Photoshelter CEO Andrew Fingerman and I talked about getting organized and building a better portfolio. Lots of actionable steps are included that you can apply right away to the presentation of your work.
ONWARD Compé 2013
ONWARD Compé is an international photography competition for emerging photographers. Now in its sixth year, the competition seeks to increase the exposure of talented image-makers, create outlets for artists' work, and present compelling photographs in a cohesive and well-curated exhibition.
This year's guest juror is celebrated photographer Mark Steinmetz, who will work in part to decide the grand prize Juror Award winners. Recipients of this award will receive a two-person show at the Project Basho Gallery, a $500 cash prize, and an invitation to present their work at ONWARD Summit '13 on April 13th, 2013 in Philadelphia.
This year's highlights include ONWARD providing standard-size frames for the exhibition, chosen photographers having their winning image included on the new and exclusive Galerie website, one photograph being selected for purchase by the West Collection, and publication in the new ONWARD catalog.
Deadline for submissions is 2/11/2013.
More details about this year's competition can be here: http://compe.onwardphoto.org/2013/details/about/
And the guidelines for the competition can also be found here: http://compe.onwardphoto.org/download/onward13-guidelines.pdf
American Photography 29
The deadline for American Photography 29 is right around the corner! Submit work by 1/25/2013 here.
Magnum Foundation Human Rights Fellowships
The application process will open on November 1 and close December 17.
The Human Rights Fellowship will support 5 individuals to complete the 6-week summer program, Photography and Human Rights, at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University (NYU), housing, travel, and living expenses. The fellowship is for individuals seeking to deepen their documentary photography practice of human rights, who have not previously had the benefit of extensive advanced study in this field. The five Magnum Foundation Human Rights Fellowships are open to applicants who permanently reside outside of North America and Western Europe.
Texas Photo Roundup is coming to Austin
ACP & I are excited to be working alongside Matthew Mahon, Kimberly Davis and the ASMP Austin/San Antonio crew, and Ben Sklar/Slideluck Potshow Austin to produce the 2nd installment of the Texas Photo Roundup.We're doing workshops, portfolio reviews, panels and more. Dan Winters, Chris Buck, Texas Monthly, JWT, Dwell Magazine, Fortune Magazine and many others will be on hand!
This fundraiser features 3 days of great programming. We're really proud of the lineup and hope you'll join us!
Registration is open now and is 10% off until December 1.
Portfolio Reviewers include art directors, art buyers and photo editors from:
Center for Fine Arts Deadline approaching!
Submit your work by November 28, 2012 to be considered for The Center for Fine Art Photography's Portraits Competition juried by Charles Guice, the director of Charles Guice Contemporary.
The Magenta Foundation's Flash Forward 2013 Competition
Flash Forward 2013 is now open for submissions, and I'm so honored to be a juror alongside the list of talented individuals below.
- This is an open call for submissions.
- Open to all photographers working in Canada, the UK and the US.
- Applicants must be 34 years-of-age or under as of December 31, 2012.
- All submission requirements and upload instructions may be reviewed here on our web site.
- Submit your work by December 31, 2012 to be considered!
Flash Forward 2013 Jurors:
- Canada:
- Julien Beaupré Ste-Marie — Photo Editor, enRoute Magazine
- Erin Elder, Manager — Business Development & Partnerships, Digital Media, The Globe & Mail
- Wil Kucey — Director, LE Gallery
- UK:
- Sara Knelman — Talks Programmer / Photographers Gallery
- Rebecca McClelland — Group Photography Editor & Creative Director, Ian Parry Scholarship
- US:
- Natalie Matutschovsky — Senior Photo Editor, TIME Magazine
- Susan White — Photography Director, Vanity Fair
- Jasmine DeFoore — Freelance Photo Editor & Consultant
- Jon Feinstein — Humble Arts Foundation
- Aline Smithson — Photographer, Founder and Editor, Lenscratch
- Adriana Theresa — Visura Magazine
- Jason Houston — Co-Founder, Take One Creative
- Laura Brunow-Miner — Pictory
- Invited International Jurors:
- Jim Casper — Lens Culture (France)
- Tina Ahrens — emphas.IS
Case Study: Benjamin Spell
Benjamin Spell is a Brooklyn-based portrait and lifestyle photographer. Our work together started with a new edit of his existing body of work. Ben had a strong collection of work but it was muddled by imagery that was too different either stylistically or in subject matter. We tightened up his edit by focusing on a cohesive look that was more polished and focused on lifestyle imagery. Ben had a custom portfolio built by Scott Mullenberg, which has started showing to prospective clients in the NYC area.
Together we brainstormed about potential personal projects that would help beef up the portfolio or become the foundation for a new promotional piece. We decided on a series focused on the shopkeepers of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Our goal was for Ben to create a cohesive body of work that highlights his great portraiture as well as evocative details and atmospheric shots. The images turned out great and were used in a trifold card that went out to 500 potential clients, as well as an emailer that went out to a larger list.
Luminance Ticket Giveaway!
I'm headed to NYC soon to join PhotoShelter at Luminance 2012, a two-day event focused on the trends, innovations and opportunities in our industry -- in a nutshell, the future of photography. A first-of-its-kind event, Luminance strives to spark the new ideas and networks that will push photography, as an industry, to the next level.
They’ve got an amazing lineup of speakers including major thought leaders from Facebook, Google, Lytro, Behance, 20x200, plus award winning photographers like Peter Yang and Barbara Davidson who are are changing the way we see the world. Check out the full list of speakers here.
The conference is September 12 and 13 in New York City and Photoshelter has given me two tickets to give away!
These are conference only tickets, valued at $149 each.
To enter to win:
- Tweet the top reason you'd like to attend the conference
- Tag @jasminedefoore and include the #luminancetix hashtag
On Tuesday, September 11, at 10am Eastern time I will announce two winners on Twitter (my favorite two answers win).
- You will have until 2pm Eastern to reply to me and claim your tickets. If I don't hear from you by 2pm, the runner up will be contacted.
See you there!
Kimberly Davis
Kimberly Davis is an Austin-based interiors and food photographer with a real love for all things smoky (BBQ) and pretty (interiors). She and I started working together in 2011 to help her fine tune her web presentation, create a print portfolio (the book was custom made by Jace at Cloverleaf Studio), and create a marketing plan.
Print Portfolio:
Email Newsletter/Promos:
Austin based Home/Interior Photographer
Podcast Interview with The Candid Frame
I was recently interviewed by Ibarionex Perello. We talk about marketing, editing, brand identity and more. As hard as it is for me to listen to my own voice, I encourage you to give it a listen. Let me know how I did. I've only managed to get through the first 45 seconds or so. http://thecandidframe.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-candid-frame-151-jasmine-defoore.html
Is it Time to Embrace Watermarks?
For years people have said that watermarks are the domain of the hobbyist or paranoid semi-pro. But the rampant online spreading of photos with no way of knowing who took the original has opened my eyes to the value of a well-designed (and placed) watermark. The real world examples are numerous, I'll share one from last week: I've been trying to license a handful of images that I've found on facebook pages that had no credit or copyright information. I contacted the owner of the facebook page to ask him for credit info for the pictures in question (I knew he wouldn't have it, but wanted to make a point), and his response was that he usually doesn't know because he "gets them from other sites with no info".
So I began my hunt to try and find the original creator of the image. Google's similar image search is helpful, but if a photo has gone viral, Google will find countless similars but they're all just tumblr reblogs and pinterest repins.
As it is obvious that the cat is out of the proverbial bag when it comes to unauthorized sharing of images online, I think the best thing you can do is create a watermark or graphic that will travel with the photo as it hops around from twitter to tumblr to facebook to pinterest and back again.
Of course, there are people who are working hard to make it easier to remove the watermark. A quick Google search for "how to remove a watermark" yielded over 45,000 results.
What are some other ways that you can leave a digital fingerprint? Any great examples of watermarks that are well-designed?
Call for Submissions: Travel by Handstand's "The Shot"
As the photo editor of the Travel by Handstand app, I'm excited to announce that we are currently accepting submissions for “The Shot.” Travel by Handstand, a new travel magazine app for the iPad that was chosen as a “Must Download” by BBC Travel, is looking for stunning photos that capture a moment from your adventures around the world. Deadline is August 31, 2012. The photo selected will be published in the September edition of “The Shot,” an ongoing feature spotlighting the best in travel photography, and will receive a check for $100.
To have your image considered, please post it to twitter and tag @travelbyhst or to our wall on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/TravelByHandstand - along with a detailed caption. The editors of Travel by Handstand will review all entries and choose one image to feature in the September edition of “The Shot.” If selected, we will contact you via private message with payment and contract details.
Download the free app to learn more about Travel by Handstand.
Fine print By submitting your image to Travel by Handstand, you warrant that the picture was made by you, that it was not digitally composited and that no people or property rights were infringed upon. You must be over 18.
Not all photographers contacted will end up having their image published.
Photographers chosen to have their work published will be required to sign a licensing agreement granting Handstand, Inc. the non-exclusive right to publish the image in all media for 6 months, and then archive the image for 5 years.
Photographers will be paid $100 within 30 days of Handstand receiving the signed agreement.
David McNeese Print Portfolio, Website, and Promos
David McNeese is an Oklahoma-based industrial and corporate photographer with a passion for shooting large-scale projects full of logistical challenges. His studio is frequently tapped to create stunning imagery for energy, oil and gas companies, and large construction firms. David came to me needing to refresh his brand identity, overhaul his website and develop a plan for targeting clients with the kinds of large scale jobs that he excels at. We started by going through all of his images and choosing ones that best show off his corporate storytelling skills. We then worked with Livebooks to create a custom website. Once the website was launched, we announced the new look through email and print promotions designed by Nathan Ryan.
We also developed new print portfolios, built by Scott Mullenberg's Mullenberg Design Studio. David had the opportunity to show the new portfolios off at a portfolio review in Austin in February, where he received very positive feedback from art buyers and reps.
New website:
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Print Portfolio:
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11x17" foldout double sides print promo:
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E-promo:
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Paris Photo/Aperture PhotoBook Awards
Paris Photo and Aperture Foundation announced The Paris Photo–Aperture Foundation PhotoBook Awards, celebrating the book’s contribution to the evolving narrative of photography. Two prizes will be awarded: First PhotoBook and P
The initial selection will be made by Phillip Block, Deputy Director of Programs and Director of Education at the International Center of Photography; Chris Boot, Executive Director of Aperture Foundation; Julien Frydman, Director of Paris Photo; Lesley A. Martin, Publisher at Aperture Foundation; and James Wellford, senior international photo editor at Newsweek magazine.
A final jury in Paris, including Els Barrents, Director of the Huis Marseille; Roxana
Publishers and photographers can enter online at www.aperture.org/
First PhotoBook will be awarded to an artist/photographer whose first finished, publicly available book is deemed by the jury to be the best of 2012. Ten books from this category will be preselected, presented to the jury for the final selection, and exhibited during Paris Photo.
PhotoBook of the Year will be given to the author/editor/featured artist/photographer of a photobook, and its publisher, deemed by the jury to be the best of 2012. Twenty books from this category will be preselected, presented to the jury for the final selection and exhibited along with First PhotoBook pre-selects during Paris Photo. After Paris Photo, the exhibition will travel to Aperture Gallery in New York, and to other venues to be determined.
Luminance 2012: A Very Different Photography Event
Join PhotoShelter at Luminance 2012, a two-day event focused on the trends, innovations and opportunities in our industry -- in a nutshell, the future of photography. A first-of-its-kind event, Luminance strives to spark the new ideas and networks that will push photography, as an industry, to the next level.
They’ve got an amazing lineup of speakers including major thought leaders from Facebook, Google, Lytro, Behance, 20x200, plus award winning photographers like Peter Yang and Barbara Davidson who are are changing the way we see the world. Check out the full list of speakers here.
They’re also bringing together renowned photographers Joe McNally, Zack Arias, Corey Rich and Robert Seale for a limited-attendance photography workshop to kick off the event.
It’s all happening September 11-13 in New York City. And you can get a $25 discount by using the promotional codeLuminance2012 when you register.
See you there!
Kevin Steele
Last year I helped lifestyle photographer Kevin Steele redo his website and chose images for a targeted marketing campaign.
Kevin Kerr Website, Print Portfolio and Print Promo
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NYC-based travel photographer Kevin Kerr and I worked together to re-edit his web and print portfolios, create a new print promotion, build targeted mailing lists and define who his top priority clients should be.
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Mike Kane Zine Interview
Mike Kane recently sent me four zines he self-published. They're really lovely. Small, well-designed and edited, with a clear point of view. I love that photographers are taking the time to craft something that can be handheld, and that leaves an impression among the chatter of our online lives. From the newspapers to the foldout posters to the zines, it shows that people care about making a lasting statement with their work.
I talked with Mike about the process of creating these zines:
What inspired you to make your series of zines?
I was gearing up for a trip to New York this spring, trying to figure out something interesting that I could leave with editors. Originally I thought I'd do a card or something. But then I started talking with Mary Virginia Smith, through my involvement with Blue Earth Alliance. She recently published a great book about self-publishing, and she told me about Allison V. Smith's zines. Allison hooked up with a designer and started doing these really cool iphone photo zines. Mary's book describes how they are collectables now. And that just totally appealed to me- try to make something that someone might actually want to keep around for a little while. Also the format suits the kind of shooting I do. I definitely like to present things as an essay or series- I've always had trouble selecting just one or two images for a card.
Were you involved in the pre-internet zine scene? I remember reading Maximum Rock n Roll when I was in high school and thinking that the there was this big world out there and all you had to do to connect with it was order some zines out of the back of MRR. Did the DIY ethos influenced your photography career?
Yeah I remember seeing some pretty intense zines come through Yellow Springs when I was in college. It was all a little above me but I totally understood the notion of just making the thing that you want to see. You can get so frustrated trying to communicate your vision, or express the potential you see in yourself - it feels so good to just say look, this is what I'm talking about! This is how it should look! I love that control. Blogging kind of has that same release, you can publish the stuff that gets passed over, show things the way you want to show them. Zines are kind of an extension, a print version of that maybe.
What was the biggest challenge in making these?
Time. You really can't sit down one afternoon and bang it out. At least I couldn't. I second guess everything. I come back a few days after doing something and just cringe. And once you involve a designer, and then a printer...it's a lot of back and forth. And everybody's busy. So I had to learn to give myself way more time than I would have expected.
Do you collect zines from other photographers or artists? Who?
Not really, but only because I don't personally know anyone else who's doing it. I wish there was some sort of zine swap I could go to. I'd love to trade and see what other folks are doing.
Who are you sending these zines to?
So far I've just left them with people that I've met personally. But this summer I'll probably send a small number around to people I missed in New York, or have had some kind of contact with. They are a little pricey and I don't want them to get tossed without opening.
How did you choose the four topics you did for the zines?
Well it was my newest, decent work basically. A few essays, and the portrait portfolio. Together they kind of represent everything I do for editorial and documentary work. One project is self-funded, one is all foundation commissions, and the other was done with grant money. Most of the portraits were editorial assignments. Who designed them? They look great!
Thanks. The design was definitely collaborative between myself and a great graphic designer I used to work with at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Andrew Saeger. He runs his own letter press and t-shirt company now, and I was able to barter some T-shirt fashion photography for help with the zines. I had the basic idea for lay out, and he worked the typography magic. He definitely took the project to a level that I could never have gotten it to on my own. Where'd you have them printed and how much did it cost?
I shopped around a little, tried MagCloud first, which was super inexpensive. But I didn't like the paper and they don't customize, so I ended up at AlphaGraphics in Seattle. The unit cost varies depending on how many I print, but at 30 it's $10 a pop, including proofs and set-up, etc. Not cheap but I really love the paper, and the images look right. Do you think this is something you will continue to do annually, or more often?
I'm definitely going to keep this up for awhile. Like I said it really suits the work that I'm producing right now, and until that changes, or until I find something that works better, I'll keep at it.
Any advice for someone thinking of self publishing something similar?
Give yourself plenty of time. It's amazing how long the process can be- photographers are perfectionists when it comes to their images. Getting the perfect proof can take some time. And you should find a printer you work well with, that's not going to give you a lot of guff when you keep asking for another proof because an image is too dark.
Even though a professional printer is used to tweaking files and matching colors, photographers working with their own images, on a project they're shelling out a fair amount of money on, are going to be insanely particular. If your printer doesn't understand that you might have problems.
Story Ideas for Nielsen's New Women Photographer Magazine
Nielsen and PDN are getting hammered over their new PIX magazine, which is aimed at women photographers. What's the fuss about? More and more women are photographers so it makes sense to have a magazine for them. Or does it? Imagine if there was a new photo mag for men with articles like: “Curbing BO when shooting outdoor sports”, or “Avoiding STDs when having sex with random people all over the world” or, “How to not dress like you’re on safari” or “101 international scarves to accessorize your globe trotting look”. A magazine that gave space to stuff that -- in the grand scheme of things -- doesn't really matter and is based mostly on gender-based stereotypes. Would guys embrace it with open arms? Or would they make fun of it?
Well, instead of raining on Nielsen’s parade even more, let’s make this constructive.
I’d like to offer some story ideas for them. Hopefully they are already working on some of these, as none of them are really revolutionary.
- How to handle the dangers that women face when shooting in countries that are hostile to women and women’s rights.
- Maintaining a successful business while raising a family. Women still carry most of the responsibility of child care, and as freelancers, this can seriously impact a female photographer’s ability to work. How can you schedule child care when you aren’t sure which days you will be working? How do successful female entrepreneurs handle this?
- Thoughtful editorials on why there are not as many women photographers as there are men, and what can be done to change that.
- In-depth profiles on famous and not so well-known female photographers throughout history.
All that said, wouldn’t all of these stories be great to see in a regular issue of Photo District News? (In fact, the most recent issue of PDN does include a story on work life balance!) Which begs the question, “Why even have a separate magazine for women photographers?” I would love to see the market research and business plan that went into this launch. Obviously they crunched the numbers and saw a business opportunity. But who exactly is the target audience?
Perhaps they are building this magazine for a totally different audience than is attracted to PDN. Maybe they are going strictly after the amateur and prosumer, people who just aren’t that interested in the same issues that pros face. Surely there is a huge market there.
Regardless of the target audience, I do think Nielsen has an opportunity to write about real issues of importance facing female photographers, and I hope they make the most of it.