there’s nothing more liberating than shooting in a new place, spontaneously, without planning, lighting or agenda. It’s what drew us to photography in the first place. Personal work is what recharges us.
More is almost never better; more is usually just more
All my tricks and gimmicks were nothing more than window dressing, but that was the seductive allure, the madness in the method. It’s fun to dress windows, and easy to get lost in them, and I did for a while. And in the commercial photography world, the urge to use tricks and gimmicks never dies. Technique for technique’s sake is more prevalent than ever, thanks to retouching and the ease of digital capture. Using the same “dramatic” lighting setup for everything and dropping a set of curves on a mediocre shot won’t make it into something good, it will just be a mediocre shot in fancy, desaturated, over-sharpened clothes.
via planet shapton.
Remembering Paula Lerner
Paula Lerner, photographer and photography advocate, died on Tuesday from breast cancer at the age of 52. Steve Skoll gathered these comments from those who knew her.
Steve: A collection of thoughts from friends and colleagues on the passing of Paula Lerner.
Manuello Paganelli writes: Folks I just learned the awful news that our friend, dear colleague, talented and award winning still/video photographer and former Editorial Photographer (EP), President passed away.
You all know that she was a strong advocate for photographer’s rights and was always there willing to show her wisdom and vision with the rest. She was also batting for photographers making sure magazines would pay decent day and space rates and less rights grabbing.
Today my heart just dropped out. RIP wonderful Paula…my heart goes to your husband and children.
Brian Smith, President of EP writes: I’m deeply shocked and saddened by the news of Paula Lerner’s death. As the founding Vice President of Editorial Photographers, Paula was instrumental to setting EP’s course. She was directly involved in negotiating the Business Week and Forbes contracts that raised the bar for fair deals for editorial photographers. Paula remained committed to educating and inspiring others and it is extremely sad to lose her just as she was producing the finest work of her career.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her family.
Ed Greenberg writes: It is with unspeakable sadness that we inform you of the untimely death of a great lady, Paula Lerner. Paula possessed the all too rare qualities of both bravery and courage well before the insidious cancer ever invaded her body.
While most of us are content with the safety of our daily lives, Paula was busy risking her life to bring home the intimate stories of the brave women in war torn Afghanistan. Dodging bombs and bullets on five journeys, Paula created the finest collection of photography ever created in or about Afghanistan. Paula won a richly deserved Emmy Award for her work as a photojournalist on “Behind the Veil” an in depth multi media feature which also captured an EPPY Award for Best Web Feature.
Those of us who create prose rather than images, know all to well that there is simply no “appropriate” space limitations when extolling the virtues of Paula whether referencing her work or her character. The fact that both her images and life story will become part of the curriculum at Harvard is testament to an extraordinary life that precious few of us will ever even approach in magnitude. Her images will continue to speak to us and that makes her great photographer. Her character, charity, kindness, curiosity, tenaciousness and bravery made her a great person. Her family, friends, colleagues and clients know that her kind won’t pass this way again.
Michael Grecco writes: Paula was fearless in the pursuit of the things she believed in, whether it was to fight for photographer’s rights, as the first Vice President of Editorial Photographers, or when traveling to the war zone to use her lens and multimedia skills to expose the plight of the women of Afghanistan. I was thrilled when she won an Emmy for her hard work. She was a dear friend and will be missed.
Andrew Buchanan writes: In working with Paula professionally for more than ten years, I knew I was working with someone with passion. Not coming from a photojournalism background myself, I was inspired by someone who found a cause she believed in, then used both her artistic and journalistic abilities to get the story and make a difference.
But in pursuing her passion, Paula never forgot her purpose — to inspire, to share, to lead by example. She was generous with her time, her knowledge, and her inspiration. Knowing her made me a better photographer, but more importantly she made me a better person.
Thank you for that Paula, you’ve left your mark on this world in ways you maybe never even knew. My best thoughts to your family at this very difficult time.
Link to piece on PDN: Photographer Paula Lerner, Leader of Photo Advocacy Group.
There are threads on APAGroups and Editorial Photographers paying tribute to Paula Lerner.
Cosmopolitan Says It Has 100,000 Paid Digital Subscriptions
Cosmopolitan magazine has reached what appears to be a milestone: 100,000 paid digital subscriptions. The Hearst Magazines title seems to have beaten other brands to the mark, reinforcing the idea that digital will be a big platform for Cosmopolitan. But it’s also a good sign for magazines’ digital ambitions in general.
Still Images in Great Advertising – Achim Lippoth
Still Images In Great Advertising, is a column where Suzanne Sease discovers great advertising images and then speaks with the photographers about it.
I always like when fashion images push the envelope and stand out above the others. Most of the time that means pushing the images sexually, so I guess that is why I thought of these as a refreshing way to push the envelope!
Suzanne: What a brilliant way to get the attention of the viewer. How much input did you have in the concept of these ads?
Achim: the rough idea comes mostly from the agency, the client wants my point of view as well as how to bring the ideas to life with casting, location, setting, light, angels and so on.
Suzanne: How did you go about producing these ads. Did you have a chicken wrangler on set? How many chicken were actually photographed?
Achim: yes, actually we had a animal wrangler on set and we shot 15 chicken in many different positions and angels.
Suzanne: I see Achim has been used on some American campaigns but is based overseas. Does he come to the US to shoot? Like the Calvin Klein Jeans or American Eagle campaigns?
Susanne Bransch ( US Rep): Achim is booked for many ad-campaigns in the USA and frequently shoots for American Eagle, Target, Calvin Klein and Kenneth Cole. If you go on the Bransch website, you can get more info about this work.
Note: Content for Still Images In Great Advertising is found. Submissions are not accepted.
APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world. She has been involved in the photography and illustration industry since the mid 80s, after founding the art buying department at The Martin Agency then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies.
Does Your Personal Aesthetic Affect Hiring Decisions?
Absolutely. It is to learn to separate my personal taste from what the client needs and wants. I also believe in meeting photographers for a sheer fact that a good percentage of the experience is what kind of person photographer is. They can be brilliant but hard to work with which is very unfortunate.
— Ilona Siller of DraftFCB NY
How Do You Create Long Form Visual Narratives?
Working on lengthy efforts as a photographer, compared to producing single images, is the difference between writing a paragraph and writing a book. To conjure a subject worthy of such effort, to figure out a structure for the coverage, to get know subjects intimately with a camera, to edit the work into something greater than its parts is alone the worth the effort. But only if you care about growing as a photographer and therefore as a person.
via Blog – Mike Davis.
SPD 47 Finalists
The Society of Publication Designers announces the finalists for their 47th annual awards. Download the full list (here).
With our British co-chairs and the overseas success of the SPD iPad App, we received more entries from foreign talent, and once again tripled the amount of digital entries. We will be back at Cipriani Wall Street on Friday, May 11th to honor the Gold and Silver Medals from the following list of Medal Finalists.
PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS
PHOTO: COVER
Bloomberg Businessweek, Richard Turley, Creative Director, David Carthas, Director of Photography, Corriette Schoenaerts, Photographer; August 15 – 28, 2011, “The Popularity Issue”
Bloomberg Businessweek, Richard Turley, Creative Director, David Carthas, Director of Photography, Guido Vitti, Photographer; February 14 – 20, 2011, “The Infidelity Economy”
New York, Randy Minor, Art Director, Jody Quon, Director of Photography, Andreas Laszlo Konrath, Photographer; October 24, 2011, “The Kids Are Actually Sort of Alright”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Sebastião Salgado, Photographer; June 12, 2011, “Voyages In America”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Tom Sandberg, Photographer; May 8, 2011, “What Happened to Air France Flight 447?”
PHOTO: ENTIRE ISSUE
New York, Chris Dixon, Design Director, Jody Quon, Director of Photography, August 22, 2011, “Fall Fashion”
New York, Chris Dixon, Design Director, Jody Quon, Director of Photography, December 19, 2011, “Reasons to Love New York”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography; December 26, 2011, “The Protester”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography; September 19, 2011, “Beyond 9/11”
W, Alex Gonzalez, Creative Director, Caroline Wolff, Sr. Photo Editor; September 2011, “The Fashion Issue”
PHOTO: SECTION (from a single issue)
New York, Chris Dixon, Design Director, Jennifer Miller, Director of Photography, Elinor Caruuci, Photographer; March 7, 2011, “Will Swenson”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Peter Bohler, Photographer; August 2011, “Come On, Feel The Mud”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Julian Faulhaber, Photographer; May 15, 2011, “Bloom and Bust”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Edward Burtynstky, Photographer; April 10, 2011, “Up On The Farm”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, Yuri Kozyrev-Noor for TIME, Photographer; March 28, 2011, “Ras Lanuf, Libya”
PHOTO: SECTION (multiple issues)
GQ, Fred Woodward, Design Director, Dora Somosi, Director of Photography; July, May, August 2011, “GQ Intelligence”
New York, Chris Dixon, Design Director, Jody Quon, Director of Photography; October, November, December 2011, “The Strategist”
Real Simple, Janet Froelich, Creative Director, Casey Tierney, Director of Photography; March, April, June 2011, “The Decoder”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography; March, April 2011, “Lightbox”
PHOTO: FEATURE, SERVICE (single/spread)
GQ, Fred Woodward, Design Director, Dora Somosi, Director of Photography, Micahel Crichton, Photographer; October 2011, “New Rules of Wine”
Men’s Health, Robert Festino, Design Director, Brenda Milis, Director of Photography, Kenji Toma, Photographer; September 2011, “Feed Your Fat Burner”
Psychology Today, Edward Levine, Creative Director, Claudia Stefezius, Director of Photography, Stephen Lewis, Photographer; January/February 2011, “Taste”
Psychology Today, Edward Levine, Creative Director, Claudia Stefezius, Director of Photography, Kenji Toma, Photographer; January/February 2011, “Breakups”
Women’s Health, Theresa Griggs, Creative Director, Sarah Rozen, Director of Photography, Munetaka Tokuyama, Photographer; October 2011, “Bike Your Butt Off”
PHOTO: FEATURE, SERVICE (story)
Bon Appétit, Alexander Grossman, Creative Director, Alexandra Pollack, Director of Photography, Stephen Lewis, Photographer; September 2011, “S +P”
Men’s Health, Robert Festino, Design Director, Brenda Milis, Director of Photography, Kenji Toma, Photographer; September 2011, “Feed Your Fat Burner”
Real Simple, Janet Froelich, Creative Director, Casey Tierney, Director of Photography, Christopher Griffith, Photographer; January 2011, “Happier New Year”
Real Simple, Janet Froelich, Creative Director, Casey Tierney, Director of Photography, Melanie Acevedo, Photographer; Family 2011, “Birthday Bashes on a Budget”
Real Simple, Janet Froelich, Creative Director, Casey Tierney, Director of Photography, Martyn Thompson, Photographer; July 2011, “Elegant, Exquisite, Easy”
PHOTO: FEATURE, PROFILE, NON-CELEBRITY (single/spread)
Garden & Gun, Marshall McKinney, Art Director, Maggie Brett Kennedy, Director of Photography, Erika Larsen, Photographer; October/November 2011, “A Taste For The Hunt”
New York, Chris Dixon, Design Director, Jody Quon, Director of Photography, Ben Hassett, Photographer; July 18, 2011, “Jennifer Rubell”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Catherine Opie, Photographer; December 4, 2011, “62 and Life To Go”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Elinor Caruuci, Photographer; October 16, 2011, “My Dearest Damien”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, Peter Hapak for TIME, Photographer; December 26, 2011, “Time 2011 Person of the Year: The Protestor”
PHOTO: FEATURE, PROFILE, NON-CELEBRITY (story)
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Damon Winter, Photographer; September 4, 2011, “From Zero to 104”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Brigitte Lacombe, Photographer; November 6, 2011, “Marty’s Magical ‘Hugo”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Sebastião Salgado Photographer; June 12, 2011, “On Earth As It Is In Heaven”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, Marco Grob for TIME, Photographer; September 19, 2011, “Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, Peter Hapak for TIME, Photographer; December 26, 2011, “Time 2011 Person of the Year: The Protestor”
PHOTO: FEATURE, PROFILE, CELEBRITY/ENTERTAINMENT (single/spread)
GQ, Fred Woodward, Design Director, Dora Somosi, Director of Photography, Martin Schoeller, Photographer; May 2011, “Zach Galifianakis”
The New Yorker, Caroline Maihot, Art Director, Whitney Johnson, Director of Photography, Ruven Afanador, Photographer; July 25, 2011, “Swan Song”
The New Yorker, Caroline Maihot, Art Director, Whitney Johnson, Director of Photography, Martin Schoeller, Photographer; August 15 & 22, 2011, “Shakespeare on Park”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, Peter Hapak for TIME, Photographer; December 19, 2011, “Tilda Swinton”
W, Alex Gonzalez, Creative Director, Caroline Wolff, Sr. Photo Editor, Daniele Duella, Iango Henzi, Photographers; July 2011, “Christina Aguilera”
PHOTO: FEATURE, PROFILE, CELEBRITY/ENTERTAINMENT (story)
GQ, Fred Woodward, Design Director, Dora Somosi, Director of Photography, Mark Seliger, Photographer; November 2011, “Survivors”
GQ, Fred Woodward, Design Director, Dora Somosi, Director of Photography, Martin Schoeller, Photographer; May 2011, “Zach Galifianakis”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Alex Prager, Photographer; December 11, 2011, “Touch of Evil”
OUT, Nick Vogelson, Creative Director, Annie Chia, Director of Photography, Gavin Bond, Photographer; December 2011/January 2012, “ The 2011 OUT 100”
W, Alex Gonzalez, Creative Director, Caroline Wolff, Sr. Photo Editor, Tim Walker, Photographer; August 2011, “Tilda Swinton”
PHOTO: FEATURE, NEWS/REPORTAGE (single/spread)
New York, Jody Quon, Director of Photography, Christopher Anderson, Photographer; December 5, 2011, “Occupy Wall Street”
New York, Jody Quon, Director of Photography, Matthew Pillsbury, Photographer; December 19, 2011, “Zuccotti Park”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, Yuri Kozyrev-Noor for TIME, Photographer; February 14, 2011, “The Revolution”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, James Nachtwey for TIME, Photographer; May 9, 2011, “The Poppy Poison”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, Dan Winters for TIME, Photographer; July 25, 2011, “One Last Liftoff”
PHOTO: FEATURE, NEWS/REPORTAGE (story)
National Geographic, David C. Whitmore, Design Director, Kurt Mutchler, Director of Photography, Abelardo Morrell, Photographer; May 2011, “Rooms With A View”
National Geographic, David C. Whitmore, Design Director, Kurt Mutchler, Director of Photography, Michael Melford, Photographer; November 2011, “Boundless”
National Geographic, David C. Whitmore, Design Director, Kurt Mutchler, Director of Photography, David Guttenfelder, Photographer; December 2011, “Nuclear Refugees”
TIME, D.W. Pine, Design Director, Kira Pollack, Director of Photography, Patrick Witty for TIME, Photographer; January 17, 2011, “The Birds Of Hope: With A Black Hawk Medevac Unit In Afghanistan”
The New Yorker, Caroline Maihot, Art Director, Whitney Johnson, Director of Photography, Christopher Anderson, Photographer; September 12, 2011, “Ten Years Later”
PHOTO: FEATURE, TRAVEL/FOOD/STILL LIFE (single/spread)
New York, Jody Quon, Director of Photography, Matthew Pillsbury, Photographer; December 19, 2011, “High Line”
The New Yorker, Caroline Maihot, Art Director, Whitney Johnson, Director of Photography, Dominic Nahr, Photographer; July 11 & 18, 2011, “Letter From Rwanda: Climbers”
Samvirke, Christel Frydkjær, Creative Director, Peter Lam, Photographer; July 2011, “ Sushi ABC”
WIRED, Brandon Kavulla, Creative Director, Zana Woods, Director of Photography; June 2011, “Liquid Gold”
WIRED Italia, David Moretti, Art Director, Francesca Morosini, Photo Editor, Reinhard Hunger, Photographer; February 2011, “The Future of Food: Insettivori”
PHOTO: FEATURE, TRAVEL/FOOD/STILL LIFE (story)
Condé Nast Traveler, Rob Hewitt, Design Director, Kathleen Klech, Photography Director, Dan Winters, Photographer; May 2011, “The Big Bird Is Back”
Eureka, Matt Curtis, Art Director, Madeleine Penny, Photo Editor, Giles Revell, Photographer; May 2011, “ The Flower Show”
The Grid, Vanessa Wyse, Creative Director, Shelbie Vermette, Photo Editor, Michael Crichton, Photographer; May 12, 2011, “Pantry Items”
The New York Times Magazine, Arem Duplessis, Design Director, Kathy Ryan, Director of Photography, Kenji Aoki, Photographer; April 17, 2011, “Sweet and Vicious”
Women’s Health, Theresa Griggs, Design Director, Sarah Rosen, Director of Photography, Mitchell Feinberg, Photographer; April 2011, “Get Hooked”
PHOTO: FEATURE, FASHION/BEAUTY (story)
Earnshaw’s, Nancy Campbell, Creative Director, Amanda Pratt, Photographer; September 2011, “Gnome Is Where the Heart Is”
New York, Chris Dixon, Design Director, Jody Quon, Jennifer Miller, Directors of Photography, James Mollison, Photographer; July 18, 2011, “Fall Fashion Portfolio”
T, The New York Times Style Magazine, David Sebbah, Creative Director, Judith Puckett-Rinella, Senior Photography Editor, Richard Burbridge, Photographer; April 17, 2011, “A Diamond in the Roughage”
W, Alex Gonzalez, Creative Director, Caroline Wolff, Sr. Photo Editor, Steven Meisel, Photographer; September 2011, “Transformations”
W, Alex Gonzalez, Creative Director, Caroline Wolff, Sr. Photo Editor, Steven Klein, Photographer; September 2011, “Decades”
We live in a post-photographic world now
I’m especially keen now at looking into how Europeans edit photographic stories because the have a very different point of view than us Americans. It’s a bit more existential and less obvious. In many ways, it’s liberated from structures that we impose on our storytelling. I love tradition, but if we are all telling stories in the same way, I think we do our subjects a disservice as well as the public.
Maggie Steber via La Lettre de la Photographie.
Still Images in Great Advertising- Geof Kern
Still Images In Great Advertising, is a column where Suzanne Sease discovers great advertising images and then speaks with the photographers about it.
Geof Kern has been in the business for years and still continues to create beautiful and fresh images. This campaign has been on my radar for awhile so I couldn’t wait to ask Geof about it.
Suzanne: The ads for Ritz Carlton are so perfect for your sense and style. How much were you able to add your creative fingerprint to the concepts?
NOTE: When I asked Geof this question he sent me to a link where he already answered the question on his reps blog. I have copied it here so readers could see it.
When things align perfectly, the memory lasts forever. That’s the idea behind the new brand platform for Ritz-Carlton hotels. While the unspoken message of most hotel advertising may be “stay with us,” the creatives at Team One turned tradition on its head with their theme, “Let us stay with you.” It’s a strategy poised for a wealth of success. As the NY Times points out, “Since the financial crisis began, millions of wealthy consumers have decided to play down the joy of accumulating things in favor of the pleasure of accumulating experiences.” Team One’s approach appeals to this well-healed crowd by “drawing explicitly on a guest’s power of memory,” conjuring serendipitous moments that equate to “one-of-a-kind experiences.”
Of course, translating magical moments into memorable images doesn’t just happen by chance. The creative team wanted a photographer whose work was as elegant and nuanced as a posh hotel chain. But artistry alone wouldn’t cut it. As Team One Art Producer Jill Hundenski puts it, “It couldn’t look forced or faked. We needed a highly conceptual photographer. But it also had to be someone who could coordinate all the precise details.” “And trust me,” she laughs, “there were a lot of details. Even I underestimated the amount of pre-pro involved.”
Fortunately, orchestrating the impossible is photographer Geof Kern’s idea of a “very fun project.” “I absolutely loved working with Team One on this,” says Kern. “The brief was to use the concept of seeing something unexpected in the scene, as random elements realign themselves from the viewer’s perspective. In this case, ‘spontaneous’ took a lot of planning. Especially because we wanted to capture as much in-camera as possible.”
“For example,” Kern continues, “for the photograph of the woman holding the paper umbrella walking through the tea glass in an outdoor restaurant—I mocked that up completely in advance in my studio to determine the exact focal length and aperture setting…the distance we’d need between the glass and the model…etc., etc., etc. That way, I was prepared.”
As far as Team One is concerned, the preparation paid off, in spades. “Geof pulled off a very challenging concept,” says Hundenski. “We needed a master, and Geof was it.” The result is a series of photographs that draw viewers into a playful world where their own mind completes a visual pun of sorts, quite literally bringing readers along on a journey of discovery.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to ask yourself, why leave spontaneity to chance?” says Kern. For the moment, Team One is very glad they didn’t.
Suzanne: Where were the images photographed? With five concepts, how many days did you have for prep, shoot and post? The perfect location is crucial to the success of the ads.
Geof: I think I was awarded the job late May and we shot mid June. Post was complete about a month later. Took a while because of much back and forth with the agency TeamOne, and also because there were some videos for my retoucher to do post on.
Suzanne: You have been in this business for years, what inspires you?
Geof: That’s something I don’t think about much, I’ve been doing this all my life. New things inspire me, and things done well… that is, originality and craftsmanship.
Note: Content for Still Images In Great Advertising is found. Submissions are not accepted.
Geof Kern is based in Dallas where he maintains a studio to organize his shoots at home, New York, and elsewhere in the world.
APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world. She has been involved in the photography and illustration industry since the mid 80s, after founding the art buying department at The Martin Agency then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies.
Has the advent of digital photography been a good thing for the art form?
Yes, an incredibly good thing. I photographed with film for many years; now that I work in digital, the difference is enormous. The quality is unbelievable: I don’t use flash, and with digital I can even work in very bad light. Also, it’s a relief not to lose photographs to x-ray machines in airports.
— Sebastião Salgado
via The Guardian.
LA Times Joins Digital Paywall Stampede, Cites NYT As Proof It Works
Fast on the heels of Gannett announcing its paywall around 80 community newspapers, the Los Angeles Times (LAT) on Friday announced it will launch a metered paywall on Monday, March 5.
via MediaBuyerPlanner.
Is A Payday In Photography Like Playing Lottery?
There’s an excellent piece in the NY Times last week titled “Why Are Harvard Graduates in the Mailroom?” that talks about the number of professions where workers accept lower-paying jobs in exchange for a slim but real chance of a large, future payday. Drug dealers have rich kingpins supported by hard working street-corner guys, ambitious accountants toil away at big firms in hopes of making partner, silicon valley startups use stock options to entice young people into working for free, Warner Brothers mailroom clerks accept $25,000 to $35,000 a year in hopes of making a meteoric leap like Barry Diller or David Geffen did, and aspiring actors watch rich people hand each other golden statues on TV each year with dreams of joining their ranks someday.
Certainly we can all see how photography fits nicely in the lottery model where there are a neat group of successful photographers at the top, a few jobs here and there that hint at a big payoff, but putting together a career in photography is harder and more lottery like than it looks. What’s really interesting and counter intuitive about the piece is how this lottery system is actually a good idea. It encourages hard work and attracts lots of potential candidates, but only lets the most tenacious through. The problem, as the NY Times notes, is that the comfortable plan B jobs are disappearing. Solid plan B jobs allow you to go for it and if it doesn’t work out you still have something interesting to fall back on for a career:
New York City and Los Angeles are buoyed by teachers, store owners, arts administrators and others who came to town to make it big in film or music or publishing, eventually gave up on that dream and ended up doing fine in another field.
I received this email recently from a reader who was dismayed at all the commenters on this blog who only look at photography as a six figure job:
I love your blog, but I am disappointed in your reader’s comments. Specifically on the article “Is editorial photography dead?“. Most of the photographers that comment fiercely oppose anyone trying to become a professional photographer and it is quite a deterrent for someone like myself just starting out. I read all the comments trying to understand where they are coming from, but I can’t, because it seems like your commenters are all photographers who used to make six figures. I was raised in a family who never made a six figure income, in fact none of my family ever went to college—I was the first. For me a good job is an income of not much more than $30,000 a year.
What your commenters don’t realize is that many people are happy making less. I have worked for several city magazines and I’ve found that they struggle to find ANY photographers to work with. It seems like most people only consider themselves successful if they work for major publications. I would love for you to highlight someone who is successful in their hometown, based on finding work at smaller magazines and local work. Many times the magazines I work with can’t even find journalists. I think smaller publications are often overlooked because they don’t pay tens of thousands of dollars for photo shoots, but I recently got a gig with one that paid over $3,000 and for just starting out, it was huge for me.
My point is, I just don’t think people actually look for the work, they expect it to come to them. I think many photographers, like other artists, are too snobby to actually go find a job. Instead, they expect publications to find them.
Did my reader miss the point of looking at photography as a high paying career? The lottery system produces talented, hardworking and tenacious photographers. That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The NY Times goes on to say:
It’s not clear what today’s eager 23-year-old will do in 5 or 10 years when she decides that acting (or that accounting partnership) isn’t going to work out after all. The best advice may be to accept that economic success in America will come as much from the labor lottery as from hard work and tenacity. The Oscars make clear that there is only so much room at the top. In a lottery-based economy, you need some luck, too; now, perhaps, more than ever. People should be prepared to enter a few different lotteries, because the new Plan B is just going to be another long shot in a different field.
The plan B in photography was a mid-level career, but now we see photographers who test the waters in video, writing, publishing and teaching. Looking to enter as many lotteries as possible. Seems like a smart plan.
Most Think Its Easy
Lots of people are driven to celebrity photography, most think its easy, just be there and get a picture and you will make money, sadly that is not the case. There are thousands of mediocre and ordinary people out there with cameras,thinking they are photographers, photographing and complaining about not making money, submitting pictures to various publications and photo agencies and waiting for great payments that do not come, why ? The photos are not good or the subject matter not interesting, to be a great “pap” you need all the skills a great photographer has…
On Being An Artist And A Mother
…I have to say that it completely depends on how you define success. If success is defined as a mad dash to the top of the ladder and whoever gets there first is successful then yes having children definitely interferes. But if success is defined as quality of life as in being loved and showing love and having deep, long term relationships that cause you to question the meaning of life and love and art and help you to look at the world through different eyes well then I would say that having children helps you to be successful.
Jodi Bieber Interview
Jodi Bieber (1966) is a South African photographer mostly known for her highly publicized portrait of Bibi Aisha; the young Afghan woman who had her nose and ears cut off by the Taliban after seeking rescue from her violent husband in her parent’s home. It was this photo that won Bieber the World Press Photo Award in 2011. She has won no less than 8 other World Press Photo Awards, as well numerous other prestigious awards such as first prize for the series “Real Beauty” in Picture of the Year International Competition and Winner of the Prix de l’Union Européene at the Rencontres de Bamako Biennale Africaine de la Photographie in 2009.
Bieber is currently rounding off a hectic year of constant traveling, meeting people, being on juries and lots of public speaking. It is on this last leg of the World Press Photo exhibition, in Cape Town, that we find ourselves sitting in the gardens of the Castle of Good Hope. A place with a symbolic name as this is where Bieber is teaching a 3-day masterclass to 17 aspiring photographers organized by World Press Photo in cooperation with Iziko Museums.
Kathalijne van Zutphen: How did you get into photography?
Jodi Bieber: I originally studied Marketing because an aptitude test said I would be good at studying Law. I couldn’t picture myself doing 7 years of studying and chose Marketing because it was only 4 years. While I was sitting with a friend during a lunch-break, a piece of paper fell into my lap. The piece of paper advertised photography courses at the Market Workshop in Johannesburg. And that is how I got into photography.
After completing several short courses at the Workshop, I did a three month internship at The Star under Ken Oosterbroek in 1993. My job as an intern was to develop everyone’s film and print their work. I still found time, though, to go out and shoot on my own and scored my first front page publication on the third day. I was invited to be part of a select group of 10 photographers for the World Press Photo Masterclass in Amsterdam in 1996. I’ve always done my own projects such as ‘Between Dogs and Wolves’, ‘Survivors’ and ‘Soweto’ but have also done work for Time Magazine and Médicines Sans Frontières.
Can you tell us something about the way you work? For example, how much directing do you do?
JB: When I go out on a shoot, I am there for hours. I exhaust my subjects. As far as shooting goes, I start with framing the photograph. I will tell the person I am photographing where I want to do it, but I will not tell someone how to pose. And in case there are two or more people being photographed, I will not tell them in which order to stand. I feel you can tell a lot about their relationship from where they chose to stand. Once I have framed the image I will direct, I will maybe ask someone to move a leg or hand.
I was never motivated by the money, I was motivated by photography. I chose my projects because a subject interested me. I came to ‘Real Beauty’ after seeing the Dove billboard which showed normal women as opposed to models and I thought that was amazing. Then I met a model soon after that, who told me a lot of dark secrets about the fashion industry, and that yes, for instance, she does have bags under her eyes but that will be photoshopped out. That made me curious about what real beauty is. When I started that project a lot of women were a little apprehensive at first, but I soon received phone calls from women asking to take part. And I accepted everyone.
You speak a lot about the importance of editing well. What makes a good editor to you?
JB: Editing is absolutely crucial. Everyone is a photographer these days and where you can make a difference is with interpretation. As a good editor you have to be true to yourself but not be too emotionally attached. If you let someone else edit your work, you have to make sure you put your point of view across well and work with someone you trust.
Where do you think a lot of photographers go wrong?
JB: They rush too much. You have to take the time to edit. Don’t add photos because you think you need a certain number of photos, less is definitely more. Create piles while you’re doing it; have a ‘Maybe’ pile, as well as an ‘In’ and ‘Out’ pile. If you have difficulty saying goodbye to your photos, then keep the ‘Out’ pile in your view so you feel like you can always go back to it. And do not do it on the computer.
And when you are building your portfolio it should be like music – made up of highs and lows but not weak.
You often find yourself in quite dangerous situations. How do you cope?
JB: I believe that my openness about what I am doing is my protection. I create relationships quickly, little circles of people around a bigger situation that may be dangerous.
You mentioned during the workshop that photographers bring themselves to the shoot as well. Where do we see you in your work?
JB: I don’t know, I am not the right person to ask. My choice of subject matter will probably tell you a lot. I also think that I am pretty direct and you can see that in my work as well but it is not “what you see is what you get”.
I once heard someone say that a profession is a vehicle for something deeper. Assuming that is true, what is it that you are searching for through your photography?
JB: Photography has been a vehicle to discover things I didn’t know before. When I go out shooting, I am learning something new. I am connecting with other people; and I feel a responsibility towards them.
Speaking of responsibility, there is the age old dilemma and debate, that photographers go into a situation and take something, prey on the weak while the gain nothing. How do you feel about that?
JB: I do feel responsible, and sometimes I do feel it is a bit unfair. You get your shot but the community will never benefit. That is a difficult thing.
I really do believe that it is important to be very clear about what it is you want and what the photo will be used for. If you leave out a detail just so you can get the photograph, that detail will come back to haunt you. And if someone has a problem with what you are trying to do, then simply don’t shoot them. I make sure that the people who do agree to take part in a project get one of the Artist Proof prints (ed: out of two) that I have. It is up to them to either hold on to the print or if they want, sell it. That is my way of giving them something back.
What has been your biggest challenge so far?
JB: Well, being a photographer is a lonely profession and you sacrifice one thing for another. All I ever did was photography and I am only just learning that there are thing like shoes, make-up (laughs).
After winning the World Press Photo, you must have led a very hectic and different life this year. What has been the biggest lesson?
JB: I have learned that photos speak very loudly. Not all and not all the time but when they do, then can create change. And I have learned that when you have a voice, you have to use it. Photographers can be very powerful.
What is next for you?
JB: I will be starting a new project and I have a big show coming up in Ulms, Germany.
Any last advice?
JB: Just go out and do it. You have to get out there and create the work, put in the hours, develop your own style. And don’t be where the pack is. Do your own thing. And, when you are about to take a picture of what I like to call ‘The Stare’, reconsider it.
This Week In Photography Books – Francesca Woodman
Now and again, my young son will ask what happens after we die? They don’t prepare you for that in birthing class. So I do my best, and tell him that most people are buried in the ground, or burned to dust. Either way, I say, we end up merging back with the Earth. Slowly or quickly, we become the dirt, the trees, the flowers. He says he’d like to be a rock. Sounds nice.
Several weeks ago, I gave a lecture about Vivian Maier in class. My students are in their late teens; not-quite-college age. I asked how many would like to make photographs throughout a lifetime, put them in a box, and then have the trove discovered after death. (As opposed to having a living photography career.) Posthumous fame was alluring, as every student raised his or her hand. I was shocked. But later, not really. I was quite the Romantic back in the day as well.
Where am I going with this? I just, just put down “Francesca Woodman,” the new monograph by SFMOMA and D.A.P., released in conjunction with a major solo exhibition of her work. (The show soon moves to the Guggenheim Museum in NY. March 16-June 23) It’s an impressive volume, as you might imagine. Intriguing and challenging at the same time.
If you don’t know the backstory, (no shame, as I didn’t either,) Ms. Woodman made an impressively large body of work, mostly nudes, as a young woman in art school. She took her own life at the age of 22, and her work has been considered important ever since. The new traveling exhibition coincides with the 30th Anniversary of her death. (And there’s the context for the first two paragraphs. Thanks for waiting.)
Though I’ve never seen this work before, I like it very much. Ms. Woodman, I mentioned, used her own body as the primary subject of her artistic practice. (Though other people pop up multiple times.) As she was young, and attractive, it’s the type of work I’d probably dismiss if I saw it from a contemporary female photographer. Anyone today would clearly know that sex sells everything, and that’s about it. It’s hard to imagine many young female artists exploring these themes in a fresh way, what with our current global culture of image ubiquity and massive over-sharing. (This from the guy who writes about himself all the time.)
Yet the photographs are lovely, whimsical, evocative, and experimental. It’s clear that Ms. Woodman was pushing boundaries. One recurring theme, in which she melds herself in with the background, often in decrepit homes, does make you wonder how badly she wanted to disappear? And for how long?
I’ve also got to give props on a technical note or two. Given the importance of pacing and flow, when two color images emerge, late in the book, after an onslaught of grayscale: Pop. And the cover image is haunting, presaging the innards.
As many of you will no doubt have the chance to go see this work on the wall in New York, I’d heartily encourage it. I’d love to go see it myself. But the book communicates Ms. Woodman’s vision, or at least, how history has edited her vision. (A separate question entirely.) So this one comes highly recommended, as long as you don’t mind a lot of nudity.
Bottom Line: Great book, great work, sad story
To purchase Francesca Woodman visit Photo-Eye
Full Disclosure: Books are provided by Photo-Eye in exchange for links back for purchase.
Oscars: Cinematography nominees discuss film versus digital
“I think this is a wonderful time for a cinematographer,” said Emmanuel Lubezki, who shot “The Tree of Life” and is a four-time previous nominee. “You can have 65-millimeter, 35, 16 and so on, and then you have all the range of incredible digital cameras that are not like film but allow you to create wonderful images.”
via theenvelope.latimes.com thx again Steve.