The Art of the Personal Project is a crucial element to let potential buyers see how you think creatively on your own. I am drawn to personal projects that have an interesting vision or that show something I have never seen before. In this thread, I’ll include a link to each personal project with the artist statement so you can see more of the project. Please note: This thread is not affiliated with any company; I’m just featuring projects that I find. Please DO NOT send me your work. I do not take submissions.
Today’s featured artist: Neil DaCosta
While searching for interesting subjects around Truckee, CA (where I had recently relocated to), I saw that an Arabian Horse Show was happening at the Reno Spark Livestock Events Center. Previously, I had been to the venue to photograph a go-kart race and knew it had some lighting/background constraints. Based on this prior knowledge, I decided that I wanted to focus on the participants of the event and keep the space it was being held in nebulous.
However, I had no idea what happens at an Arabian Horse Show and decided to wing it. Occasionally I like shooting personal projects with no prior research or understanding of the subject, forcing myself to be creative on the spot. This correlates to capturing unexpected images on paid assignments, which can be a nice added bonus.
After looking at the packed schedule, I decided to go on a day that had interesting sounding classes (Native Dress, Side Saddle, and Carriage Pleasure Driving). Again, I had no idea what to expect, but my intuition paid off. Armed with a long zoom lens, I headed down to Reno for a fun day filled with Arabian horses.
To see more of this project, click here
Suzanne Sease is a creative consultant and former ad-agency senior art buyer. She works with both emerging and established photographers and illustrators to create cohesive, persuasive presentations that clients can’t resist.
Suzanne offers something rare: an insider’s perspective on how client’s source creative talent. Her deep understanding of the industry is underscored by her impressive resume: 11 years as senior art buyer at The Martin Agency, seven years as an art producer for Capital One, and stints with the art-buying department at Kaplan-Thaler and the creative department at Best Buy, where she applied her expertise to reviewing bids to see which were most likely to come in on budget. Over the years, Suzanne has worked with a wildly diverse range of clients, including Seiko, Wrangler, Bank One, AFLAC, and Clairol Herbal Essence. Now, as a consultant, she is equipped to problem-solve for her clients from an unusually dynamic point of view.
As a longtime member of the photo community, Suzanne is also dedicated to giving back. Through her Art of the Personal Project column on the popular website aphotoeditor.com, she highlights notable personal projects by well-known and up-and-coming photographers. The column offers these artists excellent exposure while reflecting Suzanne’s passion for powerful imagery.
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