Contact Sheet publication - Am I crabby?

[windpointphoto]

I realize it's me. I'm from the Midwest and just don't get "artsy" photography. I received a flyer in the mail from Light Work - Contact Sheet publication looking for subsribers www.lightwork.org. Now I know that the majority of nice photographs, mine certainly included, are simply f/8 and be there. I've got lots that have won awards and been great sellers but other than some technical skill were just plain dumb luck on my part. But for the life of me I just don't get the three prints in the "fine print program". A picture of a middle age rich woman on a boat, a tilted (how over used is that) picture of cheerleaders in the air and a photo of a girl standing on her head showing us her underwear. This is the three best these folks have to offer? And the platinum edition print of the woman's ass in tights. How can you make a bad photo of this subject matter, but good grief, $450.00??? I wonder how long this publication would have survived without our tax dollars from the NEA to support it. Anyway, just my opinion and I'm probably wrong. Thanks to all of you for another year of help and many interesting discussions. A Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

[John Flavell]

Well, it is a nice ass in tights and it's on sale, $45.00 off.

I don't see what being from the Midwest and "just don't get "artsy" photography" have to do with each other. Is there a geographic connection I've been missing all these years? If I move to Chicago will I lose my sense of the 'rule of thirds"?

[windpointphoto]

Go to a New York gallery and tell them you're from Milwaukee. See how often they care for your opinion. Go into the galleries in Chicago and see wht sells compared to NY. For that matter look how much photography sell in the midwest compared to the east coast. Look at the "artsy" pictures and tell me how many follow the "rules". Also the key in your comment is that you're moving here. Don't count. Gotta be born here.

[John_4185]

Also the key in your comment is that you're moving here. Don't count. Gotta be born here.

Thanks for that. Not. As if we needed any more reasons for hating regional-arrogance buttheads.

[Allen Quinn]

These photos look like culls to me. The best of the lot is the upside down chick showing her underwear but it's just a stunt.

[Steven Barall]

Well, your opinion can't be wrong. You own it. I agree with you that those photos are not very compelling.

The gallery scene is sort of a self supporting group of people who really don't work very hard. I see stuff and hear people lecture and I know that they are just passing through. I heard a guy speak recently about photos he did for a book and the editor is a really well known guy in the photo world and I gotta tell you, it was maddeningly mind numbing. The "photographer" has no connection to photography at all but that's why people like him. As commercial work it fails to serve it's purpose and as art it's not compelling, and the editor guy is supposed to know better but he is just so taken with the latest fad he can't help himself. Unfortunately they get a lot of attention and there's nothing you can do about it. It's all academic to them.

Keep on truckin', my brothers and sisters under the dark cloth.

[Tim Hyde]

jj doesn't have much of a sense of humor today, does he?

[Jim collum]

well.. i wouldn't completely discount the gallery world. i just got the new book form Misrach ( Chronologies ) and it's incredible

www.fraenkelgallery.com/publications/p_misrach.html

there's also good work coming from that world, (and i'd lay odds most of us wouldn't mind making a living selling prints and publishing books of our work)

jim

[John_4185]

jj doesn't have much of a sense of humor today, does he?

I do, Tim, and I appreciate your kind jest. Methinks the holidays are difficult for many people, as evinced by some unusually peeved posts today. I am no exception, I guess.

That said, and not just for reasons of the holiday, very best to all.

[John_4185]

well.. i wouldn't completely discount the gallery world. i just got the new book form Misrach ( Chronologies ) and it's incredible

The only way my name will be in lights is if I change it to EXIT.