Well. What a response to the annoucement of the blog. I've been blown away by the messages, comments and shares from those supporting this little project of mine. It has, already, far exceeded my expectations. So thank you!

In the last entry I mentioned a short video which I titled "All-In". It was only a late-night put together of some of my favourite clips/footage from last season but has done extremely well. Therefore today I thought I'd go into the meaning of this a bit more. Mostly because the phrase itself seems to have stuck and has shown up in a few comments and shares from others - which has been both amusing and nice to see. Shattered Lens Paintball as a Media entity doesn't have a slogan or tagline, and I have to say this is the closest I've come to one. Maybe it's time for a new shirt...

I whole heartedly believe that you should only do something creative if you put all you have into it. For me, there's no reason to not do this. Part of why I've not been hugely committal to paintball in recent seasons has been the lack of ability (or knowing I couldn't give) something I've been either asked to do, or want to do, my absolute best shot. I know from my own experiences that if I don't put everything into something, I'm very rarely satisfied with the end result. That is enough reason for me. I think it is definitely fair to say this same thought process turns up in most other aspects of our lives, whether that be education, learning new skills or working hard to progress in your chosen career.

So this year, I'm applying that to paintball. I'm very much playing my own hand and betting everything on it. The idea; create cool things and give back something to Paintball.

To produce "content" that those in the community will enjoy and share with others. I've invested in new equipment which I hope will ultimately increase the quality of my work. Further to that, re-ignite a passion for my hobby again within a game I love.

Photo - Myself at CPPS, 2018 by Llucia Wood Photography

We all love paintball, this sport completely sucks you in. With its fantastic community spirit, and of course, the playing part. In my experience, no other sport or activity brings the same level of adrenaline, fun and intense competition. Even at Amateur Levels.

For those that don't know, my name is Joe. I create paintball videos and this year will mark a decade of being in paintball. Which, when put into perspective, is a little strange. It feels like only yesterday I was picking up a marker for the first time and opening my first order of gear (a proto I3 and BT camo jersey). As the saying goes, time flies when you're (really) having fun.

Image: POV: Thinking I'm Pro at my local site, at Quex Park, Birchington, Kent, 2014