> I'm new to all this also, and I just wanted to say that I admire you for
> sticking with film in the digital age. The last time I used film was in high
> school some 17 years ago, and my teacher was dedicated to film till the day
> he died. We kept in touch for many years and he used to say that film
> photography was a dieing art. Thinking of yourself as a dinosaur is not what
> I had in mind; more like a dedicated artist who simply found the perfect
> tools, and see's no reason to mess with what works.
>
> I always admired film. Something about it is unique in it's quality.
>
> Anyway, just want to comment on the subject, back to lurking and learning.
Michael:
This is a very touching post, but it presents interesting problems of its own.
The first point I want to make is that while stock photography is a fine business for somebody
with strong commercial photography skills or a specialized depth of knowledge in a specific
subject area, it's not kind to people who veiw their photography as "fine art." So, while the
craft involved in working with film and the wet darkroom might be a major asset for a person
who is attempting to become established as a fine-art photographer, it's a terrible burden
here in the very, very different world of stock photography.
Next, the advent of microstock and crowdsourcing has made it very easy for people who
know little about our business to enter it and become very frustrated. What I usually see are
people who've tried to do something the market doesn't like and blame the business instead
of themselves. Stock photography isn't about finding a place to sell the images you felt like
shooting, especially if you are expressing something deep and passionate in your images.
There's just no way that your deep feelings and the client's deep feeling will conincide.
You have no idea how sad I am that the film era in stock photography is gone. I miss the
whole culture surronding it but I am realistic enough to know where my loyalties lay; with the
people who buy my images, my articles and my books, not with the tools used to make them.
If you are a deeply passionate photographer who loves the craft of the wet darkroom,
concentrate on the gallery market where such things are appreciated. Stock and fine art are
both demanding and competitive, concentrating on one when you should be working on the
other (or some other specialty entirely) is a major distraction.
The worst thing of all though is just making the images you feel like and then throwing them
out there to see if there are any takers anywhere. Find out which market you belong in and
then see what you have to do.
Keep your eyes on the prize!
Brian Yarvin
Author, Educator, Photographer
http://www.brianyarvin.com
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