this warm summer evening found me walking alone in the chelsea district of manhatten…earlier,i had arrived at the Steven Kasher Gallery for the opening of "New York Genius" a show curated by lou reed..he has chosen photographs of his favorite musicians, actors, painters, dancers and writers….
i was not a new york genius by the way, because i walked into the gallery at 10 minutes after 6pm for an opening that was from 4-6pm….i could have sworn that invitation said 6-8pm, but i had lost that!!…but it turned out just perfect , i actually got to see the show…..alone….no distractions….just me and the pictures….photographs of artists miles davis, jack kerouac, and andy warhol photographed by artists dennis stock, burt glinn and elliott erwitt…there were others too, but this is what i am remembering now…
so, i left the gallery, chatted for a short time with friends who were sitting at an outdoor cafe and then just started wandering…..thinking, thinking, thinking…sidewalk tables beckoned…perfect night…saturday night…..a guzillion choices…i chose walking and thinking, thinking….then i made a strange decision ..i caught a cab home…nobody goes home on purpose on saturday night!! but,i just did….
two things were on my mind besides the pictures on the wall of such incredible talents in the arts…
first thing, my girlfriend..that sidewalk cafe where i chatted with friends was a place we had a burger one time…we cannot meet for this whole month…a month chock full of so much going on …nick’s photo fest, magnum openings all over town all the time, MOMA reception, my birthday and show…all things where you would want to share the experience with your mate….but it is not to be…circumstantial….july seems far away….but, we have survived worse and we will survive this..
second thing, you guys….yes, this community….by the way, i hate the word "blog"….sounds like something you would not want to eat, and if you did , it sounds like the way your stomach would feel after…can’t we get that word changed?? who came up with that?? i guess it stands for something, but i do not know what…
anyway i am now here for you ….us…this community….this relationship….seems real because it is real…two or three of the responders here are people i knew before, but the rest of you are new to me…it is kinda like the old "pen pal" thing only plural…but, i never had a "pen pal"…only real pals playing in the woods as a child , driving our cars too fast as teenagers, or talking pictures in college…so, i remain surprised and pleased at this "relationship"..
my thinking tonight is on how we can collaborate…..carlos rubin came up with the "traveling camera" concept and we chewed on that idea for awhile…we are all waiting for carlos to come up with a plan!! that is the deal with collaboration…whoever comes up with the idea has to spearhead the plan…we all help, but somebody has to be a focal point…then everyone collaborates to produce the final result…
so, here is my idea….
in the next few months i am going to try to raise some major funding….try to create "grants" or "stipends" for you..maybe only five grants to start out ..to produce new bodies of work…..and with you in control of this work during production and in layout…obviously, it will have to be the best of you, but hopefully it will inspire everyone to do their best…
the net will allow us to create a new way of working….to work "backwards" from the old way of producing intelligent photo essays….instead of starting with the "media" which then tries to appeal to an "audience"….we will start with the audience, which is you, and create the media….
all of you together represent a pretty clear demographic….identifiable….you are mostly all young emerging photographers or young at heart emerging photographers..women and men…you are serious….i randomly check most of your websites when they exist….so, i can see who you are…i see the stats…and i know that most of you do not comment at all and the responders are just a small slice of the international crowd that shows up here everyday….an identifiable demographic is of course what traditional advertisers want more than anything…..but, i do not want to go that route….
i would rather create a non-profit fund, with a sophisticated board, and have either photo industry corporations or generous funders or both contribute to something for which they could be proud and have their "brand" attached to something very worthwhile produced by the very demographic they want to reach….something with class and visibility and something that allows young photographers to speak in a way they cannot now…
i did outline this briefly in the "in flight magazines" piece, but i want you to know i am "on the case"….i want to turn the web back into print….a classy book and exhibition which would showcase new talent and be also the sophisticated valuable venue for the funders who made it all happen…and turn this venue into something where you could really display your work, including film and video artists..
so, it is up to you..and me….together, as collaborators, we will decide our own fate…the larger and more specific the audience, the more likely to get the funding for you to do your work….the more of you who stay loyal and the more newcomers to this forum, the better chance this will all work..and you cannot or will not stay loyal unless i keep you here…one thing leads to the other….serendipity…..authenticity…
the community is already here….i will try to give you reasons to show up, and if any or all of this works, then you will have to make photographs which make all of this effort worthwhile….
your thoughts?
Hi David,
My name is Jeryc Garcia and I’m a photographer from the Philippines. I’m a big fan of your work. First, congratulations on this blog of yours. The ideas and “thinking processes” you put across in your entries are truly helpful and inspiring. Your blog in itself is also inspiring; it has inspired me to remake my own virtual journal. “David Alan Harvey and Tales from the Road 2.0″ is the title of the very first entry of the renewed http://outsidebound.blogspot.com/. I also keep a gallery in Flickr, under the username outsidebound. I hope you can visit sometime.
I would love to be part of this collaboration you’re proposing. Right now, I’m working with other people on a book about the fishing traditions of the Philippines. I haven’t met all the members of this community, but from what I’ve seen there seems to be a small number of photographers from Asia. Anyway, I offer my talent for your consideration. Best of luck to all of us.
Regards,
Jeryc
David.. i saw yesterday something looks like “ablum”… 90 photographers from 7 countrys had someting like 2 years workshop between 2001-2003, and all made pictures about Environment.. it was sponsored by WPP…
i don’t know how it worked.. but i think 90 pohotgrapher’s is too much, also 2 years is too much…
Did you already think how many photographers can be involved in your and magnum project?
Hello
I’m really one of those who came, see and read but do not make comments. I’ve just been reading your “internet journal” and I like it. I do think that your idea is a great one. I certanly will be coming around often to give some opinions and to collaborate…
By the way, I’m also a young photographer.
Best regards,
Gonçalo
hi david,
how are you? very well i hope. oh happy birthday too. i love the idea collaborating, it’s something i’ve tried to do many times with friends, but it never seems to work out – other all to pressing commitments etc., always seemed to get in the way. however i’ve never given up on the idea.
i think it is something that “we” can definitely do. perhaps listing some common themes for us all to photograph in the counties we live and work in could work and then a magnum in motion type media show. the magnum book “eurovisions” springs to mind as an example of a group project. a multi media show would get lots of views i’m sure, if that was the case it mat then be easier to get publishers and galleries involved.
is this possible? is it to simplistic a plan?
however it works out you can count me IN!
response to aga, but good for all to know…
maybe i have you and some others confused….there is a lot going on and it might be easy to get confused…
there are two separate things going on here…
one, is the overall initiative by magnum to set up an education program….i am very involved with this program, but we have no details yet and will make some decisions at our annual meeting later this month…our portfolio review program is our first foray into this and we filled up all of the spaces in two days..we will see how that goes, both for the participants and for the magnum photogs..then we have many ideas which i (we) will tell you about soonest…
second, is my own personal project to take the community right here and use it to create enough funds to give emerging photographers money to go shoot on a project of their choice…
i will create a non-profit fund from various sponsors or donors for this..the result would be an annual magazine/book and exhibtion of this work…
for this project i would try to raise significant funds to perhaps give out 5-10 grants or stipends to photographers to produce this work…each photographer would be working on whatever they wanted…portfolio submissions would be reviewed by a “board” of maybe 5-10 memebers, but i would be something like an editor or guide to coordinate and make the final decisions on who received the funding….the accumulated work would only come together in this book and exhibition…each photographer would be working on something totally independent of the other…
both the photographers (you) and the sponsors would have to trust me to be a good coordinator for all of this….i see my job as merely getting funding in the right place to create spectacular essays and for the funders give them a place to have their “name” attached to something very very special…
i would see this project has having long lasting value….i would only be interested in this if i thought a serious contribution would be made by the photographers…something which would be around for years to come…and way way different than the normal group books i see …
some of this funding would also go to provide free workshops in developing countries and the best work from these students would also be in the book and exhibition….
there are many grants out there…but we never see the result…i want to create something whereby the funding for photographers ends up actually having a real purpose…i.e. this book and exhibit…but not like all of these group books…not with everyone’s pictures all mixed up…with real authorship and photographer participation and control…
of course, my personal plan could also be incorporated into an overall magnum plan…that is how we do things at magnum anyway…we are a group, but we are a group of individuals….initiative by photographers for various projects has kept us alive all these years…
keep asking questions….i will answer to the best of my ability….all of this is in the planning stage or the “dream stage” but i will work very hard to make it happen…
David,
Through your time, proven words of wisdom and energetic posts you are cultivating a growing network of photographers who although may be at differing stages on the road all share a common connection: The drive to get up everyday and face the challenges to create some kind of understanding of what they see and feel using a camera.
Whether you’ve lived with a project 24/7 for a number of years and are trying to chop away the layers to reveal an emotional narrative core or you are looking for a direction in which to progress and translate all the responses you have for what you see and how you feel, good honest words of wisdom and advice with a practical understandable delivery are a lifeline.
These posts, comments and replies are bread for the hungry and an insight into dedication.
Thank you,
Andrew.
David.. thank you for reply.. i am happy you exactly know what you want to do… so it wil be easier to make it :-)
before i was writing exactly about same thing – that it shouldn’t be mix of pictures from 90 photographer, because it doesnt make sense… nobody will notice one more not interesting book
good luck!
David,
How do you envision “the serious contribution… made by the photographers” you mentioned?
And do the funders have their names attached to this project to get a benefit similar to an ad campaign?
You’ve talked in other posts about your approach to photography and life. Are we witnessing in your generosity of spirit what you share with the people you photograph on assignment?
Sorry about you missing your girlfriend. That sense of longing really hurts.
David: it’s a variation on a concept in Japanese called Ringu (ring): yea, ditto for the Japanese Horror flicks….
ringu is a concept/project that i’ve been a part of with other artists (primarily Asian) before and it works along the lines as this:
1. Group of Artists decides on a theme (time/date/theme/style/concept, etc)
2. Initiating Artist creates a work: in this case a photograph.
3. This photo begins the ring and the 2nd photographer riffs on that 1st image: a photograph as a reaction to photo #1
4. 2nd photo then gets based along to #3, and so on….
of course big with jazz, hiphop (old school Mcing) and poets have been doing this for some time. More over, its an ancient form of Songlinging….story telling, right ;))))
you might be able to generate some funding for a Ringu project given a humanitarian bent…I also find them exciting (both the freedom and the limitations) as a photographer: to reimagine your own vision in the face of another…..
I think a ringu would be an excellent way you could connect, visually and emotionally and (as a teacher/friend) spiritually with all your students and pals from the web….
by the way, my birthday is 5-18, so happy birthday brother…
cheers,
bob
Hey David,
I can’t wait to see this idea come to fruition!
I met you in my hometown of Jackson Hole back in 2001 at the Photography at the Summit workshop. I was probably the youngest one there. That week definitely was a turning point for me- pushing me towards a career in photojournalism- so thank you for your inspiration.
I look forward to reading your future blogs.
-KM
wow… must say i wasn’t expecting that observation for two reason. ONE usualy VIPs have no time for… “VLPs”… TWO i haven’t been paying the attention i should to my “weblog”.
you cannot imagine how important it is for me to read that, even considering the formal context. or maybe you do…
cheers.
Very good this idea of an comunity, a Harvey world. And showing the pictures here great, all to many grants, as you said, we never heard about after they are done.
I am working on my own “azuka” book!
Happy birthday
Hello David,
I have some questions:
These grants will be for new projects? Or already done projects?
Long term, or short term projects?
Saludos,
hola David, it’s amazing how things could become bigger and bigger in a small time. i think you’re doing an excelent job in the net. thanks for your time.
saludos
Forgive me, David, I misunderstood. I’m still not sure exactly what will be…maybe that’s OK. Does sound like a very interesting project, though. Will be watching.
Cheers,
MK
David your indea sounds very cool, im down in New Zealand and so have no contact with any other photogs, its blogs like yours that keep me in touch with the photo world. Just an a idea why not choose one theme and get differnt people all over the world to shoot that theme in there own culture and style?
Joe.. at the beggining i thought it’s nice idea to choose one theme.. but now i think David is right.. is better to let people do their own projects, which are for them important… not push people to do one theme.
I agree. I’m sure there are many of us who already have at least one project we would like to do more seriously had we got more support for it.
I like Bob’s ringu idea, one photograph affecting the next. It ties the concept together nicely. Hey Bob, I’m a Taurus too.
Mike
David,
If you are indeed interested in this ‘space’ as an exploration into connection and interaction perhaps ‘the project’ could be an exploration of how connected we truly are, to create a visual ‘net’ through photographs.
Do Chinese photographers out there have friends/relatives in France? Are there any Brazilian’s with a cousin on the West Coast of Ireland? Do you have a Russian brother on Brighton Beach?
I guess it’s six degrees of seperation through photos but I bet if you did some research it could potentially throw up all kinds of stories and prove a fantastic piece of social history that would be representative of the diversity of our shared experience.
Hi David, now I Know, I love you ehehe :D
Great idea, this is a great opportunity for people who love the life and the photography, thank you for the thinks that you have for every young photographer that everyday needs help to grow up.
Hi David,
I think it’s a great idea, and it’s incredible all the energy you desire to spend helping young emerging photographers. you are one of the biggest ph, but you never forget the unknown photographers.
This says how big is your heart and how you are generous.
Thanks
Dario
carlos manuel…
i think either a continuation of an existing project or the beginning a new body of work would be fine…the emphasis, of course, would be on new work produced as a result of this funding…
andrew…
it was nice to meet you and see your work in charlottesville…there will be no “advertising” per se in any publication that appears…the funders would of course want to be identified as the benefactors for this new work…i think there are many sophisticated ways to tie their “brand” with this project without any direct “product sales” pitch…
michael k. ….
simply put, this funding would be like receiving an “assignment” except that the photographer would be choosing the subject matter…the result would be a book and exhibitions….there are many many details that will have to be worked out…right now i am just working on a basic concept and i will let you know soonest how it all settles out…
jason…
i think that could be a good idea to use a multi-media presentation at some point…i have always liked simple music overlays with slide shows for my student final edits…but, adding natural sound and interviews and original music could be even more sophisticated…
kristen…
so nice to hear from you and to find out you are working well!! i liked your website and the addition of a sound track works quite nicely…are you interested in video at all??
joe..
this is just something we all have to think about…maybe the only thing i see against the one theme idea is that if i had five “grants” or assignments to hand out, i think i would ten d to pick five totally different types of photographers…
for example, i could see funding one conflict photographer, one large format art photographer, one in-depth people photographer etc etc etc…
i think the “theme” approach might be best for the photographers who received a free workshop in one specific area….i.e. i have a friend who works for an ngo set up with a foundation to stop malaria….a group could go into zambia and shoot the effects of malaria on the population and a resulting book could really do some good….
let’s all keep thinking…
ross..
good thought… i really do see the photogs choosing a subject on their own…but, i honestly think it could be interesting either way….six degrees of separation or a very wide diversity ….thinking, thinking
David,
Thanks for checking out my site! that’s very cool.
As for your video question, I’m definitely interested in it, but still very much in the learning stages. As a staff of still shooters at my newspaper, we’re kind of like the blind leading the blind with video, so there’s still a lot of fumbling, and learning as I go (i.e. hold the camera still!) But it’s been really fun to mess around and experiment. Here’s a 1-minute clip I did last week on a random spot news storm…
http://w2.ydr.com/mmedia/flv/1034/
I’m curious what made you ask? Have you gotten into video yourself? If so, I would love to check it out!
Looks like last weekend’s festival was a huge success. Wish I could have made it…
Kristin
bob black…
the ringu idea we can do without any money!!! we should do that no matter what…how do we start the sequence???? the only problem i see is in totally identifying everyone…i.e. there are more of “us” than you may realize…there is sort of a “core group” of responders here, but clearly not everyone leaves a comment…i get a lot of private e-mails from readers, so i have no idea how we would decide on the shooting group..
help me here amigo and happy birthday!!!
sophia and jeryc….
i went to both of your websites today….
jeryc, pretty cool site and i will try to stay longer next time…good adventures….good style…
sophia, some very very nice work…you might want to edit it down just a bit….i just did not have time to go through all of it, but was really captivated by some of the photographs…
i think you can see i might have a problem….i just cannot see everyone’s work…all i can do is randomly look at a few web sites whenever i can….
if anyone has a good idea on how i might see the work all of you are producing let me know….
if the funding i am thinking about comes through maybe we would just have an ftp site where you could log in your images…does that make sense?? there would have to be some kind of limit….
most of you could use a tighter edit….i can usually tell the style and talent of a photographer with 20-30 images…if i had a half an hour on each of your sites i could give some pretty good advice, but that is just not practical…i have created a monster!!
i am sure you can see the problem…but , i will look whenever i have the time to see as many sites as possible….
what i have to do is to spend as much time as possible here without stopping my own work….i know none of you want me to do that….because if i am not producing myself and publishing etc. i cannot give good up to date criticism anyway…my whole theory is that i am no good to you if i am not “involved” in the realities of shooting and publishing….
if the funding comes through we will have to invent some kind of system for reviewing all work….for the time being, just keep shooting and thinking..
so, please be patient and i will just do the best i can…
fair enough???
Hello David,
Just thinking…
Maybe could be created a sited where everyone has a limited number of photos to upload… 8 or 10 for example… you know better how many could be… as close as possible (in theme or style), to the subject that each photographer wants to work in the project.
Maybe also a space to write a little bit about the selection, to see as you mentioned in another blog, the relationship between the purpose and the images presented…
Saludos,
David,
My name is Anthony Spatara and I am a photographer out of Chicago. I Spend half the year photographing and the other half of the year working in a totally different field to sustain life. Chicago is my playground. I love walking the streets and meeting people and sometimes being chased by people. Anyway, I would just like to say I love your work along with your Magnum crew. I have a online gallery of my most recent work that I would love for you to check out http://www.anthonyspatara.com Thank you so much for your time.
Anthony Spatara