adin@frontier.net
Fri, 23 Jul 1999 09:01:32 +0000
Open letter to Jeff:
Jeff:
First off, no one is perfect, or acceptable, but me. This is probably a
shared sentiment by all, whether admitted or not.
When one yanks out an unusual item in public, the questions fly. "whatcha doin,
makin' a pitchure or somethin'? "are you makin' a video?" "will this be on tv?"
ad nauseum (appropriate latin, no?) My experience (over the decades) is this:
anything less than a polite answer (and even a polite "I would love to talk to
you AFTER I have made my exposure.") will bring cursing and rocks. IF YOU DON'T
WANT OBSERVERS, PHOTOGRAPH IN PLACES WITHOUT OTHER PEOPLE.
I often travel with another photographer, silver printer but large format. He
is always friendly and polite to the crowds (multiple cameras? "they must be
from hollywood!!!") while I try to ignore people until my work is done. Who
sells more prints? Which photographer would you prefer be an ambassador for
the fine-art photographer crowd?
If you ever had the opportunity to sit down with Ansel for a chat you might
realize his greatest value (IMHO/ the only one that counts, btw) was that of
ambassador and teacher. Although a better technician than Weston (his words,
with proof) maybe not the best photographer in the world. Still, a wonderful
rep/ambassador for photography, willing to answer any question (no matter how
esoteric or "stupid"), funny and entertaining.
Was it Dody Thompson or Imogene that trekked to Carmel to meet "the greatest
photographer in the world" and was stunned speechless because, not only did he
answer his own phone, he said that photography was his favorite subject, please
come up for coffee? Weston, btw, shared with almost anyone that asked- and
shared almost all he had. Showing prints for hours to people that he knew
would not buy, or might buy a $15. print.
So, to coin a phrase, don't be a Dave (or a Jeff)! Share what you can, in the
long run it benefits ALL photographers - even yourself.
You will be asked "those" questions - a kid dripping ice cream one put his
finger upon the front of my lens and asked "what's that?" They will ask why pt?
why handcoated? and "will this be on TV?" "why contact?" "If its pt, why do you
use gold?" and "where is the coke machine?" Hardly anyone becomes rich or
famous for being an *hole. Contrarily, alot of them end up cursed or hauling
their beloved Canham/Ries from the bottom of a rocky wash.
One last point: most "successful" artists and/or gallery owners will tell you
how much easier it is to sell work if the purchaser knows the artist. Stupid I
agree, but true. Try being personable or even friendly. Educate you clients,
treat them as a friend.
On the other hand, having experienced your convoluted "logic" and personable
manner several times over the years, I might offer a favorite quote:
(Caponigro? to Minor White) "Head for the Nebula, they can't corner you there!"
Food for thought, no answer required.
David
> jamiehy wrote:
> > ... If you set up a camera in front of a bunch of photographers, and they
don't
> > know it, you are going to get those questions. If you pull out a bunch of
> > your prints, then people will explore the question "WHAT KIND OF
> > PHOTOGRAPHER ARE YOU?". You made that choice. ...
> > if you want to talk photography, pull out prints, not a camera,
> > and if you pull out a camera, expect those questions. Jamie
>
> Jamie,
>
> Don't try to console me. REAL photographers don't ask those
> questions. Real photographers are interested in the art of
> photography. As you so eloquently put it, techno-weenies have trouble
> getting past the technical stuff.
>
> The choice I made was to make a photograph, that's all.
>
> And don't give me the "pull out the prints" thing. The same gibberish
> questions abound. I brought some technical prints to APIS to discuss
> some technical points. I also brought some of my work. I'll have you
> know that not one person asked about the ramifications of folding an
> image along a chosen axis. I doubt that all understood what I was
> doing, so why not some questions. I feel a good number of people just
> wanted to enjoy looking and not talking. However, only a couple of
> people bothered to change the position of a screen. Note: the screens
> cannot be understood without folding them.
>
> I also brought some prints on fabric. I fielded several questions on
> coating the fabric. But only one person asked why I printed on fabric.
> Well I guess that's good that at least one person asked.
>
> As I see it, the techno-weenie thing is a sort of double edged sword.
> On one side I have to be annoyed by the dribble. On the other side I
> find it more challenging to find peer discussions, but don't have to
> worry about an overwhelming population of artist.
>
> --
> Jeffrey D. Mathias
> <a
href="http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.mathias/">http://home.att.net/~jeffrey.d.ma
thias/</a>
>
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