Hi all:
Well, I'm back, at least temporarily.
I've spent the better part of two months either hunched over the matt cutting machine,
the enlarger,
or the trays of ferricyanide, selenium, sulphites and bromides; I've built frames and
bought them.
I've shaken the hands of more strangers in the last month than I have my entire life
previous. I've
combed my hair to get that "artist's disheveled" look. I've worn that tweed jacket to
things other
than funerals. I've seen the sun rise on an all night darkroom session-- brought warm
memories of my
long ago college days, cramming the finishing touches on my presentations for those
egotistical
professors.
I've fearlessly (NOT!) ended my well paying day job. (There are health and phyical
reasons for this.
I don't blindly leap ahead for that completely assured career in lucrative
photography, which by
the way, doesn't include gawdawfull Wedding photography)
I put together a photography exhibit. I have an agent. I got incredible publicity. I
got a TV spot
on the local news coming; a sort of "Local character who does things that are unique"
type of 10
minute segment the local NBC affiliate does a couple of times a month. I guess it's
been slow for
them........
But, with this wonderful Lady at the helm, she has arranged newspaper feature
articles, regional
museum showings, coffee shop hangings, etc, etc.
I met and joined a group of local artists who call themselves the "artisan's Gallery".
I have access
to Arts and Humanities council's grant proposals.... (Ms. Monteith claims to be an
expert grant
proposal writer......)
I have a WEB PAGE!!
I announce it carefully. It's just a front page, and there's 99% of the work left to
be done, but,
it's beginning.
www.sidbarras.com
And right now, it doesn't work too good in Explorer, or any browser that doesn't like
overlapping
layers. But, both Ms. Monteith and I are just learning Dreamweaver, in a month or
two, it may look
as good as some of the very nice ones I see among our pentax brethren.
Much more to say and boast about, but, my point of the letter:
the reality check.
I had hundreds of people walk through the exhibit. Out of over 200 invitations sent
out (plus some
great print publicity which encouraged anyone to come) I must say, most of them did
come. I had very
"famous" local celebrities tell me how great my stuff is. I had a museum curator for
a museum in
the next big town over promise me I could hang a gallery in their very notable museum.
(This is
probably the biggest thing I got out of this whole deal.) I got a commitment for the
month of July
in a small museum in our sister city.
All in all, I'd say, my first time off the launching pad was an enormous success.
But, if I keep succeeding this well, I'll need a loan to buy any more film, if I plan
on taking some
more pictures.
Ah, well, not that bad. I probably did a little better than break even. And I've got
lots of my
stuff still available and framed for the next show.....
But tell me someone. There's got to be some folks on this list who traveled this road
before.
Can you make money behind the lens if:
1. You don't (and won't) do weddings.
2. You would do portraiture, sure. But I don't want to be Olan Mills. If I do
portraiture, I want to
do black and white mostly. And outside. In infrared.
I guess every one starts with some sort of "idealistic purity" I have this idea too.
That my
photography is art first and foremost. I don't want to be a contractor, bidding on
jobs against
other contractors. Or being told exactly how my picture should be taken before I take
it.
So, all you callous old shutterbugs, you cynical yet wiser now veterans.
Is there a way to sustain this dream I've got playing now?
Or will I succumb to the harsh reality of "what people really want.........
Cheers,
An exhausted playwright.
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