The Grand Experiment
We would like to extend our profound thanks to Pretty Girl Shooter very much for his honest and thought-provoking advice on my searching questions (O.K. more of an interrogation – sorry Jimmy!) about whether to develop the commercial side of our photography i.e. Rich getting paid for private portfolio and other work. Thanks too for all off-blog comments from other folks and (not just photographers) who had a view.
The unanimous vote ? If you shoot to commercial demand, and you do it all of the time, and you shoot only what the customer wants, there is a very real risk of getting disillusioned with nude photography. Apparently this happens with all types of art, not just photography. Even a musician warned us that “Familiarity breeds contempt for the art.”
I must admit that potentially ruining what has become our main passion in life, sounds a pretty horrible prospect.
After much discussion we have decided to let the commercial side of Fluffytek respond synergistically to public demand, and for us to develop a more holistic approach to marketing the private portfolio side of work (I’ve been doing waaay too much marketing this week on the day job!) This is marketing bullshit for we’re doing to do sod-all regarding paid advertising for our private-portfolio photography business, and just let it develop as it currently is, i.e. by word of mouth. Unless of course, the day-job software bombs, in which case we will pimp Richard’s funky photographic stuff as much as inhumanly possible. For now, Rich has his hands full of software anyway. Aggressively marketing a second business would only result in much greater stress on him, thus increasing the threat of killing the passion for his art. A very real risk, according to everyone I have talked to.
The up-side is that we won’t be turning the blog into an advertising forum, and we will continue to be as outspoken, honest and direct as ever. In fact we may get worse. Even if it offends some photographers, models and deters potential clients. A blanket apology to all in advance.
Richard will continue to shoot whatever style he damn well pleases, and may even horrify the odd private client or two, by sneaking in some experimental “dodgy” stuff. He will also sell selected prints.
Although not of me, because I have forbidden it.
Not that anyone would want to buy them anyway, but I just thought I’d mention it. I’m not for sale. (Unless you're a tall geeky computer-nerd/scientist with a singularly dry wit, in which case I am available at a bargain price. Or for David Hewlett, I am free.)
But, for now, anyway, we remain enthusiastic amateurs! As I say to potential models when I ask them to shoot with us: “We make no profit from what we do. We do this because we love it. We do this for Art.”
O.K. So our view of art isn’t the same as everyone else’s. Way too tame for some of you, and too pornographic for others (boggling, but apparently true!) But as long as the Grand Experiment of making Art remains fun, who cares?
‘Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.’
— M. C. Escher
The lovely playmate Lynx, in another super-dooper-flexy pose that would definitely give us old 40+ models excruciating cramp if we tried it.
P.S. Do please read BT's treatise on Art, posted as a comment to our last post below. A blog entry in itself, provoking much thought.
The unanimous vote ? If you shoot to commercial demand, and you do it all of the time, and you shoot only what the customer wants, there is a very real risk of getting disillusioned with nude photography. Apparently this happens with all types of art, not just photography. Even a musician warned us that “Familiarity breeds contempt for the art.”
I must admit that potentially ruining what has become our main passion in life, sounds a pretty horrible prospect.
After much discussion we have decided to let the commercial side of Fluffytek respond synergistically to public demand, and for us to develop a more holistic approach to marketing the private portfolio side of work (I’ve been doing waaay too much marketing this week on the day job!) This is marketing bullshit for we’re doing to do sod-all regarding paid advertising for our private-portfolio photography business, and just let it develop as it currently is, i.e. by word of mouth. Unless of course, the day-job software bombs, in which case we will pimp Richard’s funky photographic stuff as much as inhumanly possible. For now, Rich has his hands full of software anyway. Aggressively marketing a second business would only result in much greater stress on him, thus increasing the threat of killing the passion for his art. A very real risk, according to everyone I have talked to.
The up-side is that we won’t be turning the blog into an advertising forum, and we will continue to be as outspoken, honest and direct as ever. In fact we may get worse. Even if it offends some photographers, models and deters potential clients. A blanket apology to all in advance.
Richard will continue to shoot whatever style he damn well pleases, and may even horrify the odd private client or two, by sneaking in some experimental “dodgy” stuff. He will also sell selected prints.
Although not of me, because I have forbidden it.
Not that anyone would want to buy them anyway, but I just thought I’d mention it. I’m not for sale. (Unless you're a tall geeky computer-nerd/scientist with a singularly dry wit, in which case I am available at a bargain price. Or for David Hewlett, I am free.)
But, for now, anyway, we remain enthusiastic amateurs! As I say to potential models when I ask them to shoot with us: “We make no profit from what we do. We do this because we love it. We do this for Art.”
O.K. So our view of art isn’t the same as everyone else’s. Way too tame for some of you, and too pornographic for others (boggling, but apparently true!) But as long as the Grand Experiment of making Art remains fun, who cares?
‘Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.’
— M. C. Escher
The lovely playmate Lynx, in another super-dooper-flexy pose that would definitely give us old 40+ models excruciating cramp if we tried it.
P.S. Do please read BT's treatise on Art, posted as a comment to our last post below. A blog entry in itself, provoking much thought.
posted by Lin at 10:08 AM
2 Comments:
I read some of what you wrote to my g/f. (she was sitting at another computer editing some pics.) She responded to the "familiarity breeds contempt," part of your post -- quite matter-of-factly and without looking up -- with, "Still, though, it beats real work."
We agree with your girlfriend!
After a 14 hour day of solid programming on the day-job, Rich and I can honestly say, "Ain't that the truth?!"
Right now, we'd both give a heck of a lot to be doing photography for a living instead :-)
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