Multimedia Muse (here) is a site that hopes to bring more attention to multimedia projects online. This is an excellent new trend where websites are being created not only to drive traffic but also help people find many instances of a certain type of photography or project online.
From the about page:
“We’re three photographers who believe in creating a greater corporate news demand for online photojournalism. Currently, news sites often give lousy play to multimedia projects. Lousy play means fewer web clicks. And fewer clicks means that these projects aren’t earning their web hosts the kind of revenue that they could. We created MultimediaMuse to try and turn things around: to help give our industry’s Final Cut creations the display, and their web hosts the clicks, they deserve.”
9 Comments
Thanks for flagging this one up PHOTO EDITOR. This is a great website that I just checked out this evening. The work they feature is totally varied, and all stunningly produced … inspiring and a great recommend.
http://www.duckrabbit.info/blog does something similar, although I also feature stuff we don’t like, but others do! Our latest piece by David White is about Carters Steam Fair … http://www.duckrabbit.info/blog/?page_id=207 Shot in a day … not bad.
Yeah great – another multimedia site. What difference is this one going to make?
Cheer up Mike … what difference do you think your opinion is going to make?
Hey Benjamin.
Sorry, who are you?
Mike I’m the light at the end of your dark tunnel
Benjamin,
Perhaps we should take this off-line. I would really appreciate (no, really) your thoughts on what difference this multimedia web site, one of MANY out there, is going to make.
I, too, have worked for the Beeb and am from the UK, so perhaps I am naturally skeptical. But a rapidly growing number of high level conversations, many from big names in the photography industry, are focused on the future of photojournalism as a viable career, as well as its effectiveness given that the audience we are trying to appeal to (those that are motivated, and able, to contribute to, or take action for certain causes) are rapidly becoming more selective about the news and imagery they see by reading content on-line. What is going to compel those people to go to web sites to view pictures of famine, disease, poverty, and homelessness? How are the photographers who produce the work going to get paid for it?
I was discussing this with a top of the industry photo book publisher two days ago. This guy is at the top of his game and has had many successes. His answers to the two questions I presented at the end of the previous para were “nothing” and “they won’t”.
This is not just my opinion, but the opinion and concern of many out there including several big names.
Rather than silly remarks, your insightful guidance would be genuinely welcome.
Regards
Mike
Mike,
I appreciate your thoughtful comments.
In life you should rarely look to the ‘big names’ for the future, however tempting. If they’ve found the milk and honey its unlikely that they’ll lead you there. Here’s my challenge:
The status quo that perhaps you want to preserve is the one in which mainly white middle class men are paid bucks to go and shoot all the fucked up places in the world in search of a Pulitzer or world press. Truth be told I’d rather see people with different colored skins getting the training to take the shots that matter in their own country and if that kills off a certain brand of photojournalism, the kind where you kid yourself about saving the world, then I won’t shed a tear, cause the product will still be there. Look at the pictures of Dolphine Emali in Enough on the projects page of our website. It was only the second time she’d properly used a camera. Two days training from Jack Picone and I’m pretty sure she took as good a set of photos as the vast majority of the ‘big names’ after they’d held a camera for two days, probably better.
Truth is there are more great pictures being taken and more spaces to show them then at any other time in the history of mankind. Ironically its also harder to make a living because so many people are taking great photos and are prepared to take £30 a shot form AFP … you can’t compete … no-one who seriously wants to live can. Thats life. Its a bitch but not as hard as those starving people you desperately want to go and shoot.
Truth is the public are more connected up to the world and care more about what’s going on then they’ve ever done … its just that the vast majority have never given a fuck. Thats probably why it feels so painful to you, because you have a message, you have the means, but no-one is listening. Damn that would be hard on anyone! I sympathize.
As to the question about the website, I don’t think you were skeptical but rather cynical(that was my impression). I had a look and one of the pieces moved me to tears. Remember when you had the feeling that each tiny nudge of difference can change the world? Out there worlds collide .. like mine and yours. There is still magic.
Benjamin
@Benjamin Chesterton, :-)
It seems, as I kinda suspected, that after all, we are in violent agreement on many points!!
Thanks for taking the time – genuinely appreciated.
Best
Mike
yeah and I loved your piece on facism (on your website) … it really freaked me out … great that there was no commentry … kinda mindblowing
Comments are closed for this article!