On 2023 and BEYOND

I could describe every word of every experience I have had in 2023 in great detail. But I won’t. In fact, the last six months have been the most mentally exhausting, emotionally draining and creatively stunted I have felt in a very long time. And instead of focusing on what made me feel all of those deep-rooted emotions. I am going to extend gratitude for who I am and what I have done this past year. I began 2023 on a bit of a break in December, because I found that the holidays put me in a burnt out of state of mind. I couldn’t focus on anything. So I decided to take the holiday season off again this year. Coincidentally, I had gone on a break even before December and it was around Thanksgiving that I gave myself the hardest self-talk yet. Take a break. I was grieving a lot of things and needed to extend myself some grace and adjust to this new reality. I have done a lot of hard things in the past but this one was the hardest. So as I was sitting around the house during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. I decided to journal all of the things I am grateful for. The main theme was that I was given a talent that I had inherited from my Dad; who in his lifetime – made sure his children knew how important the arts were. I picked up a camera because he made it so much fun. That desire to just document every single detail of my life was tucked away there and I knew that desire translated to live music photography. I just had to have the courage to stop and breathe and light that fire once more. It took me months to figure that detail out and I am sure glad I let myself feel those things thoroughly. 

I was going to write an elaborate and detailed note giving 2023 the farewell but I will simply write this: 
To all of the Artists, Managers, PR Teams, Fans, Venue Staff, fellow Photographers in/around Philadelphia and beyond, 

I want to thank you for extending an opportunity to work with you all the past year and allowed me and my team to work on so many cool things. And despite the many things that have made this year emotionally difficult. It was still one for the books. Thank you to the artists for sharing your music with us all. Thank you to the Managers and PR Teams for being so kind and open to reading my emails, week after week. To the fans and venue staff, thank you for making some of my personal days easier, with your vibrant energy and your kindness. To all of the fellow photographers, in and around Philadelphia and beyond. Thank you for being incredibly rad, accepting of this AAPI creative and just overall being some of the most talented folks out there. I wish you all the best in you future endeavors in 2024. 

I could write more but words could not describe the amount of gratitude for the love and support and inspiration this past year. 

With great love, 

Myngan D. 

I had updated this website before taking the rest of the holidays off to spend with my loved ones. Now you can see an updated ”Best of 2023” gallery - linked here and below are some of my favorite shots of the year as well. 

I have also been spending the last six months working on the business side of kismet as well as making some changes to the way things have been operating. Don’t fret, these are all good changes but I can assure you that more content will be published aside from the music photography and reviews/news. In fact, there’s a whole new side of this brand that will be fully launched in 2024 that will make everything we do come full circle. I hope you stick around for that because you’ll be seeing my face and hearing me talk a lot more this year.