As I get older I am occasionally reminded that I am in fact, knocking on a bit. The trouble is, I don’t feel any older than I did in my mid thirties.
A similar feeling pervades when I think of my standing as an artist/photographer. Am I well known, or still a small contributor whose work pops up from time to time in the magazines? I still feel as anonymous as I did when I started out, even though I’ve had lots of work published. Comments I’ve had from others on Twitter, Flickr and Facebook suggest that I’m quite well known, but that’s not the way I see myself.
I am working in something I love, but would like to be considered a ‘serious’ photographer. My work seems to be very popular with other photographers and the general public, but not with galleries. I get turned down far more often than I believe is fair and consequently have a rather cynical view of exhibiting and galleries in general.
A number of years ago, I decided to forget about galleries and to concentrate on getting published instead. Since then my ‘image’ as a photographer has changed much more rapidly than it ever would have if I had pursued the exhibiting strategy.
I think that the public perception is that if a photographer is seen in more than three magazines then he or she must be famous. This has obviously worked in my favour.
But where do I take it next? I would like to build on the achievements I have to date, but I am unsure what to do. Should I now make a more concerted effort to exhibit again or approach other international publications?
I intend to continue to promote my workshops and private teaching and I will be supplementing this with video demonstrations on Youtube, but I would welcome any suggestions on what is basically marketing. Has anyone got any suggestions?
7 Comments
Is it fame you are after, or fortune?
Recognition rather than fame I think. Perhaps I’ve already got that. And a bit of fortune would be nice.
There are so many different circles within photography I guess it depends on which one you want to be recognised in. The hardest one is probably that of contemporary art photography. The key here seems to be to devote yourself to some big project. I went to a talk by Thomas Joshua Cooper- who is by any definition ‘recognised’ in the art photography world. He has been (literally) travelling to the ends of the earth to take minimalist lanscapes of the extremities of the atlantic basin with his antique plate camera over many years. I like his images but their significance lies as much in the story behind them (in my opinion). I guess having a big idea behind your photography helps to get it recognised.
In my experience galleries boost your ego but not your wallet or recognition, also it is a surprising fact that photographers rarely seem to buy photography! Publishing in magazines brings modest financial rewards but a surprising degree of recognition from other photographers. My experience of having illustrated articles published and the odd front cover in Australian magazines was that at least in this country my profile seemed to go up immensly, such that my next move is to get work published in other magazines, particularly in the UK and USA. After all I only know your name from the UK Black and White magazine!
My other suggestion is to enter every serious competition going, over here we have several portrait competitions run by state and regional galleries with prizes in the region of A$10-30,000, and whilst you may not win, the short listed entries, which I have achieved several times, still get a lot of exposure in the media. It also helps that these days entering silver prints from large format negs as I now do has a certain novelty value and you tend to stand out from all the photoshopped wannabees!.
Hope this helps, Mark
Thanks for your extensive and informed reply Mark. Useful advice.
Who do you admire that is successful – talk to them if possible. I wish I could help but as I already look up to you I am not sure how to help. I do try to spread the word and will continue to do so. It was your book Home Photography that made me aware of you – another quality book might help.
Well I posted your name as one of my influences in a discussion on flickr (http://www.flickr.com/groups/betterinblackandwhite/discuss/72157624544174602/), so I suspect fame will follow quickly for you.
Seriously, though, I have been a fan since I discovered your Home Photography book a few years ago, and enjoyed all of your appearances in Black and White Photography. I have absolutely no first hand experience at anything that would lead to a genuinely knowledgeable answer to your question. As an observation, it has seemed to me that photographers who write about the craft of photography generally aren’t gallery favorites. I don’t know why – maybe they don’t like it that some of the mysterious aura of the magical “silver gelatin” print is being revealed as essentially an everyday black and white picture. Or maybe I’m wrong entirely. I tend to follow those that write “how to” and “why to” books and articles more than “artists” represented by galleries.
Maybe it’s just because I would like to keep reading your words, but I would suggest that you continue to write on a world-wide basis and start an online gallery through your website to sell prints. You could sell then for 1/2 what a gallery would charge and still make the same amount from each print – probably selling more of them in the long run because of the lower price. I know online galleries are notorious for not making money, but I suspect that part of the problem is that no one has heard of many of the “artists” who try. You, on the other hand, have already overcome that and have name recognition among many people who appreciate your talent and your craftsmanship. Just some advice that is probably worth exactly what you have paid for it.