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Re: [OM] Velvia - was: 350mm f2.8

Subject: Re: [OM] Velvia - was: 350mm f2.8
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 08 Mar 2002 20:58:47 -0500
At 14:49 3/8/02, Ag Schnozz wrote:
And as far as John Lind's comments, I agree with him in principle. I suppose that 900f my photography is pretty much copy-cat stuff with little originality to it. But the remaining 10 0s ME! Guess which stuff sells?

I will quote my own posting:
If I were creating photographs for a "stock" agency or doing commercial/industrial work for hire it would be different, but I'm not.

If I were creating photographs for a "stock agency" or doing commercial/industrial work for hire, I would be studying what sells, what does not (more correctly the market trend of what *will* sell 6 mo's to a year from now), and concern myself with the client's vision and expectations, not my own. In short I would pretty much do what you've been doing.

My ultimate goal is different: a solo show of original art in a fine art gallery. Although many of the works would likely have prices, recognition as an artist is the primary goal, not selling the photographs. Id est, my measure of *my* success is not how much money I've made selling photographs, but how large the body of "award winning" original work is. I make no claim it's the immutable measure of success. Others can rightfully define their own measure of success for themselves, and for them it's just as legitimate as mine is for me.

My rant was about those who enter "copycat" works into juried "art" shows implicitly representing them as original art of their own creation using their own vision when they are not. Those that do this consistently eventually get "nailed" by a juror who recognizes it (I've seen it happen). I have works that are permanently retired from entry into juried shows. Why? They've already won something. I'm working to create a larger body of recognized works ("in the ribbons"). The current "batting average" is about .500 and hopefully this year it will land between .667 and .750 showing continuous improvement.

The difference in philosophy reflects a difference in goals, measures of success, and therefore the different paths chosen to achieve them.

-- John


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