I find myself more and more often introducing myself as a photographer. Not so sure how this started, probably from something Zack Arias said. If you dont tell people what you do or what you want, they wont know. The one problem with this is that once they're like: "OH! Thats awesome, Im a visual merchandiser for a clothing group that has 25 stores throughout Norway, I would love to sit down and look through your book with you sometime, potentially for a campaign we have coming up". Right, now you have to deliver on claiming to be a photographer. Having to deliver images that make people want to give you money is a daunting task. Producing something that is on par or better than professional photographer isn't a worry of mine. Im not a professional photographer. Producing something different is what counts. Being different, and letting that shine through in your work is way more important than being better. Photography is one of those things that you cant be competitive about. No one is better than anyone else. To a certain degree. Annie Leibovitz is a better photographer than most of us. Joe McNally has a better understanding of light manipulation than me. See what I'm saying?
I see things for what they are though a lens. Nothing more, nothing less. The final image that you see is different to what or anyone else sees. We all interpret things and see different things in a picture. A friend of my moms said to me on my recent trip back home: " In France, one thing that isn't up for discussion is another's taste." So well said. I think there are a lot of people out there, photographer's and lesser beings alike, (it's a joke, really) that are comparing and trying to measure up to a pre-determined level or standard.
Why not just be different? Im pretty convinced that I will keep shooting photo's based on the same philosophy and with the same intention of wanting only to produce images that I am proud of. I dont shoot for anyone else but myself. It is a luxury. There are plenty of photographers that are shooting pictures of apartment interiors for money to pay for their studio time to get test shoots done for portfolio work. That has to suck. I am grateful for the fact that I have a paying day job that affords me the luxury of choosing what I can and will shoot.
Alot of this is in direct relation to our (as photographers) relationship's with our clients. Be that art directors, agencies, couples as wedding photographers, or business's. I recently watched an episode of Chase Jarvis LIVE with a very interesting guy called Ramit Sethi. You can find it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tsJ_-yINxs
This deals with how we present and market ourselves and how we fail to see some of the most basic elements of negotiating. Little bit of psychology, little bit of business mind. Very interesting and I definetly picked up a few tip and tricks from it.
Ive been extending my networking feelers more than usual lately. Connecting with people on all kinds of different levels. Mostly its hunting for more interesting subjects, just going up to random people on the street or in bars and telling them I want to shoot pictures of them. What is there to lose? Im getting inspired and frustrated all the time. The weather is still shitty and will continue to be so until the end of April. I dont have a studio. This makes my options very limited. I am sooo amped for summer though. Got so many cool ideas for shoots. Going to be awesome.
Its late now, and I had'nt reaslied I just wrote the foreword to a book. Heres are some images I cant really make my mind up about as to which processing i like better. They are from the "pirate" series I am busy editing for two different clients. Will have final selection up this week some time. N
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| Kristine. B+W with added grain and desaturated background. |
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| Polished colour with negative clarity, sharpening and desaturated background. |
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| Pia. Smooth B+W with a little vignette. |
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| Desaturated colour with added grain and a vignette. |
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