Robert Brook Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 "I love to shoot/produce concepts" GK There are three great ones at Corbis. Dollars in a dystopean landscape, what looks like a swimming pool until you realise it's an office and footprints in an office. It's probably breaking the rules too far to give links, but goes under the moniker GK Kidd. Do an advanced search. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 My 'therapy' work is garden images, mainly plants, especially pests and diseases - I love to text my other half pics of my office (a cafe at whatever garden I am shooting in) just to remind her how hard my work is Ah, gardening . . . British psychotherapy. Do these garden snaps get the desired effect from your lady? Even before ringing my bell, locals would know I was not one of them. The voles ran my garden until a neighbor's cat came by to help me out. Then I bought a weed trimmer, a formidable item. The problem was weeds and flowers did't look that different to me. In frustration, I even attacked my kitchen utensils one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 My 'therapy' work is garden images, mainly plants, especially pests and diseases - I love to text my other half pics of my office (a cafe at whatever garden I am shooting in) just to remind her how hard my work is Ah, gardening . . . British psychotherapy. Do these garden snaps get the desired effect from your lady? Even before ringing my bell, locals would know I was not one of them. The voles ran my garden until a neighbor's cat came by to help me out. Then I bought a weed trimmer, a formidable item. The problem was weeds and flowers did't look that different to me. In frustration, I even attacked my kitchen utensils one day. If the desired effect is irritation then yes, often they work....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Anyone looking at my portfolio would think I can't figure out what I want to do. They would be right. I just throw it up on the wall and see what sticks. Some tabletop, some travel, so far that never sells, lots of people, mostly unreleased, but some are. Funny thing, some of the impromptu shots have sold repeatedly. One of a group of neighborhood boys that bought a Twister game at my garage sale, and spread it out in the yard across the street to play. I grabbed my camera and got shots of that. It sells or is searched more than a lot of my stuff. Another, sold several times to Japan, was of a garage sale. This too, was not planned. My daughter & family were having the sale in Michigan in preparation to moving back to Wichita. I drove up (loooong drive) from Oklahoma City to help. We got set up at dawn, then it dawned on me to take a few shots. When I first started with stock, I was into birds and butterflies a lot. I did sell some, but I've gone in other directions since. Still grab the birds sometimes. Never turn down a butterfly. I've decided my port is rubbish, too, because I sold one image in the last 2 months. Very few zooms. I'm waiting on my X-T1 to see if the light weight invigorates my imagination and encourages me to get out and about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 There have been some interesting responses and samples shown so far . . . that is "the what." But what about "the why?" DannyC posted this to me in my other recent thread: "Ed, in your position, I would do what others have advised: take what you please, upload what you choose, and enjoy what's around you. Personally, I think that NYC has as much attraction for the world as ever, as indeed does Tweety-twee, Waxforshire! Perhaps it's just that demand in stock is changing and buyers are looking for something different...? Right, off to take another shop sign..." Since so often attitudes are expressed in this forum that stock is all about money, and that any crap sells and bla bla bla . . . I have to say: I am not motivated by money. Let me be clear--I need money, I enjoy money, I demand money for the work I do, and the rest of it. But money does not motivate me and it never has. Early on, I decided to make a life for myself in the arts. Images motivate me, subjects motivate me. Being a good photographer is important to me. Stock has always been (mostly) done on spec. So I'm content with that way of working in stock. News and this Stockaless stepsister used to be done as paid assignment work, and so I will not involve myself with either. What about you? What motivates your continued involvement in stock, even when things get harder and harder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSnapper Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 "Funny thing, some of the impromptu shots have sold repeatedly." ...and does that not tell you something? km Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Brook Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Motivation? I have two streams going and always have had: personal and for money. I don't need any motivation to do personal work, I do it, I would actually need motivation to stop. So the only motivation I need is to do photography that sells, to make money. And the motivation there is pretty basic. I have been very lucky in that personal work often does eventually produce or lead to good income streams (e.g. everything I currently have at Corbis aside from distributor stuff). Previously environmental issues (money making) arose out of urban landscape that I did in the 1980s (sold a few prints, but otherwise didn't earn a bean). RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 ...... Since so often attitudes are expressed in this forum that stock is all about money, and that any crap sells and bla bla bla . . . I have to say: I am not motivated by money. Let me be clear--I need money, I enjoy money, I demand money for the work I do, and the rest of it. But money does not motivate me and it never has. Early on, I decided to make a life for myself in the arts. Images motivate me, subjects motivate me. Being a good photographer is important to me. ... I am coming back to stock and will be working in exactly that way; for the same reasons and thinking. I got disillusioned because I was "shooting for stock" and my photography lost its soul and, frankly, became downright poor so no wonder it stopped selling. I have got back to shooting pictures that interest me because I WANT TO and then I will worry about its commercial value, where and how I can earn from it. That said I probably have an embedded "what is the story" sort of mind. The new lightweight compact system cameras (Fuji X for me) help my rejuvenation, because it is not burdensome to carry a small system. I am much more in a position to take photographs when the opportunity and mood takes me. I did not have to go out specially "to shoot stock". The transition is still a work in progress though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 "Funny thing, some of the impromptu shots have sold repeatedly." ...and does that not tell you something? km My thoughts exactly and why I have changed my approach after a long pause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 ...... Since so often attitudes are expressed in this forum that stock is all about money, and that any crap sells and bla bla bla . . . I have to say: I am not motivated by money. Let me be clear--I need money, I enjoy money, I demand money for the work I do, and the rest of it. But money does not motivate me and it never has. Early on, I decided to make a life for myself in the arts. Images motivate me, subjects motivate me. Being a good photographer is important to me. ... I am coming back to stock and will be working in exactly that way; for the same reasons and thinking. I got disillusioned because I was "shooting for stock" and my photography lost its soul and, frankly, became downright poor so no wonder it stopped selling. I have got back to shooting pictures that interest me because I WANT TO and then I will worry about its commercial value, where and how I can earn from it. That said I probably have an embedded "what is the story" sort of mind. The new lightweight compact system cameras (Fuji X for me) help my rejuvenation, because it is not burdensome to carry a small system. I am much more in a position to take photographs when the opportunity and mood takes me. I did not have to go out specially "to shoot stock". The transition is still a work in progress though. Well said. "Stock" can easily degenerate into "schlock." "Soul" is much more important than "sell" (always a nice byproduct, of course) in the long run. The Greybeards have spoken... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morrison Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 "Soul" is much more important than "sell" On a stock photo site? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 "Soul" is much more important than "sell" On a stock photo site? Why not? It is what gives a picture its je ne sais quoi - it is what makes it stand out. That said these days it seems many "picture editors" just want something cheap to break up the text - or am i too cynical? I think not - BBC wanted to use one of my pics but they "did not have any budget" so no pics from me; this was the result for what had been a colourful event. In my view they would have done better not using a pic at all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morrison Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 ^^^ I'm only here (on Alamy) to sell pix. 'Soul' I find elsewhere... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSnapper Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Indeed...i'm here to make money, not friends.... the money then lets me do the other photographies in my life km Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin P Wilson Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Don't get me wrong; the work I put up on Alamy is there only to make me money. But I need to have sufficient interest in the photography I do to keep me motivated and to maintain a quality with which I, and clients, are happy. Otherwise I will seek other employment that does engage me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSnapper Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 this is a little project i did with some university students yesterday......no budget, no client, but fun..... km Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted April 7, 2014 Author Share Posted April 7, 2014 Looking good, Snapman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Brook Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 this is a little project i did with some university students yesterday...... no budget, no client, but fun..... ............................. km Nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Brook Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Art vs money: it's a false dichotomy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ann Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 really enjoyed the before during after approach this is a little project i did with some university students yesterday......no budget, no client, but fun.....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnUU4FBzgFE km Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYCat Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 What fun! Thanks... Paulette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 I'm motivated by beauty. A flower, a butterfly, a bird. Lakes, oceans, mountains, a baby's smile. A horse. The wrinkles on old faces, which show character and beauty. Like that shot you did of...help me, Ed...something Scott? My mind went blank. The movie star? That was beautiful. I like to make beautiful pictures. Sadly, those are on FAA selling, they don't sell much here. So I do want to make some money. That's where the other things I shoot come in. And that, my friends, is why I make more on FAA than here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Rooney Posted April 8, 2014 Author Share Posted April 8, 2014 Betty, do you mean George C. Scott doing his own makeup for The Bible? I don't have it in my Alamy collection. I have a small image of it in iPhoto and a good 16x20 B&W print here. But I can't drop that in here. Do I have it on FAA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Betty, do you mean George C. Scott doing his own makeup for The Bible? I don't have it in my Alamy collection. I have a small image of it in iPhoto and a good 16x20 B&W print here. But I can't drop that in here. Do I have it on FAA? Yes, that's the one I'm talking about. You showed it to me once. Email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted April 8, 2014 Share Posted April 8, 2014 Mike, that is indeed a unique specialty. Thank you to you and your wife for your important service. I've never been in the system in the USA. I was convicted of assault in Rome (suspended sentence) and once "questioned" by the White Mice in Saigon. Thanks for your kind words Ed. In all honesty though most of the time I feel like I'm babysitting, and that's true for both inmates and staff. As a sergeant I"m somewhat of a mid-manager - don't know the set up in HMRPS but my guess is that it is pretty similar. about 60 percent of what I do is dealing with staff and it's a lot on the level of "he said she said". There are days I miss being a corporal when 95 percent of what I did was dealing directly with inmates... The stuff my wife does though. that's a different game altogether.... When it works - and it actually does roughly 90 percent of the time - that's making a difference. Our national US recidivism rate here according to DOJ is roughly 67 percent so anything that can put a dent in that, we're talking huge impact... Now if only i could help the wifal unit come up with a bright idea for this years fundraiser I"d be all set. Last year we had former US football player andconvict Ricky Simmons give a speech and it worked out pretty well. Gotta figure out something that will be just slightly bigger/better than that and we should be good to go... Anyone have any bright ideas feel free to send them my way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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