Representation and directory for photographers

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by PolaroidSky

I'm linking to a lot of places I post on my blog Karen... take a peek, it's in the sites I like part, to the sides of the images : )

http://thebodypolitic.posterous.com/

Favourited it :-) Got so much to read now lol. I had a brilliant book delivered this morning I need to read as well,

Katherine avenue by Larry Sultan. You'd probably like it, some great shots in there.


Karen

[ABERS]

Getting noticed photographically is akin to all those football wannabees that play their soccer for a pub team on the municipal parks on a Sunday morning, dreaming of Old Trafford or The Emirates.

Those that have made it in the football world from such beginnings are usually outstanding players that have not appreciated their own potential and it has taken a professional scout to notice and nurture it.

I expect I'll get slated for saying this, but, the level of photography on such sites as this and Flickr is about the same level as pub football is to the premier league. Lots of keen participants but a bit short on expertise, skill and inventiveness.

Nevertheless Sunday morning football can be as enjoyable both to play and watch as some of the top premier fixtures.

Keep on plugging (and puffing) away like the rest of us.

[PolaroidSky]

That's an interesting view Abers if slightly downbeat.

I would say that using your example, the only photographers that "make it" would be ones that had pushy parents that forced them to play football as a kid and had the money to fund their interest, travel up and down the country for trials etc and I don't see that example transferring fully to photography.

Many successful photographers come from all walks of life and make their imprint at all ages and though right place, time and breaks both social and economic can help and undoubtedly the big factor is talent but to say that the level of all in sites like Flickr or here is of a sub pro or at best sunday league level is a sweeping generalization as there are without a doubt some astounding photographers on both.

I'm not going to slate what you say as for the most I agree but I would say it's easy to see the banality out there but if you look long and hard enough you can find the diamonds in the coal field.

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by ABERS

Getting noticed photographically is akin to all those football wannabees that play their soccer for a pub team on the municipal parks on a Sunday morning, dreaming of Old Trafford or The Emirates.
.

Oh I dunno, it depends on what you are looking for. I am pretty sure that most people don't think they are going to be the next Martin Parr and are happy with making money from photography and doing something that they enjoy for a living. I don't think posting on flickr or sites like this would be a shortcut to getting famous or noticed anyway. Seems to me the route to getting noticed by anyone is the Uni route where you meet visiting lecturers like Martin Parr, do work experience with Magnum and Reuters etc.. I know that uni courses invite along agents to final shows and lots of students ' make it ' as a result of that. One famous one was an artist called Jenny Saville who had her final show snapped up by Saatchi and was commisioned by them for a major work.

As for the quality of work on here, you only have to look at the photographer of the year shortlists where some astounding work has made it through.

Karen

[Mr Bump]

Originally Posted by ABERS

.... the level of photography on such sites as this and Flickr is about the same level as pub football is to the premier league. Lots of keen participants but a bit short on expertise, skill and inventiveness.

An interesting analogy, although inventiveness on the field is not always a quality shown by individual premier league footballers either

Expertise and skill would appear to be what most amateur photographic enthusiasts strive for whilst inventiveness often takes a back seat. An analogy I would offer is that most photo enthusiasts are the equivalent of 'tribute' bands - they study the work of the greats and after much practice may perform very close technically but, of course, do not break new ground or cause great excitement as the originals did. Originality is the missing element. How difficult it is to be truly original.

Time is a factor too: Premier league footballers are totally focussed on the game with little to detract. It is their raison d'etre and fulfils all their burning ambitions. Amateur photographers (and amateur footballers) have to fit their hobby around their working and family lives and so cannot develop as a full-timer can. Sadly, too much of the little available time can be spent at computers cloning out defects and adding false skys to images that we have seen a thousand times before. From what I have seen, much of what is shown on Flickr and on sites such as this is technically good-to-excellent but what is often missing is the ability to 'think outside the box'. It's like a breath of fresh air when someone posts an image that really does that - they are no doubt what PolaroidSky means by 'diamonds in the coal field'.

[ABERS]

God forbid anyone should turn into Martin Parr

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by ABERS

God forbid anyone should turn into Martin Parr

Not a fan then? :-)

Karen

[ABERS]

I think the way he markets his work and his PR has to be admired but not the pictures themselves particularly.

[GeoffWessex]

But not so different to William Eggleston, who is treated like a photographic Messiah in the USA. Ditto Walker Evans, Diane Arbus, Gary Winogrande. But they're all worth checking out online - they certainly had something - even if it's only the ability to provoke discussion.

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by ABERS

I think the way he markets his work and his PR has to be admired but not the pictures themselves particularly.

I am a big fan of his work to be honest but I think he is like photographic marmite. You either love him or hate him. He only got into Magnum by one vote, many didn't want him there but I think that was photographic snobbery.

Karen.