Co-working call!
There are a whole host of reasons and for this post, and it’s less about giving information, than asking who’s out there and who’s up for what. It’s a call-out!
Photography, the business of, is a lonesome affair, solo by its very nature, although not necessarily lonely. The same conditions that much freelance work exhibits are true for most of us, and the advent of Web2 and portable access to contacts and so on, makes the tools available to create much more of a um, community around the work, and through the working day.
Blogging makes it possible to create and promote a real conversation about one’s photographic preoccupations, research ideas, daily activities. But there are extra possibilities. Crowd sourcing, to find people whom you know who might be nearby, or timeshifting opportunities to collaborate. In this seemingly endless dynamic of open possibilities, what is functional? What will work, in real time, for me and my inspirers, my (in)valuable business contacts, the people on whom the work will thrive and ultimately depend?
So this is how to contact me, to crowd-source me, if you like. I will respond and am most likely to engage if the following:
• you have a blog which you keep updated, where I can see more-or-less how you think and feel about your work.
You may or may not also have a professional website. Just having your photos or art on one of the popular sites wouldn’t work on its own in this context, but it might be a start, or an adjunct. Only having one of those and nothing else as your web presence would be a turn-off.
• you are local
Crowd-sourcing depends on the conceptual possibility of immediate or soon. If you’re in Newcastle, Darlington, Durham, Middlesbrough, or any of the surrounding county areas, that’s good. If you also blog and/or would like to, that’s even better. If you’re in the business as a professional communicator, agent, commissioning editor, image sourcer, writer, or anything similar, it would be great to hear from you.
• you are looking for or can supply ongoing mentoring
People who can listen and give willingly are more empathetic, and are on the whole more useful to each other. There will be a need in coming months for listeners. People who can talk about their own work will be needing other people who are interested in them. Both sides.
• practical collaborating
Studio equipment and sets, gallery space, critique and portfolio sessions, library and location resource building. If you have skills, if you know how to make sets, or mend things, or need space or ideas or feedback, rare skills like lith printing, or stuff that almost anyone can do like gallery making, painting, developing film.
• enthusiasm.
Vital. Two years in education has torn the enthusiasm from my work and a hollow husk of inertia remains, built from battling the twin crimes of resource denial and daily xenophobia. It’ll return, no doubt. In the meantime, situation vacant, photographer/s and allies wanted.
Any one of the above is good. More than say two, and there could definitely be possibilities. More than two? Please get in touch. Urgently
Initially the best ways are Twitter and/or Photophlow for a brief conversation, or where you can send links to your own site/s. Longer conversations about co-work can then begin properly in real life.
Popularity: 16% [?]
London or here? Here or London?
Uppermost in the minds of several of these newly graduating photographers is where to go next, literally. Several are already working in local portrait studios, some are going on to do a third, BA Hons year. But the early career photographers who’re looking for a clear direction seem to be thinking of heading south.
Charlotte Mendelson © Adrian Lourie
Big fish in small pond, or tiddler in a billowing melee? There’s no-one better to consult than Adrian Lourie, who was top of the Class of 2007, so TPP dropped him a line and this is his reply.
“Things here are going well. I’ve been working for freelance editorial photographer Graham Jepson for 4 months assisting him in photographing the great and the good. A varied mix of people from Gordon Ramsey to John Prescott and Ray Winstone to Geri Halliwell! All good and a fascinating insight into the madness of celebrity.
Graham also has a picture agency called writerpictures.com which specialises in author photos and I have recently started photographing authors as a contributor. I recently photographed several of the Orange Prize for Fiction 2008 short-listers as well as covering the event itself at the Royal Festival Hall earlier this week.
I’m also finding time to pursue my portrait photography with a view to approaching some magazines. I’m also submitting some stock photography to Alamy and recently sold still life images which have appeared in the Guardian.
Chris John © Adrian Lourie
After an initial period of false starts, doubts, knocks and knock backs as well as the continuing financial struggle, things are starting to work for me down here and I’m confident of my future careeer progression.”
No regrets then Adrian?
“No regrets but there has been self doubt…inevitable I suppose.”
“I’ll be interested to know how Dan Aziz is faring and Dan Prince seems like a nice guy. I do firmly believe though that it’s still all about London if you want to make it (rightly or wrongly). There are most definitely more opportunities here for those who are willing to stick it, bug the living daylights out of people and work bloody hard for little or no money. There is obviously a great deal of competition but also massive amounts of work out there. Did I say that 75 people applied for my current job?!?!”
No you didn’t! You knew you’d crack it though, didn’t you? Five years hard graft and you’ll be where you want to be, no question.
“I’m hoping to do it in 4 years!!!!!”
“Love the Northern Exposure website btw.”
So do we.
Rachel Manilow © Adrian Lourie
It’s certain that Adrian will drop in to answer people’s specific questions, or you can mail him via his own website linked here. Ask away! Thanks Ade.
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Which famous photographer are you?
Joel Peter Witkin, which is grand.
Known for photographing human spectacles including hermaphrodites, dwarfs, amputees, androgynes, carcasses, people with odd physical capabilities & fetishists. “When I produce a photograph that totally satisfies, a part of me actually dies. And I think that death is an aspect of myself being burned away or dissolved, because that part of what I had to work out is taken care of.”
It’s the Raft of George Bush, modelled on the Raft of The Medusa, that first grabbed me. David LaChapelle has a version on his homepage too.
Thanks to Mark Page of The Manchester Blog who is Ansel Adams, allegedly.
Tagging: Public Energy, Rob, Wackylabs, Emma, Elena, Monaxle, Panchromatica, Steve, F:Lux and Murdoch. Go on, you know you want to.
Hope to see some of you tomorrow!
Popularity: 11% [?]