Honest photographs?

[paulr]

I know many full-time photographic artists ...

Chris, kind of off topic, but could you name a few? I could use some better role models

[paulr]

We disagree Chris. And that's OK. It would be a boring place if we all agreed.

you know, you're talking to someone with plenty of first hand and second hand experience with the topic. what's your opinion based on? people you know, or is it just a prejudice?

[Joseph Kayne]

"Given the reproducability of photographs, it would be a shame to make only one. I've often thought about how hard it must be for a painter to part with a painting they really love. If I were a painter, I don't think I could do it-- I'd have a whole studio full of my favorite paintings, all not for sale! I print my photos in editions of nine, but #1 of each edition is mine, not for sale."

I couldn't agree more!

Joe.

[steve_782]

To make it at the top level of the fine-art world, the work MUST be authentic and unfiltered; taking that risk is the price of admission. But, even if your work is authentic, it can still be rejected, and that's the risk.

So here's a thought to consider. It's obvious what the cost is of taking the risk: You can be rejected, and fail. The more interesting question is, what is the cost of NOT taking the risk?

Take a long breath before answering that one, and then another long breath. It's actually a pretty important question, I think.

~cj

www.chrisjordan.com

It's apparently important to you, but that doesn't make it important to everyone. I used to pursue galleries, shows, collectors, collections, etc. - and found out I resented the process and diversion of energy that came with that part of the business.

I made the decision that I didn't want to deal with it, as it only aggravated me. I know four people who make a living selling fine art photographs. Three of the four have said to me, "You have the ultimate freedom." "You do exactly what you want to do with no thought as to what will sell or what the gallery wants."

I don't want to have a gallery expecting images that have a certain look so they have a photograph that fulfills the gallery's expectations as a product targeted to a specific audience.

I'm interested in making images for myself, as my own challenge, and I frankly don't care if anyone ever sees them. All I care about is seeing if I can create the image of an idea that I have.

Once I do that and it's what I wanted to see, and I feel I've made the final image I want to see - I'm on to the next challenge. I have one finished print hanging in my house. Three in progress, and when I'm done with those they'll either be given away or thrown away - I don't care which - I'm finished with the image.

[Jonathan Brewer]

'I haven't sold a print in Seattle in five years. All of my sales happen though galleries in Los Angeles and New York; my work isn't even represented by a Seattle gallery. It's kind of strange being unknown in my own city, but I guess that's the way it goes'...


...............C'mon Chris, you've died and gone to heaven, they just didn't yank you over to Seattle to pat you on the back on your way up :^) !!!!!

What is strange is the fight to become known enough to open doors, 'Catch 22', you've got to become known, before they want to know you. I may never have the recognition of some folks on this forum, that's alright, much of it is my fault, for years I never bothered to promote my work. Now that I'm promoting myself, now that I've got a website, a favorable write up about the site, and a few other things coming up, I can refer people to what I've got going and show up places to shoot that were formerly unavailable to me.

You go from a 'pest' to a 'Prestidigitator'.

That anybody would want to pay $5.00 for your work, work that you would do anyway for free, that feeling STILL impresses me, but that's a different aspect of this than the having to 'jump through hoops', that I can see comes with the territory of self promotion.

[stephenhunter57]

limited editions do better on the sales front but one off's could be finacially unacceptable especially if it is a sort after pic, its going to be reproduced when it goes to publication anyway.
If I thought it would work I would go for it.

[Kirk Gittings]

Sorry you are going to have to translate "unacceptable especially if it is a sort after pic" for us in Spamland.
(my mother-in-law is English and since WWII and K rations she says people in her village refer to America as Spamland)

[Daniel_Buck]

I guess this is where tin-types, daguerreotypes and the like come in to play. There's really no way to make a good copy of them, is there?

[Jack Dahlgren]

Sorry you are going to have to translate "unacceptable especially if it is a sort after pic" for us in Spamland.
(my mother-in-law is English and since WWII and K rations she says people in her village refer to America as Spamland)

As a native of spamland, the first thing that comes to mind is "sought after"