like most freelance photographers, i end up trying to do too many things at
once…we sort of have to, because juggling our schedules and our time
is definitely an art in and of itself..we must try to make sure the balls do not all hit the
ground at the same time…
now i am trying to get to California for two reasons….work on my family project and see a gallerist…there is a possibility that i could do a weekend seminar with the Julia Dean Workshops on the weekend of May 30… this would finance my trip to the wild wild west since i am self funded on my family essay…
so, this would be a last minute weekend jam..Julia needs 15 students to sign up to make it possible…she cannot market this class this fast….so, i thought i would mention it here to see if there are enough Californians here that could make this happen…if you think so, call Julia Dean…if a few of you were to show up for this class, which is smack in the middle of Venice Beach, yes Venice Beach, then you might just imagine the weekend we would have…hmmmmm..
if this works , cool…if not, i have plenty to keep me busy…i just thought the timing of this was fortuitous.
for those of you who freelance, are you often pre-occupied with juggling your schedule, as i am possibly doing here, or do you stick to an original plan???
http://www.juliadean.com/contact.html
Juggling juggling all the time. Sticking to an “original” plan is kind of difficult specially when that plan doesnt pay :-)
o.k, then…..
I just emailed Julia for info etc…
Perfect timing…
I was looking for an ASSISTANT ( laughing ) down in Venice Beach…
( graveyard shift )…
I can’t wait, i really can’t wait to MEET YOU
down in Venice…
Dear David,
Having been freelancing for a little while, I think the biggest thing I have learnt is that there is no plan! Everything changes so frequently and often, assignments pop-up, a small job here, a small job there, some at very short notice, some in the planning for a while then don’t happen, sometimes are busy, sometimes are quiet, sometimes you feel like you’re always working, sometimes feeling like you’re never working!
But then again, this is exactly why I chose to do it! I love the unpredictability of this way of living. My worst nightmare was to find myself chained to a desk, 9 to 5, waking up in the morning knowing exactly what was going to happen to me.
I think we all have to have a set or short/medium/long term plans/goals, otherwise we will aimlessly wander forever, but how you eventually get there/achieve them, the journey, is what it’s all about I think.
Best,
Sean
P.S. Panos…are you going to be in Charlottesville for Look3? Was trying to look at your images from here in China but your website doesn’t seem to work out here. After all the good things people have been saying about them, I really want to have a look at them! Keep shooting hard. Best, Sean
Dude!
I’m really Bummed out about the timing on this.
I sooo want to go to the workshop and have no problems driving down to Los Angeles but I’ll be in Yosemite that weekend and can’t get out of the commitment. (in Los Angeles this weekend to visit family- go figure)
Another time then…
Jason
SEAN,
FOR REAL… MY WEBSITE DOES NOT “OPEN” IN CHINA ????
here is my Venice link..( NOT CONNECTED WITH MY WEBSITE )…
can you please check if that “opens”…?
http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/VENICE_.html
one last favor… this my blog link…
does this one “open”…?
http://blog.panosfotografia.com/
thanks in advance, i feel a little paranoid now…
There are more “friends” lurking here, than the usual “lurkers”….
Hmmm…
All my sites are shut down in China… It makes me wonder…!
COINCIDENCE maybe… ( is that denial or what…? )
peace
Sean… thanks again, bro…
About Charlottesville… i hope… we’ll see..
DEAR REPUBLIC OF CHINA..
I APOLOGIZE… FOR MY RECENT UNFAIR, COMMENTS
THAT TOTALLY RUINED YOUR REPUTATION… I WAS SIMPLY …
SIMPLY… er.. DRINKING yes, DRINKING…
I MET SOME BAD PEOPLE HERE IN MY “HOOD” LATELY THAT GAVE ME BAD BOOZE AND BAD DRINKS…
I LOST MY CONTROL AND I YELLED AT YOU…
SORRY , PEPUBLIC OF CHINA.. IT IS NOT YOU KILLING THOUSANDS OF MONKS IN TIBET EVERY YEAR..
IT IS MY IMAGINATION.. IT IS ALL IN MY MIND…
I MADE ALL THAT SHIT UP…
SORRY AGAIN…
CAN I GO NOW…?
CAN YOU PLEASE LET MY WEBSITE “FREE” , “OPEN”… again ???
in your country …?
“Panos… COMING SOON…
in your local chinese CYBER- CAFE !!!!!…
Yeah… stay tuned…”
…laughing..
peace
ALL…
ok guys, stay with me…i have to catch a 6am flight in the morning to Memphis..headin down south for a blues fest… i just got back to New York this afternoon with so much catching up to do…so, i cannot give out the assignments tonight…there are too many proposals on the table i have not read..i must unpack and repack etc etc…, so i am a “short hitter” tonight…patience please (as usual) and you know i will be back soonest…
cheers, david
Hi David–
Have been reading your blog for awhile, and am very interested in your workshop. I live in Southern Cali and left my name and number, but the guy who answered the phone sounded a little frantic as he knew nothing about your potential workshop. If he was alarmed by a call what’s he going to do when the space is inundated with your students! Ha! I’m in. Hope they call me back and it happens.
DAVID:
quick note…im tired and weary, but looking at the photo above, leaves me this, which i’ll leave for you…
Marina and I have just returned from the opening of Arnaud Magg’s new exhibition which opened this evening at Susan Hobbs Gallery, here in Toronto…(last week he celebrated his 82nd birthday!!!!!)…Marina and I both spoke with Arnaud this evening, before too many people got there…he’s one of the GREAT CONCEPTUAL PHOTOGRAPHERS…and such such such an extraordinary human being…and so fucking nice and humble and quiet…Marina walked up to him (we’d never met him, an icon here and in NY and Paris) and melted him…….I dont think i had the same effect ;))….but, so extraordinary…and the work is so fucking sublime….
and you picture above (no relation to Arnaud’s work) just reminded me of tonight, of his work (the work last time of books of color)….
tonight’s work:
http://www.susanhobbs.com/exhibitions/current/current.html
other work:
http://www.susanhobbs.com/artists/Maggs/AMimages.html
http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artist_work_e.jsp?iartistid=3460
…….
so, i wrote him a note tonight, in his book….i’ll leave it for you david too, before you fly…
there he was, 82 years of age, such an incredibly beautiful face, such an incredibly generous soul, such sublime work….it reminded me of why, even fucking dirt poor, my wife and i spend our lives doing what it is we do…the making of things to stem all the disappearance…
the message, i left him and now for u too:
light flushes upon our skin as water pink’d upon a paper
nick of time stained,
of this palimpsest
only bound-bone remains…
running, exhausted
hugs
b
P.S
YO, PANOS, WROBERTANGELL, ROBERT, AND ALL U CALIFORNIA/LA CATS…MAKE THAT VENICE WORKSHOP HAPPEN!
b
David you are the greatest! I was literally just this moment freaking out about trying to organize myself better so that- I don’t know, but just try and be better organized so I can pay my bills and do my work, it always seems like I am flying by the seat of my pants….
Sometimes I wonder if I ever do anything without being totally side tracked and then not being able to follow through and really get stuck into stuff. I have just skimmed the last couple of your threads and I think I need to do an assignment for you too, just so I concentrate on one thing at a time…
Argh it feels like a faint hope sometime!
Bob, ‘palimpsest’ is one of my favorite words, Panos you’re hilarious…
David ages ago I wrote to you about your brother, I am not sure you got it, but I was thinking of you and your family. Hope all is well,
Cheers
lisa
David, sometimes I feel like my head is spinning so fast I am almost out of control because there is so much out there, little time to get it, and the only thing that is regular are bills. The only thing I try to plan for is the unplanned, that is, have enough saved for an emergency, if work dries up or something along those lines. No health benefits, scary.
“…Palimpsest
A palimpsest is a manuscript page, whether from scroll or book that has been written on, scraped off, and used again. The word “palimpsest” comes through Latin from Greek παλιν + ψαω = (“again” + “I scrape”), and meant “scraped (clean and used) again.” Romans wrote on wax-coated tablets that could be smoothed and reused, and a passing use of the rather bookish term “palimpsest” by Cicero seems to refer to this practice…”
thank you Lisa.
peace
I think Sean hit the nail on the head back there. The freelance gig is always unpredictable with its ebbs and flows. Yes, it often feels like you are either too busy with assignments, or waiting on them … I guess it all balances out though…
Having said that shooting is only part of the work… I feel like I am always working, because if i’m not shooting, editing, transmitting etc. I am researching a personal project, updating my site or working on self-promotion.
Again I concur with Sean. I wouldn’t have it any other way either!
James
(Alright Hoggers!? How’s it going!!?)
Cool, cool Mr Chance!
Not enough paying work, never enough time, but I am just about to relaunch my website so will let you all know in the very near future!
Did a big ‘Future of Journalism’ conference last week-was the only photographer there I think-the conclusion about the ‘Future of Journalism’ well no-one seems to know!
How are all your projects, would love to see more of your work!
For me, usually one thing brings another. Maybe I have a very concrete idea of what I want to shoot but usually the unexpected surprises me and makes me follow an alternative path (and I like that a lot! because then my original idea gets more rich with authentic stuff).
And well, with such an intense life you have, moving around from place to place, no dubt it happens to you too!!
Have fun in that blues fest down in Manphis, hmmmm!
Un abrazo!
Ana
The other thing I forgot to add- told you I was disorganized!- is I also find it really difficult working in the isolation of a freelancing life.
Simple things like editing become such a chore and I wander away and do something else when I find it difficult to edit a story…
And now I am doing this new website and its driving me bats and I am not concentrating so thats why I am writing here!
busy, busy, busy, that’s pretty normal for me too…being spontaneous helps a lot!! But I totally agree with Sean that you need to have long term projects or otherwise you get lost in all that suddenly pop up… so that’s what I’m working on!!
Good luck with the workshop!!
beatrix
Lisa-
I can completely relate. I’ve been home for three weeks since I made a trip to Ireland to document my relatives that still live in the rural south and farm for a living. I’ve found a million things to do to avoid editing and now I’m finally sitting in front of the computer, looking at Lightroom and thinking, where the hell do I start?
Charlie
If you are freelance, as I am, “The Plan” is to keep swimming against the ever shifting current. A freelancer is a shark: always hungry, constantly on the prowl and if you stop moving you drown. You have to constantly adapt and be flexible to the point of having no joints. You have to be thick skinned and waterproof. This is what I’m built for so to me it’s one of the joys of my life: expecting the unexpected.
Panos, you’re apologizing to the wrong China. The Republic of China has no problem with Tibetan monks because, sitting as the Republic does on an island in the Taiwan Strait, it’s nowhere near Tibet. The People’s Republic of China, on the other hand, seems intent of stirring up all sorts of bad karma for itself.
“My worst nightmare was to find myself chained to a desk, 9 to 5, waking up in the morning knowing exactly what was going to happen to me.”
So, Sean, just what is it about my life that you find so nightmarish?
TO THE COUNTRY “REPUBLIC OF CHINA”
FIND ANOTHER NAME SOON, please..
and THANK YOU for keep staying AWAY FROM
TIBET…
Now, to the country “PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA”:
I know we are no close to any major consumers holiday,
but please STOP MANUFACTURING ALL THOSE TOXIC
WASTE “toys” that you export over here…
Shame on YOU…
Killing little children with your cheap ass chemical,
bullshit , manufacturing techniques…
toxic poisons, lead…
Dangerous toys for kids but also for adults too…
… Damn, even my “vibrator” is “made in china”..!!!!!
what the fuck…
I’m throwing that shit in the “garbage”,
right NOW…
“Chinese quality”… My ass…
I hate the juggling. Family time versus pro-photo time.
Just as I find my groove and start to really plow through the work, grant writing, web development, blogging, whatever, I am interrupted only to have to go and fetch the boys from school or some such. It can really plunge me into despair. All those haunting thoughts of “not enough time, not enough money, why am I in this situation?” But then one of the lads says, or does, something utterly hilarious and I’m on my way to being okay again.
Really tough.
But as soon as I get to London, I will stop being a sole trader / proprietor and establish a small company called Photohumourist.com and take it from there. That should help separate family from work. That might help me structure my life a bit better. It’ll also help me build something tangible for the boys should anything happen to me and it’ll shield me and my family from potential liability and other financial risks. It’ll keep my tax bill down too.
Photography is tough because it’s such a part of family life too and not just our business concerns and so the lines blur easily, you know?
http://www.photohumourist.com
DAVID,
when are you going to do a seminar/workshop or just a presentation in Italy? We wait for you.
As a freelance, not well paid, that has her full time job and pursues her photographic project and also photojournalism for daily newspaper, I don’t loose too much time to plan anymore.
Only some start or the duty and then totally flexible to what is coming. For example on Monday I’m leaving for the south of Italy to teach photography for a week in two primary and secondary schools. I’m so happy about it. And there I’m also going to shoot about the organization that fight against mafia, about the course and… going there and see what’s happen, as you always say.
And I’ll also find time to apply for the workshop (one of a thousand, but remember I’m in for 2012).
PANOS,
I’m not in China but I’ve problem in opening your blog.
Ciao!
Laura
One thing that has helped me is learning web design and also learning to love the computer work, editing, sequencing, etc.. I’m also working hard at learning multimedia skills, though my equipment is so basic, but these help keep me focused.
I think we all need to learn to love the other aspects of our work. It’s all part of the process. I’ve found that there is a huge sense of accomplishment to be had when the editing, uploading and delivery of images is done and that helps tremendously. I actually enjoy the computer time very much. I find that the intimate time with one’s images during the editing helps me make better work when I’m shooting again. It’s like I’m working in partnership with the images and their helping me out. That way it’s much less tedious than it otherwise could be.
I’m also learning to love to admin/money side too. Invoicing and the rest of it. When I finally get to pick up the camera again after all the paperwork and editing, I’m fully refreshed and ready to dance.
It’s just the family interruptions that still stifles my progress some.
The Republic of China, ie. TAIWAN, has just sent News that “Mr Skoulidas’s site is no longer welcome in our cyber space, and intend to bring up the matter to the next UN general assembly”
The People’s Republic of China is splitting with laughter over Mr Skoulidas hiatus and proposes to organize the next FREE TIBET mega concert with the “Beastie Geres”, so they can at least help people know who’s who, what, where and when, and not least, show them finally where Tibet is!
:-))))
Guys, the car is working here, I think timewise too, I can drive to LA. I would love to join you guys for beer, laughs and hugs.
HERVE, LAURA just proved to me
that the CHINESE MAFIA has tight ties
with the ITALIAN MAFIA…
china is taking over Italy right this minute..
… France urges Taiwan to stay out of this
game… and be neutral at the moment..
… Free “panos blog”…
Question to ALL..
“is a Chinese vibrator safer??? Than one made
in Taiwan…? Laughing…!
But seriously… Would you prefer to buy a lens
that says “made in china” versus one
that says “made in Japan”… ???
Why do people in the west at least, prefer Japanese
than Chinese
when it comes to manufacturing QUALITY ???
is this just another stereotype???
HERVE, I got an idea for extreme Venice -DAH visit-
fun…
let’s get couple of rooms in the mighty, historic,
“CADILLAC HOTEL”… Its right on the waterfront,
hippie, 60′s style… Right next to the “bistro”
and all the “good” action…
literally 30 feet away from julia dean’s and
DAH’s workshop on the 30th…
Now whoever wants to follow me in the desert,
for the “panos afterparty”…
no problem for accomodations there..
…people’s republic of china… My ass…
4 words to describe such a complicated
dictatorship…
… Kinda the ex- USSR…
when their lie collapsed we found out one million
small democracies begging to be free and autonomous…
FREE BORAT…
FREE KAZACHKSTAN…
peace…
FREE VENICE…
(I do not have that much money)
Sorry fellas, got no bread for workshops.
but David, if you roll into LA, maybe Panos could bring you through for a portrait etc.
that would most excellent.
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS for CHINA , TAIWAN , ITALY….
I created a simpler, lighter web way ( through .mac ),
which i hate because it doesn’t provide a counter… so no way to track the feedback…
which make no sense to me… but anyways…
please someone let me know ( from those countries ) if … if those “links” open…
And again , those new links ( venice photos ), are not connected or linked to the
website of that disrespectful human being that listens under the name “Panos”…
ok… 5 Gallery albums…
http://gallery.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos#gallery
venice…
http://gallery.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos#100015&bgcolor=black&view=mosaic&sel=7
community: would like to participate in a workshop however i don’t have a $$ tree growing in my backyard..
I’m a so-called freelancer, yet I haven’t earned the busy schedule I envy. So what do I do? Personal projects like these.
So far I’m a little distracted by the interesting artifacts I’m finding. I mean a pocket Watergate game? Who can resist that. While I think overall there will be a place in this project for “items,” so far I’m not getting what I’m going for, which is supposed to be more straightforward portraiture of folks having sales to make ends meet.
The first reason is that I haven’t stumbled upon the sale that meets the right criteria—meaning, most are just unloading junk for spring cleaning. I know the right people are out there, it may just be a longer process than I thought.
The second is (and this is why this is such a good exercise for me) is that I’m mostly terrified of getting closely involved and asking people if I can take their picture. Put me on street and I’ll shoot scenes all day long; ask me to make a connection, and I kind of bumble. It doesn’t mean that I’m not going to figure out how to approach this—it’s just my biggest personal challenge. I don’t want to end up with a series of artifacts.
I could probably really use lessons from Erica for this project!
http://www.humanfiles.com/journal_galleries/garagesale.htm
AMERICA IN CRISIS
HOMEOWNERS WALKING OUT THEIR PROPERTIES…
UNABLE TO PAY THE MORTGAGE…
STREETS WITH NO NAMES… IN THE SUBURBS… GHOST TOWNS..
ARE BORN…
FORECLOSURES,… BANK REPOS… PANIC… PAIN… DEPRESSION…
ELECTIONS… GAS PRICES…
I just posted ( 5 new photos ) of my project in the suburbs…
“THE DESERTIFICATION OF CALIFORNIA”…
take a peek in my blog.. below… only 5 photos
http://blog.panosfotografia.com/2008_05_09_archive.html
peace
PANOS…
I like the way you think, shoot!
MICHAEL K.,
You know well how much pressure ONE assignment can bring..
I always get TIRED , EXHAUSTED if i have one “thing” in my mind…
But if i do a little on 3 different projects at the SAME time…,
then… i somehow stay fresh…
that quick peek at the other project is enough to give me enough
“distance”, to let me go back and forth with clear head…
peace
David, this comment is off-topic, at least in regards to your proposed workshop in Venice Beach. Hope that happens as it sounds like a fabulous opportunity.
I have been very excited about participating in your Photographic Essay workshop at LOOK3 in Charlottesville, VA June 7-12. But unhappily, I now find it will be impossible for me to make the trip.
My husband is in the midst of a health crisis that, although not life-threatening, landed him in the hospital on Thursday night. It is now Friday night and he’s still in hospital. We’re hoping he can be discharged tomorrow. But even if he is, I can see this is going to be a situation that will require my staying here at home and available to help him in any way I can for the foreseeable future. In other words, no traipsing off to Virginia, not even for such a marvelous opportunity as one of your workshops. I can only hope another such opportunity will present itself in the future. I do plan to continue participating here on your blog–I’ve gotten hooked!
Today I emailed Andrew Owen, the Operations Manager of LOOK3, to tell him of my need to cancel being in David’s workshop. I’d hoped to receive a refund since I’d prepaid for the workshop. He wrote back saying he’d do his best to give me a partial refund, but would really need to have my place filled by someone else before he could give me a full refund.
So my question to the community is this: Can someone here manage to find the time and $$ to register for David’s workshop in my place? As I know you know, it will be amazing! Here’s the link to read about it and register:
http://www.festivalofthephotograph.org/2008/workshops/harvey.html
I would love to think of one of you being there in my place.
In thinking about this further, I’d like to offer some help if $$ would keep you from attending David’s LOOK3 workshop in my place. Please email me at croneart@comcast.net and let’s talk.
Patricia
DAVID, Panos, LA crowd…
Wasn’t I JUST there at Julia Dean a couple of months ago asking her when David could come and do a workshop?? With my unused credit from the cancelled Nachtwey workshop??? Waiting, waiting…
Now that I’ve used the credit towards Alex Webb and am back in New Mexico…NOW you’re coming to California to hang out with Panos (who I never met due to the girlfriend’s birthday)???
NOT FAIR!!
For all who did not see this late posting in the last thread:
MOKSHA by Fazal Sheikh. Online edition.
http://www.fazalsheikh.org/10_moksha/01_online_edition_01.htm
AMERICA IN CRISIS…
———
BTW, friends, talking about a country in crisis, and people destitution, see what you can do to help the burmese people. What they go thru, not just last week should relativize pain as felt in California.
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/burma_cyclone/6.php?cl=86387744
Thank you cathy,
a very beautiful work…
Kind regards,
audrey
Time to go to sleep, but i want to share this with you…first.
let it out of my chest… ( you make me tired…!!!!! )
my little “A NIGHT IN THE DESERT” moviegraph…
http://web.mac.com/innerspacecowpanos/%22MOVIES%22/A_Night_In_The_Desert.html
goodnight from L.A
peace
I was just speaking about Fazal yesterday, I so admire him and his work. Also see the other work..you can much online at his site (As part of the ideology behind the International Human Rights Series and in order to bring the issues contained within to an international audience, they may be read in its entirety on-line in English or French.)
Audrey, I left you a message on the last post, maybe 3 pages from the end..
HELLO ALL….
i am down in the Mississippi Delta…sitting on the side of an empty street where the only internet signal exists..the problem is, i cannot see the screen because it is just too too bright, so writing and thinking about writing is annoying to say the least…i know many of you are waiting for assignments, but attempting to look at your links now would make a grown man cry…i may try to do something tonight, but of course at night i am also trying to photograph…anyway, do not think i have abandoned you…circumstances, circumstances…surely by the end of the weekend i can figure this out…in the meantime, take good care, and i will be back soonest….
cheers, david
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS DAVID ALAN HARVEY??
(thought Kali)…
from a great child’s tv show about people going around the world ;)))
hugs
running
b
CATHY
Thank you for the link of Fazal Sheikh . His work is realy very good.
hey wrobertangell,
long time, been shooting some stuff down near where you live i think…it was sketchy anyway, so i figured from what i’ve heard your place must be nearby…!
love the terry noise stuff, the shot of the dresser underneath the cat with the hint at what is going on in the background…reminds me of a delft school painting. the family of albert portraits look like they were done by frida kahlo, all very painterly, fantastic.
natan
Our fearless leader has the Missippippi Delta blues, I fear…
I can imagine big DAH sitting in a corner of a street writting in his laptop, all the road back him and the future in front. Nice postcard!! You’re a real free wanderer…