Sunday, October 10, 2004
When I started back taking pictures in 1998 I was doing night photos, like I did at art school; then we moved to NY and I was doing abstract textures and photographing the industrial wasteland; then I moved back to Austin for awhile and then to Woodstock NY for a shorter while and started shooting with a Holga--I think this period with the Holga was some of my best work to date; then I moved to Minneapolis and started shooting photos around Lake Superior. One big thing effected my subject matter--selling. I started selling my pictures at the big farmer's market in town and regional art fairs, realizing I didn't have many photos that would attract the locals, I started shooting in Northern Minnesota and in Minneapolis of local sites of interest.
While I've been very happy with some of my Minnesota photos (and I love being in Northern Minnesota), the idea of making this into a business has completely changed the way I shoot and think about my pictures.
I've understood this all along, but I also understand that if I built a business around this type of photo it would take years to be successful (which is the case with virtually any successful small business (except the ones they advertise on TV, of course)). So I feel part of my struggle with what camera to use, is do I want to shoot for money or for myself. Because up until now I've been basing my decision (or lack of one) on the selling photos mentality. So if I know I'll be struggling for years to keep my head above water, maybe I should be shooting whatever the hell it is that I deep down want to shoot. That way I'll be poor and happy instead of poor and frustrated.
So this means there's no end to this story, but at least I might have a better understanding of what's causing all my confusement.
* * * * *
Oh, and for anyone kind of following this, for a good laugh, I was checking out the Contax G2 (35mm camera) after all my talk about view cameras and contact printing etc. Maybe I need to have two or three cameras instead of fitting everything I want into one.
And--Go Yankees!!!! Next up, the BoSoxs -- Get Ready to Rumble...
While I've been very happy with some of my Minnesota photos (and I love being in Northern Minnesota), the idea of making this into a business has completely changed the way I shoot and think about my pictures.
I've understood this all along, but I also understand that if I built a business around this type of photo it would take years to be successful (which is the case with virtually any successful small business (except the ones they advertise on TV, of course)). So I feel part of my struggle with what camera to use, is do I want to shoot for money or for myself. Because up until now I've been basing my decision (or lack of one) on the selling photos mentality. So if I know I'll be struggling for years to keep my head above water, maybe I should be shooting whatever the hell it is that I deep down want to shoot. That way I'll be poor and happy instead of poor and frustrated.
So this means there's no end to this story, but at least I might have a better understanding of what's causing all my confusement.
* * * * *
Oh, and for anyone kind of following this, for a good laugh, I was checking out the Contax G2 (35mm camera) after all my talk about view cameras and contact printing etc. Maybe I need to have two or three cameras instead of fitting everything I want into one.
And--Go Yankees!!!! Next up, the BoSoxs -- Get Ready to Rumble...
Comments:
Post a Comment
