"For Indian Summer"
Great news for anyone with their panties in a wad about the photography business: we've never had it so good. I love photography and the sense of possibility is overwhelming. My only problem is figuring out how to make it all work. That isn't the industries problem, it's mine.
Today, you can access some of the greatest minds in the art world with nothing more than an internet connection (if you're reading this, you have one) and a basic command of the English language (Yes, lots of amazing people in photography don't speak English. Don't bust my balls.) Now is a time to rejoice.
Below are some reasons and resources.
- Galleries are cropping up all over the place. You can throw a rock and hit a place that is looking for great photography to display. My own online gallery Bert & None is one of them.
- Photo editing has never been simpler. You can create worlds sitting at your desk. Any mechanical issues you have can be researched on YouTube. Hell, most of the crap can be done on your cell phone.
- There are scores of curators more than happy to look at your work if you treat them with some basic human decency and respect. Portfolio reviews are great opportunities build your audience. Here are just a few from a fairly exhaustive list to consider:
- Fotofest (see you there) in Houston
- Filter Festival (see you there) In Chicago
- Photo Lucida
- Center
- Bloggers and photo enthusiasts are online and cheering for you from all points of the compass. This doesn't even scratch the surface.
- Andy Adams of the Flak Photo Network
- Aline Simpson of Lensscratch
- Erin Spring of "What Will You Remember"
- Rfotofolio: Two collectors showcasing great work.
- Kat Keirnan of Don't Take Pictures
- John Bennette has always been an real inspiration
- A Photo Editor (Rob Haggart)
- The list goes on. Share your favorite in the comments.
- Photography is collected more and more as the level of sophistication and cross pollination between mediums increases. Very few people are getting rich, or even making a living at it, but that's nothing new.
- You can publish your own photo books without compromising quality and without going broke. Ten years ago, neither one of these things were true.
- While you might think that there is global competition, the better way to think of it as a global audience. If you don't believe me, check the SEO metrics for your website.
So, if you are ever feeling down about the way of the world, take heart, there are lots of people just waiting to meet and be met by you. I hope to see you soon.