"commitment" is almost nobody’s favorite word….
"freedom", "fly", "space" seem to be more comfy life "key words"….easier for one thing…and whole supporting philosophies to go along with them….but, as we all know, at some point anyway, only through commitments do we get anything done at all either personally or professionally…
last sunday on a Carolina beach ,above, Amanda Pitts became Amanda Halladay…..she gave up her "freedom" to marry the ever elusive can’t pin me down vagabond of all vagabonds surfer boy Scott "Scooter" Halladay…you may read about Scooter in one of my chapters in Divided Soul and realize the extent of my long relationship with Scoot since he was a young boy living at the other end of Pinetree Road… my son Bryan’s best friend in Richmond and now in the wind whipped surfer community of the Outer Banks….
Amanda and Scooter announced their beach wedding less than 24 hours before it happened, therefore extending their reputations for non-conformists right up until the final "i do" here on Hatteras Island, the water burial ground of almost 300 storm related shipwrecks, and where even the crews of German U-boats, during WWII, used to sneak ashore and get a suntan right here on these long white beaches and just a few miles from where the Wright brothers launched the first powered airplane in 1903 and Blackbeard the pirate, in the early 1700′s, retired here to enjoy his loot from hijacking ships of commerce…
lots of history for a rather "out of the way" thin strip of land likely to be erased in any hurricane, but as far as we are concerned, the Amanda/Scooter wedding is at the top of the list of "important events"…everyone down here figures that if those two can make a commitment, then all things are possible..
speaking of relationships, we have one right here….because i happen to be on vacation right now, i let the last post hang a bit too long and yet the comments are getting close to 700…crazy…..conversation…online friends…chit chat…serious thinking and references….assignments coming to fruition….work to be shared and displayed….an internet phenomenon by any reckoning….
so, now what do we do?? stay as we are?? make a commitment for more?? by the end of September we will have all assignments finished i think and i will be ready to announce new grantees from EPF….there are other "awards" besides the cash grants to come, but i will announce those later…now, i just want to get a feel for what we should do next….
frankly, i cannot do more than i am doing right now…my personal photography just cannot take a back seat to managing this forum…..and i well know that none of you expect that nor suggest otherwise…however, if some of YOU were to volunteer your help , i think we could get better without getting bigger or losing our "personal touch"…. i have shunned advertising for our forum here because, well, i just think we should take our "popularity" and instead of advertising, have corporations and individuals sponsor your projects i.e. EPF …
so far, this has been an easy "sell" for me because it is just flat out a "worthy cause" at a time of shrinking photo budgets on every front..my only problem is that i just do not have the time go really go "out there" and sell it in the way that could really make it "fly"….we will have a permanent slot as part of Look3 and next year’s show will be "killer"..and i foresee we will do many more shows/exhibitions from the work generated here in 2008…a printed annual is an obvious possibility, but this will take some major fund raising which i , in theory could easily do, but if i did i am afraid i would lose momentum on my family project….
in the next few weeks my schedule will take me to Perpignan (Sept 3-9) where i will meet many of you..we should discuss this if you are around…also ,in September , i have two weeks of workshops in my New York loft….then i will be back on the road with my "families"… somewhere in there, i would like to meet as many of you in New York as i can…yes, a meeting at my place…..maybe between the two workshops…..maybe after….
your ideas on what we should do or what we can do are important…tell me, tell me….of course, we do not have to do anything different from what we already do….but, i would feel so proud if we could generate enough funding to have many of you working and with a nice publication as an end result…
again, getting "bigger" is not on my mind…..representing a growing and talented legion of photographers and writers who have made their online environment the very message itself, is potentially very interesting…it is what already happens here, but perhaps more of a commitment from some of us could push our collaborative efforts towards its own logical evolution…
Amanda and Scooter, i wish you love and happiness forever……
Exciting stuff!!
David, sent you an email…
O my god! New post!!!!!
:))))))))
I dont know how I could help to make it grow but if you need some I am on your service.
DAH… :))
i have been here little. it is summer and i am out on the street with my kids, my street family, my ‘road dogs’ – heh.
no time to be indoors.
that will come soon enough.
i have so many so many new photos. i am thinking to just shoot like mad now and edit this fall/winter.
do you remember that assignment you gave me way back in the blog somewhere? i am set up to take one of my street sons, ghost, to see his dad for the first time in 6 years. (ghost is 22 and hasn’t seen his dad since he was 16). we’re leaving this weekend. his father has cancer now and the history of their relationship was built upon drug addiction and physical abuse. one part of ghost deeply loathes his father. but i’ve seen another side too. one that is open to some reconciliation. his dad is drug-free now and very sad for how he treated ghost.
anyway, i’ll let you know how it goes.
what’s yr email address?? i’ve lost it..
mine is: iamkatia@gmail.com
do i need to do anything specific to be considered for EPF?
i sooooo very much want to come to NY!!!
are you thinking you might come to seattle?
that would be incredibly wonderful. :)))
love ya!
katia
DAVID
It’s really difficult for me, to keep in date with all the comments and ideas on the blog, I am too slow for this brilliant community. I have decided to join for my own commitment. the first in my e.life. I’ll try not to be so far….keep reading. Not easy !
The fact is, since we have met I began my own brain storm to a new project. This essay is something very important to me and something i would love to show, and share.
It’s about Maria do Carmo’s life and work. A dive into the domestic work scene around us. Here in Brazil, São Paulo specifically. I spent three weeks working, day and night, living, walking, and working by her side. This is the best selection (maybe my A edit) from this work. In fact i am a bit saturated, and I cannot figure out which of these images are good enough, strong or not. I love them all, and each one have your own story for me, but I need to go further. what do you say ?
“Carmen’s Life”.
http://www.galembeck.com.br/carmenslife
I also placed this link on the Student work
I hope to hear from you very soon.
Congratulations to Amanda and Scott
My best wishes
All
I would love to have some feedback about this work. In fact I need it !
This is very important for me. Any idea, comments, text help, review… Fell free !
Thanks a lot !
Gui Galembeck
many congratulations to you and yours david.. brilliant way to commit to each other and a fantastic sounding little gathering you have going on there.
regarding here…
whatever i can do.. just holla.
would love to get over to NY.. unable to afford workshop type business although it’s going to be another 6 months editing for me in any case.
commitment is only a word – the way the word is said makes the meaning quite different, no?
i’m quite digging my commitments at the moment.. baby.. lecturing.. book editing.. planning.. it’s coming together nicely for next year and then it’ll be pitches to new publishers and agencies for me.
the forum here is growing.. and it can be difficult to keep up.
i have wondered if there could be the need for a more traditional forum.. with different threads which people can initial themselves.. who knows?
EPF will become a regular funding resource through your hard work and it’s bound to grow into something with longevity.. a legacy to be proud of.
it would be great to have more industry links through this place i guess.. the possibility of trial commissions.. toward that end if i could be considered for the next assignments that’d be great.
i’d like to pitch something which i could tout around specific magazines and see if i could sell it..
approaching new clients rather than working with the magazines under my belt.. pushing myself up a notch..
not the music and cultural work i’ve been doing, although related to that.. i have ideas which i think could be of much wider interest and involve showing work, (and the subjects of it), to a larger audience.
again – anything i can do with whatever is needed here, please let me know..
DAVID…
“by the end of September we will have all assignments finished i think”
If you are referring to “self assigned” as well as those you have “officially” assigned, I hope you will put out a “last call” for submitting links.
As far as where the blog should “go”…I’m thinking about that. Not sure that there need to be any big changes made around here but progress has a way of coming along whether it is wanted/needed or not…Keeping that in mind it’s fine to have a direction, a goal, although it sounds like Amanda and Scooter didn’t spend the last year working on their wedding plan (like many) and all went well for them. SOMETIMES people are so attached to their plans and goals for the future that there’s no room for the organic change that takes place by itself.
hi gui
good to meet you.. you have some really superb photographs in the collection so far.. i love the gentle atmosphere when her work must be so hard – understated.. love in a room with peeling paint.. great.
i’ll not presume to direct you.. although the project does bring up questions for me..
how long have you been photographing her? there is a closeness as well – how do you know each other?
as a representation of a lifestyle which many are leading i think it goes a long way towards letting us into someones life.. an ordinary life which for ‘the few’ might look hard, and for the many it might look normal.
unique and with a gentle ‘hook’.. i like it..
David, like we had discussed before, if you have funding and someone who can project manage the cashflow, I’d be happy to lay out and art direct the magazine. I’ve even talked to Bob about contributing writing. I thing you’d have to assume the photo editor-in-chief position, though.
Wow! A big congratulations to a beautiful couple. It wasn’t 2 weeks ago when I ran into Amanda at the coffee shop. For some reason, I asked her when they were finally getting married. Little did I realize, so soon. What a pleasant surprise to get the news, and heard it here first…
DAVID… in other words…I’d hate to see the blog become defined in stone “THIS IS WHAT WE’RE ABOUT” that eliminates any other possibilities. Doubtful you are capable of that so no need for me to worry!! :)) What has happened here (I believe) has happened because of the OPENESS. So let’s please continue in openess.
oh wow david tough question here… gonna have to think about this one.. but definitely, there is enough energy here to turn things into “real”.. we’ve witnessed sparks of things turning real here and there.. but a big one is definitely possible.. and we should direct our energy wisely…
gotta run now, glad to hear you again.. will be back soon with some thoughts
oh and by all means, you can count on me. actions over words, as they say.
love
anton
I must admit, I too find attempting to read through 700 comments completely overwhelming. I mostly lurk, reading an odd comment here and there and clicking on interesting links. However, even thought this blog is a relatively tight knit community, as an “outsider” it seems a little daunting to “dive in”. Perhaps (at risk of blasphemy) a more structured “bulletin board” style of communication would help this? I would love to hear everyone’s opinion on this.
David, I have some links and thoughts I would like to share with you, however, I realized that I didn’t ask for your email during the Santa Fe workshop. Mine is j25rober@ryerson.ca
Jordan.
I’ve noticed often that it often takes newcomers a while to get a response. I think the fastest portal to the “group” is to say something that ruffles Panos’ feathers—in a few days you’ll be his best friend.
MARCIN….
you are such a big part of this no matter what you do….a true ORIGINAL!!!
just keep going with Hometown which i finally saw and love….
KATIA…
yes, of course i remember…i did wonder what had happened to you here lately, but never thought for a moment that you were not out there with your kids….
you do not need to do anything special as far as being considered for EPF…just keep shooting and that little story within the story will be very interesting for us all to see…
JORDAN…
sorry you feel it overwhelming to “dive in”…now that you have done it, how bad does it seem?? i am not sure what you mean by the “bulletin board” style, but i am sure everyone else does…i do not get out much!!!
one of our regular writers told me that she gets private e-mails from people who are afraid to comment and literally asking her permission or suggestions for how to comment!!
that is the last thing i want…please feel free to say whatever you want to say whenever you want to say it…
i cannot answer every question nor respond to every comment…but i give it a good try, with some days being better than others for me to respond…but, i do read everything and now usually only respond to questions that have not been answered by someone else..unless of course the question is directed at me personally, in which case i think i always answer…or try to anyway…
welcome…
cheers, david
MIKE…
pretty funny since you live just down the road from Scooter…i think a lot of his friends were a little upset that he did not put out a lot of information on this wedding..but, that is just Scoot!!!
CATHY…
of course we will stay open…and there is no need for us to change anything at all…only getting funding for photographers who have none would seem to be a worthy goal…
cheers, david
Hi David Bowen, nice to meet you too !
I knew Carmen years ago. She worked a lot at Tatiana grandmother’s house. She is also working for my mother-in-law, and spent a long time with the family since our cousins were babies.
We spent 3 weeks working. Night and day. Not such long time but, just the enough for a first moment.
Yes, there is closeness for me, just by the work itself. Not for Carmen or her family, the are marvelous and I love to keep all the time I can with them !
The fact is that I spent much time looking at these pictures, editing, thinking… and I love them all. I can’t go further by myself…. and stopped at this point that you saw… I don’t know if I finish, or not but I am very very glad that you like it !!
Thanks a lot for expressing your opinion.
DAVID: :)))
HEY, for a second i thought it was like YOU who were getting married and just keepin’ it close to the chest ;))))…
first, big ups to these 2 lovely wackos! :)))…THAT’S THE KIND OF MARRIAGE MARINA AND I CAN TOTALLY DIG! :)))…(we’ll tell u about our honeymoon when we’re in NY :))…great for those 2…and what a frickin’ wedding photog they got in the bargain ;)))
secondly, yea, David McG spoke to me about an idea of expanding the blog :))…As I told David, im totally down to contribute anything y’all need: writing, photos whatever (David McG, dont forget im a photog too ;))) ), but yes, im willing to write something special for y’all from time to time (im thinking, at least for my time schedule, a Quarterly, more than that would fuck up my other writing and photo shit, but I am totally up for givin’ y’all anything that would help/inspire :))))….and dont forget Ms. Patricia: who is also a writer too ;))))…but beloved Akaky has gotta have editorial duties: same office with brother Panos! :))))
3rd: will send you the Bones. Im thinking Michael could set me up a folder and I’d FTP it to you along with the essay (not the one you received 2 weeks ago). That way, it’ll be a surprise when you return from Perp. I’ll post some “tease” images (maybe 2) here when you’re in France :))
Lastly, Marina and I will call you this weekend. Saturday night or Sunday: good for you??….gotta get the trip schedule nailed down, as well as the folk i wanna hook you up with at Perp…(by the way, 1 of those lads would be a good contact too, maybe, as it relates to the idea about this thread: expansion of what goes down here :))….
call u this weekend
hugs
bob
Not sure I understand the possible directions, David.
Fund-raising, putting work towards getting the blog goal-specific? At the onset, sure enough, people will volunteer, but what will make it a serious, continuous effort on the part of these individuals?
We are all nice guys wishing the best to the others, but people are people, there may be a problem in gallantly putting one’s time and energy, ie. commitment, in an enterprise that may end up promoting, funding other fellows/gals, than oneself?
Again, I may have misunderstood what you wish from us, or some of us, to work towards (I am just the dunce in the class here. I can try better puns, jokes, but that’s about it ;-)…. Fund-lowering more my expertise than raising!!!).
GUI :)))
some lovely and beautiful and moving moments (love the small blue house, surrounded by the walls: in this picture i can hear the noise and the silence, the racing and the gone of poverty, having visited )…
great for jumping in :)))…terrific essay…love many of the images, especially their play with light and color: “morning sounds,” “queen of the house”, “solitude” “vanity” “confession” “respect” “portrait of davi” “morning light” etc…what i like about the images is when i loose the idea that this is only a poor women who must clean house, but when i sense that this is the entire struggle of life itself, for all people…in fact, i wanted more pics: i wanted to see some of her grief/exhaustion as well…do you know the Portugese filmamker Pedro Costa??…his movies often deal with the poor and outcasts of Lisboa…and in his films lay the entirety of their lives: the joy and the suffering, the struggle…etc….i want more pics of her life: not only at home and cleaning, but her life alone, or in the street or with friends too…in other words, there was strong pictures and they made me hunger to learn more about her, her family, her life…
the question: what can you show us about her life that we cannot understand or cannot see or know just by defining her as poor who struggles to survive…
im very happy you shared…let me also feel her entirety :))…
welcome aboard :))
all the best
bob
p.s. yes, by the way, it goes without saying: please take with a grain a sand anything i say ;))))
See, already a problem. Bob didn’t even consider me as a possible writer…
And we have not even started!
:-))))))))))))))))))))))
PS: I say, let’s involve others than the usual supsects. Try, at least.
DAVID
Sounds exciting and however IT happens, I’m sure it will evolve in to something interesting.
I’m also glad to hear that you WILL be making it to Perpignan. A few posts back you didn’t sounds so optimistic. Anyway, I hope we’ll get a chance to sit down at some point during the week. I’ll be there from Tuesday until Saturday.
cheers,
Charlie
HERVE ;)))))))…
ooooops….that is like totally totally MY BAD!…it goes without saying Herve: YOU ARE TOTALLY THE WRITER HERE! :)))…
ok, totally agree: fair enough. I do feel so stupid now, you have no idea….
i got a good idea: have some folk volunteer to be editors to invite/put together: that way it aint the “usual suspects” but a new, fresh bunch of folk :)))
and Herve, really, with all of our “on again off again” relationships, you should know that I totally think of you as an essential, and critical part of this blog and one of the reasons that it has thrived: not only because you are a smart and challenging (tireless too, more than I) thinker but also a restless provacateur: in the good sense!!! :))…
you, if not one else, need to contribute BOTH pictures and writing…
sorry…
running
cheers
bob
“but, i would feel so proud if we could generate enough funding to have many of you working and with a nice publication as an end result…”
If the above doesn’t openly state the obvious, let me..
David, you are the embodiment of commitment in this context, and because of that, I am, and think I can speak for most here, we are, more inspired to be dedicated not only to this community but to our work.
Your embrace here extends outward in ways you wouldn’t know; today, the person who came to help me shoot selflessly traveled for nearly two hours despite it being a day of fasting for her for spiritual reasons. That incredible commitment apparently came because of mine, which was nurtured and increased by your words and ideas and encouragement..
I think that commitment as a concept is weighty, like that of sacrifice. But in my eyes, there is no sacrifice in sacrifice if it is done selflessly – rather it is a beautiful human response for us to give of ourselves when we are connected and invested to an ideal/thought/direction/person.. and similarly, with commitment. This place that you built is now our house as it is yours, and if there is a way for us to care for it that is in our reach, we will, I will..
RE: bulletin board style, I believe that means similar to the structure used at LS.
UNCLE DAVE – Congratulations Scooter and Amanda, What a Cool Wedding! U-Boats? , Pirates? , Blackbeard? – Sounds like my sort of place.Thanks for the interest in the aboriginal community work I’ve been doing – Definitely got me thinking.
BOB – I’ve spent a long time digesting the Poem you sent me and , compadre , I reaaaallly want to sit down with a bottle or 2 one day , and thanks for putting me onto Giacomelli , caught up with sister Lisa while she was in town , we both agree that The family Black needs to come in out of the cold and warm those frostbitten toes down under.
Bob – I think reminding me that you are also a photographer just got you a cover! :)))
Seriously, instead of planning for a quarterly, it would be ambitious enough to develop an issue available by, say, next Look3? Subsequent issues could be developed after we see how the first goes.
DAVID BOWEN….
that is an interesting thought..your idea of industry connections….well, let’s think about that some more…for sure, and maybe you do not realize this, many many editors are already tuned in to what we do here…most likely American editors, but many others as well…
connecting to what is left of the existing market is surely important…i mean, it is not gone yet after all!!! but, i think we all need to create a new vision for the future…but, for me anyway, all of this should be organic…
well, let’s keep talking, thinking…by the way, did you receive your book? i think we sent it two weeks ago ….
cheers, david
DAVID MCG ;)))))))))))))))))))))))))
i aint that sexy ;))))…i want to give it to Herve! :))))))))))))
an issue by Look is do-able, with this frickin’ talent pool (and Im talking about all the people who LURK TOO; this place is totally not just about the big mouths like me…)…sounds good d:)))
BROTHER GLENN! :)))
thanks kindly…mrs. b and i would love to come down under and have plans too…the poem/essay was meant to be read when in the company of a fine red too :)))…your words mean alot to me, believe me :)))…we’ll see what the magazine does….
OFF TO BED ;)))
b
by SEAN GALLAGHER……… :
“Dear David,
Well I took your advice and just booked some flights to Perpignan and it seems to have worked out. Gina Martin was incredibly helpful and helped me to find a place to stay with Helen Twomey from Nat Geo. It’s a piece of floor, but that’s all I need! I shall be there from the 1st to the 8th, so hope to see you and everyone from the blog there. I shall keep an eye out for any postings about meeting points, times etc. I don’t have a cell number for Perpignan yet. Picking one up in the UK where I am making a pit-stop from China before arriving in France. Shall post it once I have it. Very much look forward to seeing people from Look3 and new previously unmet fellow bloggers.
By the way, if there is any way you feel I can help out on the blog, just let me know. I owe you David and I’d like to help.
Looking forward to Perpignan,
Sean”
hmmm, since i am some what new to this community and not here from the beginning – i am not sure i have a strong opinion on this (yes, david, i do not always have an opinion). I think what you/we have here is special and unique and personally like the way it is flows.
i will be in perpignan and i’m sure will be discussing with many of my fellow bloggers here…
SEAN – so glad the room/floor worked out for you in perpignan – look forward to seeing you there!
DAH – see you soon…
DAH – oh yeah… nick’s birthday is the 4th (thursday) the night of the NG party! we will have to celebrate!! xo
PATRICIA…
Are you around? Thought of you this evening…Buffy Saint Marie gave a free concert on the Santa Fe plaza this evening. Indian Market is this weekend. Does she ROCK or what??? For those who aren’t familiar this woman is the Native American Tina Turner! AMAZING.
I sat on the steps of the stage and photographed the show. I recall you sharing your photos earlier this summer.
Apropos question for me at the moment, having spent yesterday with the lovely Erica McDonald. Erica can get little dogs to sit and pose for her, and she is the epitome of grace and patience while she does it…you can only imagine the wonders she works with her neighborhood characters. Erica’s friendship is one of a few that I’ve nurtured with this blog…she happens to be a wonderful person to spend a day with, but to do it with cameras in tow is particularly special.
I am most frequently too overwhelmed by this blogosphere to comment and participate, I’ve never been most expressive with my words, and certainly not the impulsive ones that come flowing after the insightful questions posed here. But like so many i lurk and comment periodically, frequently wishing that I was more participatory, but knowing that “my way” is not usually to discuss my projects in progress, and perhaps blogging isn’t my best form of self-expression. That said, I do wish to keep up with the spirit of this venture!
Still thinking of what and how, but I join the many others, I’d happily give back in any way I can…
PS, to all of you going to Perpignan, I for one will be longing to join you, have fun!
DAH
Would LOVE to be involved in the conceptualization/design of the publication! Happy to contribute in any ways you see fit.
ERICA
NY. I’ll be there September 10th, 11th + daytime the 12th. Don’t finish your project before then! :) With my participation in the Loft Workshop, I was intending to kill two birds with one stone (minus the killing bit). In addition to seeking a swift kick in the rear from David, I’ve looked forward to assisting YOU!! (I wasn’t kidding when I said I wanted to!) So so sad to hear you are wrapping things up just days before I get there!! Drats!!
Cathy;
What a combination; music and photography!! I was fortunate to be able to shoot the 3 day WOMAD festival here in NZ during late summer. Managed to shoot two shows of Sharon Jones and one show of Mavis Staples!! Two soul divas esp Mavis Staples….
I’ve always wanted my photos to be the visual equivalent of a Pete Townshend solo album….. Am still trying…. I’ve always felt there’s a link between music and photography…
Cheers
DAVID
Now that I’m here, I guess the only way to go is inward(upward). As far as others being hesitant to post, I can relate. Pardon the metaphor, but it almost feels like walking into a full classroom for the first time. However, I have no doubts that this place is one of the best available, so I’m glad to be here.
ERICA
You are right. By “bulletin board” style, I was referring to a type of setup used by Lightstalkers for example. In my opinion, that format would allow for the discussion of various topics simultaneously, so that participant’s comments do not become lost among the masses.
great – ALL LURKERS
it’s not how long you have been doing something, it’s how much energy you put into it that defines your place
so just jump in and take up the space you need.
a well known musician told me that once, when i was on a job in italy.. new to working abroad and wondering how on earth i managed to get them… no apologies or permission needed and no one here who you need to check with first.
DAH DMC BOB ALL
magazine.. journal.. 1/4ly.. brilliant idea.
i can offer my services to get all content ‘print ready’.. could also help as a fundraiser and act in a general liaison capacity if needed.
brief cv.. well.. yes.. i helped to set up a magazine a few years ago which is now on issue 24 (produced 6 times a year) and a client list of publications i’ve worked with is here… (scroll down) http://www.bophoto.co.uk/about/about.htm
in short – a magazine from EPF – perhaps a kind of new photographer catalogue, in a way – would be a commitment i would love to be involved with – as deeply as ya’ll will accept. i have excellent contacts to top writers from the magazine and newspaper worlds… get me, eh?
DAH
i’m tripping over myself running down the stairs most mornings to look in the postbox.. it’s not here as yet although i’m not worried.. it will come i am sure.. it’s like christmas eve every day.
with industry links i guess what i mean to say is that working offf of the stories people are producing, it would be great when people present the concept of their work if they also had in mind a public outlet – not necessarily paper based – could be MM or exhibit.. that way there could be a ‘complete’ couching start to finish – from concept to print/web/ distribution.
perhaps that is already the point and i missed something, arriving late to the party as i did..
for me – i have never been able to afford any kind of photographic life without the consideration of selling and distributing the work.. it’s been the point of my work for much of the time..
and so if i could carry out a start-to-finish project – treating it like an on spec piece to offer around newspaper supplements and the few paper based journals that may be interested – i think that would be of most help to me. hopefully help others see through the cloud of fear sometimes produced by the thought of showing editors work.
my idea would be based around music and cultural events organized by the teens who have grown up on different sides of a war and use music as a backdrop to reconnect with each other..
towards that end i’ve been photographing derry and belfast in northan ireland over the past 4 years (exhibited last month in derry http://bophoto-mumblings.blogspot.com/2008/07/festival-exhibition-in-derry-ireland.html ) and made a bunch of trips to serbia and croatia over the last 2 years.
i think concerntrating on derry and belfast would work best.. i still have a couple of solid photo trips to make – to capture the ex-paramilitary doormen at the venues and to cover a couple of other angles.. perhaps if i also expanded upon the balkans work and maybe journied to palastine and isr it would make a piece with a broad interest which someone might pick up?
i have a writer i have made many of the N.ireland trips with, who is both excellent and heavily published professionally.
for me it would be an important story.. the problems left behind after a war are rarely covered by the media.. high unemployment.. high youth suicide.. a destroyed arts community.. occasional backwards looking violence.. however i think the way to really help these places is to look for the positive stories which will help bring about a change in peoples perception.
these events are often organized at great risk to the promoters and they do astonishingly good work.
eventually i would like to do a research MA along these lines.. for now though i’d like to see who in the media might be interested.. and so initial pitches would go to the guardian and observer in the uk as well as a bunch of music mags i already have solid ties with.
any other sugestions, client or otherwise, would be appreciated..
challange me, people.. tell me whats bad about the idea as well as whats good.
*smiley*
ONE MORE THING TO ALL>>
i am teaching ‘photojournalism’.. i’d rather say photography to be frank.. to undergraduates and i’d like to use some of the projects sourced from here along the way.. i think the idea of only getting the kids to concentrate on magnum, 7 and others will be excellently supplemented by work from here.
initially i’m thinking of patricia, david mc and now gui as well – a couple more from the ‘projectlinks’ page.. you guys okay with that?
i think it will serve to inspire the kids to see work-in-progress rather than simply daunt them with the work of M & 7 snappers..
???
DAH
i have taken the liberty of posting this quote from you in my decade editing blog.. if you hate me for it i’ll take it down.. it’s on the right hand side
my idea now is to approach a few more established photographers whos work i adore, and collect a few good words to throw infront of publishers when the time comes.
the edit is at about 300 snaps now – down from 20 000 or so.. the rest is on neg now.. going back to 94.. police arrests.. a little violence and the free-party scene i began photoing are the missing additions.. then.. the edits.. loving it now.. after a difficult start.
quote about Decade
”lots and lots of stunning imagery … your eye for the irony/humor of the pop culture/sex/dance scene is quite provocative…you honestly have some truly wonderful party scenes reminiscent of Larry Fink’s New York party world…some way better than his!!!”
David Alan Harvey july 2008 (Magnum Photos & National Geographic photographer)
the link
http://1997to2008.blogspot.com/
[paranoia]forum_hog[/paranoia]
DAH : gearing up to fly south to buenos aires on sept.10/08. taking a leica m3 and the collapsible 50mm summicron – along with a boatload of tri-x film. since the camera has no meter i will use my small sekonic incident meter. just curious should i keep to just 400 asa across the board or rate the film @ 320 asa when using my other camera with a meter ? i ask this as more often than not i use tmax 100 for my b/w work. the reason i chose tri-x is more latitude and apparently more resilient to adversities ie..weather, humidity, heat, travel etc..
also can anyone (DAH) recommend a good color negative film ?
Congrats to the newlyweds! I hope they stay un-conventional!
I agree the comments system is cumbersome and hard to follow, but I like how things are unified rather than spread out like in a conventional forum. Its like having a conversation at a dinner table and still being able to hear what other people are talking about. Is there a way to RSS feed this? Or put “recent comments” in the sidebar to make it easy to jump right to the end. I’ve used google’s site specific search to pull out authors or keywords in the past, but its not ideal for keeping track.
Busy boning up on my PJ books for Perpignan, any suggestions? I’m hunting W Eugene Smith in the library today.
I look forward to hanging on for this wild ride with you folks.
Always wanted to go to New York.. I like cities… just waiting for an excuse! ;-)
Good luck and good hunting, Katia!
Gui:
Enjoyed the colours and the “feel” of life of Carmen, especially mixing it up with flash and ambient shooting. Really enjoyable. There seemed to be a bit of redundancy in the images, lots of side on (in my head it gets labelled as the “Beatles” image) walking pictures. The sequencing does’nt quite work for me, especially your opener. Its good to be immediately introduced to the main character and get a good look at them so I can relate the other pictures back to her. I like images like “Bus Stop” for this. Would it be trite to contrast where she cleans and where she lives? If you put the names of the people pictured into the introduction (especially the gentleman involved) we could get the relationships faster.
I really like the “Work and Life” image! It has a life of its own!
Neil: go to the magnum site and locate the photographer raymond depardon, besides his fifty images their is a window that displays all of his published books. the best part about this feature is that you can click on each book and see many images contained inside the books; thank you Magnum !! in my opinion his book Voyages is superb. also i like any books from both anders petersen and daido moriyama..
cheers and happy reading..
also here is a great resource for photo related books:
http://www.5b4.blogspot.com/
neil: also books by ernesto bazan here:
http://www.bazanphotos.com/photographyBooks/cuba-bazan/esp/index.html
robert
it depends upon what you want to get – re; film choices.
like amp and speakers with music – it depends upon your bag as to whats going to work out well.
as a rule i understand that fuji lean towards rich colours.. kodak towards cool.. although i will be happily corrected since i put all my money on fuji a long time ago and stuck there ever since. (nightclubs.. lightshows.. needed the reds and warmer end of the spectrum.)
a trip to the local pro lab and a chat with the hand printing guy may be a good avenue of research before making a big outlay..
i found it interesting that parr uses exclusively ‘amateur’ film, without post processing, since the colour saturation and other-worldlyness of the end product suits his work well.
hearing from colleagues over the years the best advice once a colour film you like is found is to stick with it and learn it’s tolerances..
re;links..
i invested probably too much time in the link through this ‘shoottheblog’ post yesterday..
happy days
http://blog.photoshelter.com/2008/08/on-the-road-with-charles-w-cushman.html
neil: Buffet of Books Here>
http://andrew-phelps.blogspot.com/
@robert: c41 film choice depends on what you look for. The Kodak and Fuji portrait films have low saturation and massive range. Fuji Superia is more on the saturated contrasty side of things. I think I start to develop a palate for Agfa Vista that’s just plain, although out of production. You can get similar films in supermarkets, like Ferrania film rebranded. Asking what is a good film is like asking what is a good camera… just different tools…