Hele-phant-copter, Castle Air Museum — by Joe Reifer
- Miroslav Tichý is a Czech photographer who uses funky home made cameras (via Brad Evans)
- Brad also sent a NYT article about portrait photographer Mike Disfarmer. I recently picked up Julia Scully’s superb book Disfarmer: 1939-1946 Heber Springs Portraits – highly recommended
- The blog On Shadow has been consistently stimulating lately
- Photographer Tamir Sher sent me an email — I enjoyed the conceptual night work in his Mars project, and also the abstract black and white Refiles images
- Tim Baskerville of The Nocturnes has some excellent information on access to the normally off-limits area of Mare Island
- Andy Frazer directed me to night photographer Stu Jenks’ blog post, An Argument Against Photography, and follow up post, I’m Not Suicidal. Thinking about Stu’s situation the last few days has really helped me realize how much I love making images, and how much I hate the selling, marketing, and politics involved in getting your work out there.
Sad story about Stu Jenks. I can appreciate it – though not personally relate to it. My stuff is not even close that level (not by a long shot), but I’ve seen/know a couple dozen fine art photogs with really outstanding work – but it doesn’t go anywhere in terms of them making a living. Just a few. That’s life I guess – kind of like getting into the NBA I suppose. So, I shoot for personal entertainment/amusement, to BS with people on the street, explore presentation/tech/book ideas, etc. There’s a whole industry out there offering workshops, portfolio reviews, trips, etc. But do many people really benefit in terms of taking their photography to a higher level and eventually a living? Somehow I doubt it – no doubt a jaded view! Nothing wrong with personal enrichment, though – a labor of love sort of thing…
BTW, on the Tichy story, there are links to his work at the bottom – easy to miss. Really neat stuff and an interesting fellow….
Hey all,
Not to go into a long winded thing on someone else’s blog (and you know I’m not known for being shy with my thoughts, prayers, opinions and feelings), but I’m back in the game. Was offered a big show at the Hotel Congress in Tucson next month and am trying to figure out the ins and outs of Stock Photography and getting some of my stuff on line at Alamy (man, is that a rat’s maze of Ones and Zeros, to me at least)
I can stop shooting like I can stop breathing. Well, I can hold my breath but as I told a guy a few years ago, who was guarding a campground, when he questioned me on why I was going up this hill to shoot nocturnal images, I simply said “It’s what I do”
And perhaps, someday, I’ll get more of the coin back, but I am grateful to all of the sales I make and mostly, to all of the support, emotionally, I get from others. I’m truly blessed.
And there is no debtors’ prison in Heaven, so who cares? It’s only money, and I have no kids. My images seem to be my children, rambunctious as they are.
Again, don’t anyone think for a second that I’m an ingrat to the love I get from so, so many people and clients. It’s truly amazing and I am living the dream. A poor dream, but a happy dream none the less
Much love,
Stu Jenks