

Hive account@madilyn02: How did you get involved with Hive, and what has your journey been like so far?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: I started on HIve almost as soon as it began, coming from the site Hive spun off from, I had been on a couple of other sites that were similar in concept before Steem and then Hive, but they either flopped or just didn't feel right to me.

In contrast I have found a home on Hive, have met so many amazing people, not only photographers which I guess I could say is my passion, but a wide range of people with such a variety of interests.

Hive account@madilyn02: Your photography is amazing! What sparked your interest in photography, and how do you stay inspired?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: I started in photography and showing my age here decades ago as a teen, I had an Uncle who was a photographer, and he noticed i had an interest in what he was doing with his camera, and started to coach me, gave me a camera and tips from composing, settings when taking photos right through to developing, yes this was back in film days.
I kept with photography for many years back then till in one move' the two boxes with my camera gear got lost!!, well that's what the movers said I still till today feel and know they were stolen.
Only back in maybe 2004 did I pick up a camera again starting with a Point and shoot, moving to a Bridge camera, and through a variety of DSLR and mirrorless cameras to the Sony A7IV I use now.

As for inspiration, for me its nature, always changing, from day to day and season to season, and never knowing for sure what you may see and capture each time one goes out for a walk

Hive account@madilyn02: What is your favorite music genre, artist, or song, and does it influence your creativity in any way?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: I guess the best way to answer that is a story in itself, I remember when I was younger being amused when my parents listened to a radio station which would best be classified as the Golden Oldies!

Well to our kids and Grandkids that's what my wife and I now listen to

As for genre, I like to mix it up, Soft/Yacht rock, Country, blues.

Hive account@madilyn02: Can you tell us more about the projects or communities you’re currently involved in on Hive?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: Honestly I am a bit of a slacker when it comes to communities, I was assisting the team when the alliance community started helped to and still are active in the Team USA community for people from or living in the States, Now the reason why I call myself a slacker is that I am actually quite shy and don't do well in crowds, I'm better with people I Know and one on one interactions.So even though I am in many of the hive related discord communities I don't go into them perhaps near as much as I should, and when I do I could be called a stalker as I read through whats going on when I can but seldom say much.Now lastly in this regard there is the Wednesday Walk Community which I started. and support to this day, I did create a community on Hive for it, but really its more of a tag people can use, to share photos and thoughts about walks they have taken, sharing a post once a week.
IT has grown far more than I ever imagined it would, and I try to visit, read, vote and comment on every Wednesday Walk post each week, which keeps me busy some days, but I love seeing people's walks from all around the world.

Hive account@madilyn02: What advice would you give to new users trying to establish themselves on Hive?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: Firstly, Be real, be yourself and be nice.
Find people who have similar interests to yours, follow and interact with them, and take it nice and steady, don't get daunted by people who have lots of followers, they have probably been on the platform and active for a long time.

Hive account@madilyn02: If you could introduce one new feature or community to Hive, what would it be, and why?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: : I think it would be cool for new arrivals on the platform if there could be some sort of welcome feature, where they are giving a list of boxes to check of interests they may have, and then after they select a few, the system could suggest some communities or people that may be of interest to them

Hive account@madilyn02: How do you balance your personal life, hobbies, and maintaining an active presence on Hive?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: Funnily enough i thought when I retired back in 2020 and didn't have the day job I would have more time for hive, but I came to realise the time I was most active on hive was during my hour and a half or more train commute into and then back from NYC each day, so my activity dropped since retiring
but I have a routine that helps me balance my time, I generally get up at 4AM, do a quick check on hive, if weather permits then head out for a photo walk,, when home after that I import the photos and bounce back and forth between editing photos and reviewing posts on hive. when my wife gets up its doing regular things around the house popping on to hive from time to time

Hive account@madilyn02: What has been the most memorable or rewarding experience for you since joining Hive?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: I find it hard to think of one particular thing, to me the most rewarding thing is the interaction with like minded people all around the world

Hive account@madilyn02: Finally, what message or motivation would you like to leave for your readers and the Hive community?

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Hive account@tattoodjay: Keep on Keeping on :), enjoy the time you spend on the platform and give it and yourself time to grow

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Hive account@madilyn02: Thank you, Hive account@tattoodjay, for sharing your inspiring journey and insights with us. Your passion for photography and dedication to the Hive community is truly commendable. It’s always fascinating to hear how creators like you balance life, hobbies, and community engagement while continuing to inspire others. It's an honor to have you here

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Hive account@tattoodjay is involved in the Wednesday Walk Initiative/ Community open to all Hivers. It encourages members to share their walking adventures through photos and stories.

Below is the link to the community :

created/hive-155530

Until the next Community Spotlight, keep exploring, creating, and connecting! If you enjoyed this interview, leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts or suggest who you’d like to see featured next.

🌺🌼🌺🌼🌺🌼🌺 🌼🌺

Special thanks to:

Hive account@thekittygirl
Hive account@wesphilbin
Hive account@snook

For their valuable support. See you all in the next edition 🤗

View Previous interviews here 👇

@inthespotlight

Photos are Tattoodjay's property

_{20% Payout goes to the interviewee}