sparks Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 Good morning all. Since retiring....does onto ever retire as an alamy photographer????...have taken up art. .particularly oil painting..and enjoying it. But noticed an image of a car boot open and an easel set up for starting a picture....a painter among us who tHought thats a good image ..etc...was just wondering how many of us enjoy both aspects of scenery and how conflicting it is to either paint, photograph or get on with a fresh submission of keywording. Back to my coffee!!!! Best regards Sparks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 Onto should read as one...ooophs! Sparks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 I don't paint - never been able to and never wanted to - but I know the feeling of conflict because I often have to decide whether to shoot stills or video. For example, on the rare occasions when a steam train comes through my local station and I'm aware of it in advance, do I shoot a video of it or do I get one perfect still image? Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broad Norfolk Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 2 hours ago, sparks said: Good morning all. Since retiring....does onto ever retire as an alamy photographer????...have taken up art. .particularly oil painting..and enjoying it. But noticed an image of a car boot open and an easel set up for starting a picture....a painter among us who tHought thats a good image ..etc...was just wondering how many of us enjoy both aspects of scenery and how conflicting it is to either paint, photograph or get on with a fresh submission of keywording. Back to my coffee!!!! Best regards Sparks Hi there Sparks, I have to admit being way past 'retiring age' but I haven't retired! As far as stock goes, Alamy is still part of my business and this activity is far more relaxing than most of the other stuff. So, yes, still going with Alamy. Regards painting, I did get as far as purchasing a basic set of oil paints, an easel, and other equipment, a few years back, but this resulted in my not attaining the standard I would like. Other members of the family now make use of it and I stuck with my core business. However, I do enjoy art and frequently go to exhibitions where you can get ideas. I do have an artist friend (mostly watercolours) who has requested using some of my images for that type of work - seems to work both ways! Whatever you do, enjoy, Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 1 hour ago, LawrensonPhoto said: Buy another camera body? Nice idea, but tripods attract the attention of station staff, and I doubt if I could hold two cameras steady at the same time! Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryan Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 4 hours ago, sparks said: Good morning all. Since retiring....does onto ever retire as an alamy photographer????...was just wondering how many of us enjoy both aspects of scenery and how conflicting it is to either paint, photograph or get on with a fresh submission of keywording. Sparks Probably not (retire) I find keywording to be the easy option, I still have umpteen images left to process from a European trip earlier this year, but, instead, have been working back through my collection trying to sort keywords out; just finished the year 2012. Doing that particular job there is another easy option, just merge obvious words together, i.e. blue and sky etc, or use your experience to think up additional market opportunities for existing images, and provide further relevant phrases. I don't think that I have been sufficiently rigorous as far as that second option is concerned. Note, no mention of Art. I would love to be able to draw and paint, but just don't have the necessary eye/skills/patience. I was trained as an engineer and tend to stick with that mindset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyn Llun Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 I think everyone knows that stock photography in its accepted, editorial, Alamy sense, is only a miniscule part of my work. Most of my income from photography is from sales of prints through galleries and dealers that might be described as art galleries. So, you could say that I produce documentary work but publish and sell it in an art context. I am talking about proper archival gelatin/silver if B&W, or chromogenic if colour, photographic prints of course, not inkjet stuff sold through FAA and similar. I think of myself as a documentary photographer who happens to exist, successfully, mainly in the art world. Sometimes I push the boundaries of 'documentary' a bit but my mindset and photographic rationale is firmly there. A recent and developing set of work might illustrate that. http://www.pete-davis-photography.com/platinum.html I have made platinum prints for some years, the new work is the artichoke series. As you can imagine, given the work and expense involved they sell for premium prices, as indeed do my traditional silver prints to the right collectors through the right channels. I don't see the two things as contradictory but complimentary. I'm sure there are many here who have work that might be 'marketable' in other contexts. In many ways it's like stock insofar as I select the subject matter and the projects I work on, then get them published and/or exhibited but sell original prints not reproduction rights. In that way, prints of my various bodies of work become 'stock'. Some gaining greater credibility and collectability (and price), over the years. Pete Davis www.pete-davis-photography.com http://peteslandscape.blogspot.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brasilnut Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 Quote Pete Davis www.pete-davis-photography.com http://peteslandscape.blogspot.co.uk Beautiful work Pete. Some beautiful spots around Llangollen I would like to photograph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 I was usually the one to take pictures of the children or family events. That's about as far as it went. Then I scratched a years-long itch to paint. I started off with a couple of oils. The first was only a copy of a painting in an art book so I could work on blending and learn to mix colors. The second was of an old wooden barn we passed on the way to visit my mother. I stopped and grabbed a shot of it, then used the photo reference to paint from. Film back then. It hung on my mother's wall until she passed and now I have it. I didn't enjoy oils, went into watercolor. That's when I worked out my Canon Sureshot film camera more and more, to capture painting subjects. I don't paint anymore, but still have an itch. A minor one, but still there. I think painting and photography can go hand in hand. The problem I find is that the work of turning out one good painting is very time consuming. I usually had several throw-aways in between the decent ones. In that period of time, I could probably take and process 100 good stock images. I'm not connected the way I once was anymore, so selling paintings like I used to would require actively seeking to show my work. The connection? I worked for an Ophthalmologist who bought several paintings and hung them in the hallway patients walked down. Patients admired them and commissioned work. For me, photography does fill a need. I can take arty photos, then use painting programs to enhance. It's fun, scratches an itch, but a true painting is more satisfying. Yet I'm selling stock, more money there. Theres a huge outlay for cameras, lenses, computer and software, but once bought I'm good for a few years. Painting required buying, using up and buying again...the paints, canvases and watercolor paper. Brushes. Then the matting and framing, that cost a bundle. By then, I didn't clear much after expenses when I sold. Partly because I never felt I was good enough and couldn't bear to up my prices. To make money painting you need a lot of confidence in yourself and I didn't have that. I'm sure I tore up many paintings that were actually pretty good. If you're doing it only to fulfill yourself, and earning is not an issue, then go for it. Then again, you might earn from painting! I actually enjoyed it more when I didn't sell. The commission work is what killed my muse. Knowing what a client envisioned would be different from what I produced. No two minds think or envision the same. The stress killed me. Betty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dyn Llun Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 12 hours ago, Brasilnut said: Beautiful work Pete. Some beautiful spots around Llangollen I would like to photograph Thank you! Diolch yn fawr! Spend a lot of time in n.Wales as it happens. We have a cottage in Snowdonia, bought from the proceeds of a very successful exhibition. Proof that some photography does pay! Pete Davis www.pete-davis-photography.com http://peteslandscape.blogspot.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokie Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 I paint watercolours as well as photography. Here is one in progress and the finished article. I go to a painting class on a Thursday evening but it's turned into more of a social occasion than a painting class! I've never sold a painting (not really tried to) but you can perhaps see why! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morrison Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 ^^^ Looks good to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vpics Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 I paint - badly. But then, I've been to lots of museums and seen really atrocious stuff. I dabble mostly in acrylics. Oh, and abstract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losdemas Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 5 minutes ago, John Morrison said: ^^^ Looks good to me... +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokie Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Many thanks for the positive comments! If anyone would like to buy the original, send me a PM - ohhh............. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Morrison Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 32 minutes ago, Stokie said: Many thanks for the positive comments! If anyone would like to buy the original, send me a PM - ohhh............. John. It would certainly hide the damp patch on the wall, and praise doesn't come much higher than that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 I see that as a Stephen King cover with a Spooky filter. You should certainly copy it and put it up here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchiquin Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 5 minutes ago, John Morrison said: It would certainly hide the damp patch on the wall, and praise doesn't come much higher than that... Well that was good enough for 10cc. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokie Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 5 hours ago, John Morrison said: It would certainly hide the damp patch on the wall, and praise doesn't come much higher than that... I'm flattered - I think! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stokie Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 5 hours ago, spacecadet said: I see that as a Stephen King cover with a Spooky filter. You should certainly copy it and put it up here. Yes, it is on Alamy - D71Y0K. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Make sure Alamy know it's yours or they'll delete it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickfly Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 I had one of my images copied by a (well established, worldwide selling) artist. The copy was very exact and it seems she uses a projector to show the picture on an MDF panel, then uses household paints to paint it (do you need talent for that?). She denied it was my image at first, but when I sent a picture of hers and mine together, which was a night shot of the Chrysler building, with every light in each building either on or off in the exact same places she folded and bought a three figure licence and removed the image from her website. A reverse situation to the one which has just spooked Alamy I think. Wish I could paint as my father was a good watercolor artist, but alas, no talent for it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Betty LaRue Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 12 hours ago, Stokie said: I paint watercolours as well as photography. Here is one in progress and the finished article. I go to a painting class on a Thursday evening but it's turned into more of a social occasion than a painting class! I've never sold a painting (not really tried to) but you can perhaps see why! John John, I'm impressed. That's a beautiful watercolor and your style is the loose realism I love. I In art, I want to know what I'm looking at, but also want to see the blurred bits and watercolor effect that, to me, demonstrates the "water" in watercolor. Your class is doing well by you. You're gleaning the techniques, but talent rules all. Not everybody has the ability to apply what they learn. You just made my itch a lot stronger. Shame on you. i was self-taught for a long time, but then took a class. I saw some of the really bad work those with no talent produced. Betty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted August 23, 2017 Author Share Posted August 23, 2017 Good morning again,, Have enjoyed reading replies....thanks! I followed Stokie going on an art course to squelch that same itch to paint...it does make a relaxing hobby...but that's all it is..I don't intend selling any of it...the photography makes the finances. But one thing I've noticed is it can make you see things differently and it slows you down to take that scene/object etc in, Anyway back to coffee...the weather here is grey, miserable so this morning keywording is in, art And photography out. Regards to all Sparks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparks Posted August 23, 2017 Author Share Posted August 23, 2017 P.s. different direction...next year have booked a week b@b in llandudno...will we regret it it.? Instead of other continental locations....anyway .SUGGESTIONS please for must have photo stock visits . (Morning photo work...nice lunch..then some art/snoozing work)... Thanks Sparks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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