As an urbex photographer, it’s natural for me to check out other abandoned building photographers. The problem is, most of what I find is HDR garbage.
That’s why I love the work of Olli Syrjäkari of Finland. His abandoned work keeps the shadows and mystery of the places he explores. When I first saw Olli’s work, I felt like I met a fellow traveler. It was great to learn more about his photography.
Who are you, where are you, and what do you do?
My name is Olli Syrjäkari and I live in Tampere, Finland. Pencil pusher by day, photographer by night.
How did you get started in photography?
I’m not sure when it started. Probably when I got my first smartphone with a decent camera. Three years back I left my hometown to find my real home. By that time I bought a small interchangeable-lens camera, and it was then that I got serious about photography. Most of my photos are taken with that 100-euro camera. I did eventually upgrade but I went with the philosophy that the camera quality doesn’t matter until you know how to compose and find the light.
What do you like about your photography?
I love how my photographs raise questions and emotions. You could say my motto is “emotion is everything”. Also I think it’s therapeutic that I get to relive those moments that are already gone. I tend to hate most of my earlier work. I think for me that’s essential in order to become better.
You dabble in abandoned photography, and I love your sense of mystery and exploration. You also have a great eye for light and shadow. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
Thank you. When I see great photography, it really inspires me to get to that level. It makes me grab the camera and get out of the house, do something great. In all that abandoned photography I do, with the shadows and the light, I love that contrast. How things can make me happy and sad at the same time.
I recently realized something. All those places I explore, urban decay, homes people left behind, they get certain emotions going on in my head. Like I mentioned – happy and sad, also yearning, wishful, at peace. I also mentioned I left my hometown where I lived almost three decades, and I wasn’t happy, just a walking corpse. In my new hometown I have felt rootless, alone, anxious, scared but also very happy and content, at peace and hopeful. Something those families have felt when they left their rural homes and dying smalltowns in search for a better life. Narcistically, I think I have been photographing myself.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
Sorrow, hope, dark thoughts, rural exodus, abandonment. How shadows can exist while there is light present. How the shadows are eventually winning, light is always just temporary. It needs to be maintained while darkness is the default.
In my nature photography, it’s basically empowerment, conservation, how life finds a way. I love to mix these themes, nature and abandonments. How nature reclaims what we have left behind. What comes after us? How we are temporary here, the light. Nature and entropy are the shadows, but they are the good guys here. We are just visiting and we are very bad guests.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
I am having an exhibition next summer, in Tampere, Finland. It will be free of charge but I am hoping to sell some photos to cover the costs. I am also planning to sell prints and licenses to fund my future explorations and exhibitions. Besides that I’m planning to get more into portraiture and people.
Ι’m Alexia. A writer and photographer living between London and Athens (Greece). I work in magazines and am the managing editor at Makeshift.
How did you get started in photography?
I began photographing with my mother’s camera at the age of 14. It was a Nikon FM3. My first subjects were my school friends. At 16, I photographed my best friend in my first ‘semi nude’ project.
What do you like about your photography?
That what you capture is slightly – or very – different from what you aim for. It’s always a surprise. It keeps me on my toes.
Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
I think I am very influenced by paintings and Japanese art. I also get constantly influenced by other photographers; old and contemporary.
Fill in blank: “For me, a camera is my way to…”
turn reality into fantasy; escape
Your photography has a documentary approach. What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
It’s both documentary and ‘art’ photography (I don’t like distinguishing things too much, or put labels on them).
My major themes are urban landscapes, flowers, and human bodies. I lately have an obsession with hands.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
I’m planning an exhibition in Greece (Feb-March 2016), and I’m now shooting street, mostly. I now use my phone camera a lot.
I want to shoot nude women again, in the near future.
Daniel Donnarumma and I have followed each other for a bit now, and I always love to see his landscapes and exploration photos cross my feed. Based out of Rochester, New York, Daniel shares lots of his travel and nature work on his @danieldonnarumma Tumblr blog and Instagram account.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Dan Donnarumma. I live in Rochester, NY, but I’m originally from NYC. I’m a photographer, Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai practitioner, adventurer, lover of music, art, and films, as well as animals (especially greyhounds, sloths, and cats), a dreamer, a nerd, and someone that wants to travel the world. For a living, I work at a non-profit that works with employed or unemployed individuals assisting them with finding work or training.
How did you get started in photography?
I’ve always had a strong affinity for photography ever since I was little kid. When I was in high school, I’d regularly buy Kodak disposable cameras to basically document my time hanging with friends, going to punk and hardcore shows, and being idiots. I still have a bunch of my photo albums from this time, and it’s always cool to look back on them.
As I got older, and my interest in photography grew, I bought myself a Canon DSLR and eventually figured out how to work it properly. At first, I thought that I’d automatically take amazing photos just because I had a DSLR. When I quickly realized that wasn’t the case, and that I’d have to actually learn how to properly compose a photo, use the camera, etc., I started reading photography books, studying the work of photographers I admire, and teaching myself photography.
What do you like about your photography?
I have to say that this is a really good question, and I really had to stop and think about this for a moment. I’m constantly picking apart my photos and thinking about what I don’t like about them, that I tend to overlook what I do like about them.
One thing that I love about my photos is that they are a way for me to really express my emotions, whether it’s in the actual mood or image of the photo, or in the title of it. For me, that is very important. Photography is an outlet for me to be creative and to share with others the craziness that goes on inside my head, and that is something that I do truly love about my photos and photography in general.
Additionally, I love that my photos are a means to document my experiences, and to be able to share them with others. There’s so much beauty in this world, and my goal is to see as much of it and to share that with others. My photography has forced me to focus more on traveling and doing things that I might have found excuses not to do prior to really getting into photography, and that’s something I’m truly grateful for.
You have a nice variety to your photography subjects: landscape, urban, nature. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
First and foremost, my biggest source of inspiration is the work of other photographers. There are seriously so many amazing photographers and artists at our fingertips nowadays, that it it’s insane. I spend probably way too much time on Tumblr, but I am able to find so much phenomenal work that it’s nearly impossible not to get inspired to be creative. I’m currently crushing pretty hard on the work of Sebastiao Salgado and Theo Gosselin, and their work makes me want to drop what I’m doing, drive as far as I can, and take tons of photos a long the way.
Secondly, music is a huge source of inspiration for me. When listening to a certain band or song, I tend to get sucked in and ideas, thoughts, emotions just start flowing. I’ve been listening to the bands of Dan Barrett a shit ton lately -Have a Nice Life, Giles Corey, Black Wing – and that has really been inspiring in a way that I haven’t felt in quite sometime.
Traveling is also something that very heavily inspires me. I live in an area that is surrounded by a plethora of lakes and parks, I’m a few hours away from the Adirondacks and Canada, so it’s hard not to think about wanting to see everything this area has to offer and not want to photograph all of it.
Fill in blank: “For me, a camera is my way to…”
Express my thoughts and emotions, and an outlet to share my experiences with others.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
Lately, especially with some of the titles of my photos, I’ve tended to focus on more sullen or melancholy emotions. Those are emotions that I sometimes struggle with, and I tend to find myself drawing on that with my photos. Additionally, I do try to instill a sense of yearning or a desire to just adventure and experience life, because that’s something that I still really aspire to do, and it’s something that has exponentially become important to me as I’ve gotten older. Ultimately, though, if a photo of mine is able to elicit any kind of emotion in someone who’s viewing it, than that to me is the icing on the cake.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
As of right now, I’m planning on traveling through the Midwest for a month this coming summer, and I can’t even begin to express my excitement. I’m really looking forward to documenting those travels, as well as just getting to spend some time in the national parks out there.
I’ve recently started to explore a few projects that I’m really excited about. Both projects involve my fiancee, because she’s awesome and puts up with being my model for me. The first one is my attempt to focus on the freedom that travel provides, the lasting memories that they create, and how that may affect us. Secondly, I’ve started taking more portraits of my fiancee and I, since she’s my partner in crime, and I can’t imagine traveling without her. My photos, more often than not, tended to focus on places that I had experienced, but very rarely on the people that I got to experience them with. Since she’s practically always my travel buddy, I want to focus more on how she and I get to experience new places together.
I live in central New Jersey, outside of New York City. For my day job, I’m a Product Manager in Technology for an investment company. I’ve been a part time photographer, doing portraits, weddings, and events for about five years now. Recently I started a food/product photography business called Santé Photography. The goal is to have a focus on food and beverage photography for commercial work.
How did you get started in photography?
I had been doing family photos and videos since my daughter was born in 1998. Little by little I realized that the pictures meant a lot because of the subject, but I wanted to learn how to make them look more professional, so I started to read magazines and what ever I could find on line, over my crappy dial-up connection.
I taught myself how to edit digital video after I got my first video camera and then got a job at a local Photo/Video Studio. Officially I was doing the wedding video editing, but I took the opportunity to learn as much as I could about shooting video and stills. Over time I realized that I really enjoyed shooting stills more than video. I started second shooting weddings and things great from there.
What do you like about your photography?
Depends which day you ask me. Some days, there’s nothing I like about it.
You do a few different types of photography: products, portraits, still life. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
I try to keep my eyes open as I move through my day. I don’t really believe in inspiration. I think it can be a crutch for people. You want inspiration? Keep making pictures. Is everyone going to be brilliant? Nope. Ansel Adams said something like he felt it was a good year if you got a few good pictures from it. Look at the website of a photographer you really admire. You’re seeing their best, not their entire Lightroom catalog or hard drive like you do your own. You don’t see their crap, but you do see your own crap, so people think the good ones were inspired, but they are not. Just keep working.
Through the work, you will get better and maybe come up with a few that others can attribute to inspiration. The muses come to you when you are working. Not the other way around. I make pictures of things and people that interest me. If I like it first, then I’m on the right track.
What about food/beverage photography gets you excited?
The lighting. I’ve gotten the feeling that people look at product shots as less than artistic. Try doing a really good job lighting a few different reflective surfaces without having blown highlights or weird reflections. It’s hard to do. Not taking anything away from other photographers, but nailing the lighting on product shots will make you really know how to use your lights and make you better at portraits or even seeing light on the street. I find it to be a challenge.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
The above mentioned lighting. That and trying to connect with a person or place. Lately I’ve been bored with pretty pictures. I’m trying to find another level beyond the sunset, the guy in a red jacket walking down the street or the pretty landscape. I’m not there yet…I’ve thrown out a lot of pictures lately, but I feel like there’s something right around the corner. I can almost see it, but I just keep missing it. Finding another meaning, another level another element. If it has good light and interesting to look at, sometimes that is enough. I don’t know, sometimes it seems like pretentious art gallery bullshit. Nailing the lighting on a product shot makes me happy, lighting a good looking plate of food does too. The rest of my photography, I’m looking for something else and I haven’t quite yet found it.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
I’ve been experimenting with some liquid motion photographs. It’s still a work in progress, a messy work in progress. Nothing ready to be shared yet, but getting there.
You can follow Freddy and see his work on Twitter and his G+ profile.
Scrolling through my Flickr feed every day, I know an Enrica Brescia photo when I see one. Lush, rich, and always fashionable.
I was first attracted to Enrica’s work in the Canon EOS M group on Flickr. New to the camera, I wanted to see what others were doing with it. And Enrica’s photos, often paired with EF lenses, caught my eye. Now she’s one of my favorite portrait photographers.
Who are you and what do you do?
I am an Italian photographer based in Rome. I’m a fashion and portrait photographer.
How did you get started in photography?
I started to get into photography at the age of 15. I’ve always had a huge passion for art, particularly photography.
What do you like about your photography?
With my photography, I like the atmosphere that I can attribute to my shots.
Your work includes people, still life, landscapes – and it’s all so beautiful and rich. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
I take my inspiration from photography books and from the big fashion photographers from the history of photography.
What kind of themes do you explore with your work?
No themes specifically, I try to capture the souls of people.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
Here’s one from one of my many favorites on Instagram, Becca Waterloo (@oolretaw – get it?). Becca is an architect and photographer in Chicago.
I love Becca’s use of light, her explorations around the Windy City (a truly great city), and collaborations with other creatives.
Who are you and what do you do?
I am Becca Waterloo, an architect working in the West Loop. I graduated from IIT in 2011 with a bachelor’s of architecture. Being a photographer is a weekend hobby,. I typically take portraits, engagement sessions, city hall weddings and family portraits. I also frequently co-host/attend Instagram meetups, #communityfirst is important to me and I love collaborating with talented Chicago photographers.
How did you get started in photography?
I’ve had a camera as long as I can remember, whether it was the film cameras you load and have developed at Walgreens, manual SLRs, and now digital cameras and smart phones. I have a couple of photography classes on my repertoire from high school and college. It’s just always been a personal interest since I was a little girl. Visual memories are important to me to keep.
What do you like about your photography?
With an architectural background, I love honing in on the details that people don’t really notice. I am obsessed with composition and geometry in photography, negative spaces, natural light, and color. I can’t get enough color. I am complemented for my ‘laser vision’ and noticing the things that people never see, so to have that natural eye is something I am thankful for.
I like your work for its variety – urban scenes, lush greenhouses, bits of where you are and what you’re doing. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
Thank you! I’ve always been drawn to texture and color (brick walls, graffiti) so thankfully living in an urban metropolis allows me to find a lot of that. I LOVE the West Loop and Pilsen because there’s endless amount of murals, stickers, graffiti, and opportunities, so I frequently bring people there for their portraits. Conservatories are also tied for a favorite place to shoot. You cannot beat the light anywhere else, and the textures, colors, and compositions are so easy to work with.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
I think playing with light is my favorite thing to do. I am really bad with the technical side of photography, so I rely heavily on natural light and the subjects I’m given. I love negative spaces and silhouettes, so you’ll see a lot of places and things that are just shown through the lighting from that day. If a room is too dark, I don’t even bring out my phone/camera. I LOATHE the flash, and I time my shoots when the light is best and most flattering. An Instagram meetup is the farthest I’ll go with exploring, so my Instagram is the best way to represent how I see life day by day.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
I booked an entire year of sessions with my cousin, Sam, a personal stylist who hires me to take her photos for her social marketing. Having a monthly session with her let’s me toy and use her for ideas that I’ve want to try. They don’t always work, so I enjoy laughing with her when that happens. She doesn’t judge when I want to get artsy, and let’s me practice the technical stuff, because I barely ever use my SLR.
I also co-host Instagram meetups with my friends a couple of times a year, so follow along @oolretaw to learn about the next one!
There’s something magical about Utah. I call it America’s Surprisingly Beautiful State, just because the two times I’ve been there, I didn’t know what to expect. Photographer Quinn Hall captures the American southwest perfectly.
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Quinn Hall – but I go by “strayfoto” across most social media. I work in environmental consulting doing GIS (geographic information systems – mapping) of fossils in and around the western states. Photography, although it’s paid a few bills in the past, is mostly a hobby, albeit one I’m quite passionate about.
How did you get started in photography?
I always had a point and shoot growing up, but I bought a Pentax ZX-50(?) in about 1997. A few weeks later I bought a Pentax ME Super at a pawn shop and I was hooked. Over the years I’ve worked my way though the Pentaxes, Leicas, bigger Pentaxes, and Hasselblads. I had a wet darkroom in my basement for about six years, but I moved and had to let it go. I’ve been about 90% digital since 2009.
What do you like about your photography?
I usually hate my own photography… Not really, but I can find things to complain about. I like the creative process most. It hardly matters what I’m shooting as long as I’m creating something. I like the post too – culling and editing, looking for something I may not have noticed in the field. Photography keeps me busy. I love a good project.
Your work really shows off the American southwest. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
I lead guided tours of Arches National Park during the summers and it’s interesting to see how people from all over the world photograph the park. Sometimes someone will look at a feature in a way I’ve never even thought of and I’ll use that and try to expand on it. Sometimes it’s the opposite – I’ll think “I’m going to go shoot over here just to avoid that crowd…” and it works because I end up seeing something most others don’t.
“For me, a camera is my way to…”
Stay busy. Create more, consume less.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
I went through a Leica – lots of old cameras and Tri-X film. I spent a lot of time on “street” photography forums. In rural Utah there’s not a lot “street” style photography, but I think that time influenced my taste. I don’t mind people in my landscape/nature photos, and often find they add to the scene – in a national park a shot with people in it is more honest. I often go for form or composition over ultimate subject.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
I recently completed shooting a couple projects and I need to move those closer to a final product. I’ve been working on a project of shots I’ve taken while running and hope to push that a little further this year.
Color, shadow, light – these are the “paint” a photographer uses to make photographs. It’s fun to see when a photographer like Maarten Rots use these materials in an abstract way: pure color, pure shadow, depth, and layers, and light.
I like following Maarten because he’s a maker – a guy who tackles living, breathing projects like his March & Rock magazine. He creates tangible things with his abstract photos.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Maarten Rots and I’m a full-time artist with a camera around my neck. I live and work in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where I also graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in 2010, studying audio visual art. Besides capturing the world around me, I really enjoy taking the next step and try to figure out an interesting way to present my photography. One of the outcomes is my self-published photography magazine March & Rock.
How did you get started in photography?
I actually filmed quite a bit before really making the jump to still photography. I used to go out with my video camera in a way that’s similar to how many street photographers work, hoping to catch an interesting scene.
It was in the summer of 2014 when I had to replace my broken video camera when I decided to go for a DSLR. I quickly (re)discovered the power of the still image and have mainly been photographing since.
What do you like about your photography?
It helps me see the world through a different lens. Literally but also figuratively – by being very clear about what I decide to have inside and outside the frame I construct my own version of reality, with photographic evidence. There is a beautiful sense of abstraction to be found in everyday life and I really enjoy emphasizing that through photography. The challenge is to do it all in-camera, I refrain from removing or adding elements and filters. Everything is already there when I shoot it, what I see is what you get.
I love the style of your photography – it reminds me a lot of Saul Leiter. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
The discovery of Saul Leiter’s work has undeniably had an impact on my own development. I really like to create layered images, and that’s where reflections can play an important role. When there are people in my shots they are mostly passersby or entourage, whereas in Saul Leiter’s work they are much more the subject of his images.
I really enjoy the work of photographers such as Alex Webb and Harry Gruyaert – both members of Magnum, but I am interested in other fields of art as well. A more recent discovery is the painter Lyonel Feininger, whose abstraction – the way he abstracted reality in his paintings – is something I strive for with my photographs.
Victor Kossakovsky’s film Tishe (Hush) is one of the films that has been of influence on my work. Not so much style-wise, but the concept behind the film. He shot the whole thing from his apartment, capturing what was happening right outside his door. The conviction that an interesting story can be found anywhere is something he applied again in his 2011 film ¡Vivan las antipodas! – where he filmed life in opposite ends of the world.
Fill in blank: “For me, a camera is my way to…”
Capture and share how I see reality.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
I function really well in urban environments and architecture takes an important place in my photographs. I like to explore and go to new places as often as possible.
I carefully construct the compositions in my photographs by taking different positions and distances from the situation I want to capture. I can take quite some time to find the best way to frame a shot as I try to restrict myself to take only a single image. In that sense I think you could compare my process more to that of a painter than a street photographer. I don’t want to rely on the “lucky shot” – I take care to make sure the image is as it comes out before I press the shutter release button. Abstraction has become a more and more important theme in my photography. Trying to capture multiple layers in a single exposure helps me add a level of abstraction as I construct a new reality.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
In July last year (2015) I did the first edition of my photography project, Siting. This project revolves around a simple concept: I photograph a fixed area for one week and choose one photograph each day that will be printed on a larger scale and becomes part of an exhibition afterwards. The area to work in is designated by the space I use to do the project; it serves as the center point of a one-mile radius, which then becomes the area where I can take photographs. The first edition took place in Amsterdam.
I am planning to expand this project worldwide, I have a few options for this year and chances are high that there will be editions in Las Vegas and Antwerp in the coming months.
Next to that I am always working on the next edition of March & Rock, my photography magazine. My wife and I recently bought a VW camper van which enables me to go and shoot in a lot of different places. This will definitely show through in coming editions of March & Rock!
My name is Candy Hernandez. Born and raised in mid-Michigan. I have worked for General Motors the last 21 years. I am a weekend roadtripper, lake lover, nature addict, and photographer of all things beautiful.
How did you get started in photography?
I’ve always liked taking pictures since I was a little girl. My dad would take me camping and fishing on his weekends all over the state. He always had his camera with him. I would take pictures of the landscape as we drove from town to town looking for our next adventure. That passion stayed with me as I grew older. Now I’m the adventurer that my daddy was.
What do you like about your photography?
I love that it’s what I like to see. When I make a picture, it’s for me, from the subject to the way I edit it. The choices are mine and they evoke what I am feeling about it.
Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
Lately I’ve found my inspiration from a few photographers on Instagram that I follow: Lennonjames and danpricephoto. They can take the simplest thing and make it look magical. They have such a talent.
I also admire TODD and Brad Reed from Ludington. They have a way of capturing nature in its raw form. It’s beautiful to see.
You work a lot with locations and travel photography. Why is it important to capture your surroundings?
What I love most about what I do is I get to share these beautiful places with people that they may never even know exists. There are older people that remember visiting these places growing up, or taking their children there for summer vacations but now it isn’t possible for them to travel there or hike those trails like they once did. I make it possible for them to see it now by sharing my photos.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
I don’t know if I have a theme. I know I’m drawn to Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. So I guess it would be nature. But I do enjoy urban landscape as well.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
Right now I’m waiting on some ice to form. We’ve had a couple cold winters and its left a craving for ice caves and icy lighthouses. I don’t think I will get to walk across Munising Bay to Grand Island this winter, but there will be icy lighthouses to shoot.
For more of Candy’s work, follow her on Instagram.
I’m a sucker for golden hour photography, especially with portraits. That’s why I was so drawn to photographer Mila’s work on her Flickr gallery, We The People.
Something I’ve noticed, seeing more and more photography, is all the great stuff coming out of Russia. Talent is world-wide, but there’s something about Russian photographers – they keep popping up in my Tumblr and Instagram feed.
Here’s my chat with Mila.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Mila, and I’m a photographer from Moscow, Russia.
How did you get started in photography?
As a child, I played with Dad’s film cameras. It was the starting point for my interest.
What do you like about your photography?
Photography by itself! 🙂 This is one of the main passions in my life. I’m just happy when I can shoot something.
You take great portraits, but you also explore other photographic subjects. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
I think creative people draw inspiration from everywhere. Depending on the moment, the mood of different things can cause the need for self-expression through photography.
To be more specific, I’m love nature and sunlight with all my heart. Any natural light, especially at sunrise or sunset, is so beautiful! It’s always inspiring. Photos in this light are always a little magical. Often I see the place first and instantly imagine what theme I want to shoot there.
You capture really great moments with your portraits. How do you get the photos you’re looking for when working with a model?
When I work with a model, the final result is the merit of both of us. With any model, you can always get a couple of good shots, but the work becomes really interesting when the model knows her job and understands what purpose and mood I am pursuing.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
I really love a free, natural style, with small ethnic and boho elements. I don’t always stick to this theme, but it’s really “mine.”
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
Unfortunately, now my town is in snowy winter, and I don’t like shooting in the studio. Therefore, I have many ideas, and and all of them are waiting for the arrival of spring and warmth.
My name is Kathryn Trattner and I write and photograph things. I work full time for the Metropolitan Library, my local library system in Oklahoma City, and when I’m not second shooting I spend the rest of my free time with my two toddlers.
How did you get started in photography?
I started taking photography seriously about a year ago. A very dear friend (@robynicks) is a talented wedding photographer and she needed an assistant. I volunteered and loved it. It’s so amazing to be included in someone’s big day, to see everything come together, and Robyn is amazing and fun to work with. Over time assisting became second shooting, I bought a DSLR, and photography has taken over my life. In a good way.
What do you like about your photography?
I love the details. I make a point of noticing them because so often they’re the first things I forget. I tend to get lost in the big picture stuff so it’s nice to take a moment and notice something that might otherwise be overlooked. Especially at weddings, you remember the faces and the main event, but it’s easy to forget how the flowers looked or the lace on a dress. Those little things add a layer of richness to memory.
Right now I have a three and one year old and I’m constantly taking pictures of their hands or feet, photos of them sitting with their backs to me. I’m always going to remember the big things, like the first tooth or first steps, but the way their hair curled just the tiniest bit after a bath, the little hands no bigger than my palm, I don’t want to forget those either.
You describe your work as capturing details, and little slices of life. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
Everywhere. I feel like I’m constantly taking pictures in my head, even when I don’t have my iPhone or DSLR handy. Anything and everything can be beautiful or interesting or arresting.
Why is it important for you to capture your surroundings?
Part of my obsession with details in my desire to always add another layer to my writing. I need to be able to paint a picture with words and photographing details feeds my writing. It’s also a nice escape when I’ve sat too long at my computer and it feels like my brain has turned to mush.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
I’m not sure there are any themes to my work. Maybe someone outside looking in would see a pattern but for me there isn’t one.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
Over the next year I’ll be second shooting lots of weddings and special events. But the biggest thing I’m excited about personally is my upcoming trip to San Francisco. I’m so excited to photograph a city so different from the one I live in.
Kris Matheson is a Tokyo-based photographer whose urban and abstract work has been a lot of fun to watch. Kris and I both participate in the On Taking PIctures podcast G+ group, and he keeps an archive of the show’s Photographers of the Week and Weekly Assignments.
What I like about Kris’s work is his exploration of different photo subjects. You’ll see him venture down a certain road, project-wise, and then change gears and create totally different work. It’s a lot of fun to watch.
Where are you and what do you do?
I’m from a small town in Northern Ontario (Canada) but have been living and working in Tokyo for the past nine years. I currently work as a freelance English Language Instructor, and walk around a lot with my camera.
How did you get started in photography?
I got into photography to document my experiences in Japan for family and friends back home, this was way back in 2006. It wasn’t until 2012 that I shifted focus onto what I wanted to photograph to show how I see the world around me. So really, moving to Japan is what got me into photography.
What do you like about your photography?
If I am open and honest, I walk a fine line of having a love-hate relationship with my photography. It’s taken sometime to find what I am interested in rather than shooting to please other people. I like just being able to take my camera with me day after day to explore. I often revisit the same areas — when I have breaks at work I go out, so I’ve been walking some of the same streets for years now and still manage to find something that interests me.
Your photo work is varied and exploratory. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
Most of my inspiration comes from what I see on the street as I walk around. This past year I started using Instagram and have found it to be a great source of inspiration. I am also inspired by the work of Dennis Hopper, Saul Leiter, and Uta Barth.
What I love about your photo work is that you’re always giving yourself little projects, or themes to explore. Talk about why you feel the need to keep yourself “photo busy.”
Probably one of the best things I started doing in recent years to help keep myself busy is having an Idea Journal (full of terribly bad ideas). This helps me to keep track of places to revisit (and “why”), I also write down interesting things I listened to or read, and things I’ve seen, it’s also a place to write out ideas for images or a project I would like to explore. Some of these ideas get turned into mini-projects, most don’t get posted online since they die shortly after I start them (some live and die inside the pages of my journal). Having this journal is great because I can look back for old ideas and inspiration, and can re-explore when I want. I feel its important to constantly explore the world around me, and having small projects engages and pushes to always be out photographing or thinking about new things.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
I explore a lot of urban scenes and more recently abstraction, often with the focus more on colour and geometry. As a side project I have also started exploring memory and destruction in photography, there’s a personal project I’ve been working on around that theme and hope to expand it in the coming year — the theme of destruction in art has really been interesting, creating something and then destroying it is fascinating to me, it’s a little more difficult in digital photography but still intriguing to explore.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
This year I will continue exploring abstraction in photography, and try to incorporate portraits into this theme. I am also working on some collaborations with other photographers and artists, hopefully see what that brings as the year progresses.
This one is personal – Tiffany Cornwell has shot my family, engagement, wedding, and maternity photos (and my current profile pic)! She’s a family and wedding portrait photographer, local to Jackson, Michigan, who is super fun to work with.
Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Tiffany Cornwell and I’m the owner and sole photographer of Tiffany Marie Photography LLC. I received a bachelor’s degree in photography from Saginaw Valley State University in December 2011.
How did you get started in photography?
I was about eight or so when my grandpa would come visit from Arizona. On his week-long trips, he would buy me a couple of disposable cameras and tell me to go to town and document whatever I wanted while he was there. Before he left, we would get them developed and we’d check out my photo treasures together. Ever since, I had been known to always have a camera of some sorts all through middle school and high school!
What do you like about your photography?
My own photography excites me. I love that I can capture a moment that turns to a memory. Of course then, through post processing, I’m able to put my own artistic spin on the image to make to my own piece of art.
My favorite pieces have lots of color or emotion in them. I get a sense of joy and pride when I look at images where I shot exactly what I was looking for. I’m also a huge advocate of getting work printed! To see the hours poured into an image, then having it printed seems to bring the moment back to life!
Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
I’m 95% a happy person, so I tend to lean towards images I can produce that emit that same feeling. That could be why I love shooting weddings…the love and happiness in someone’s big day brightly shows in their images.
I love a lighter feel in images. The grungy, dark, mysterious images tend to make me feel anxious, so I shy away from styles that could evoke that within someone else.
For ideas within a session, it usually stems from the person or couple I’m photographing. Seniors tend to have their own sense of style and their own passions, so we try to collaborate for at least a few quirky and unique poses that really shows their personality. One senior played drums for marching band, so we thought it would be cool to put glitter on them so that as she was playing, there would be clouds of glitter flying up. It was captured pretty nicely!
Your work focuses on families and couples, with some portraits in there. How do you get comfortable working with people on these intimate photos?
Meeting with them first beforehand has helped tremendously! Having in-depth discussions about their desires for the session, wardrobe choices, their likes and hobbies, and what they wish to accomplish from their session is key. It breaks the ice for seniors and couples alike to know I’m interested and invested in them. They tend to open up more during their session because they also invested the time to have their session be great and they know what the end goal is.
I’m also a bit quirky, so if they’re still a bit jittery during their session, it doesn’t take long for them to laugh at my clumsiness! Little kids are a bit more work…I tend to get a workout in from jumping around getting them to look my direction and maybe unlock a smile!
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
Love, closeness, growth, future. All things that tend to strengthen a family or a person. As I stated above, I love capturing special moments! I love helping seniors find confidence and strength in themselves through having their portraits done with me. The excitement and relief in a mother’s eyes when she sees I got not one but many great images of her three amazingly independent children make me beam with pride. I adore my brides when they’re crying tears of joy seeing the love between her and her new husband in their photos. I feel like I accomplished what I set out to do for them knowing I did my job to the best of my abilities so they can have memories to cherish forever.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
I would love to set up a fun bridal shoot with multiple women in bridal gowns and accents of a wedding day to showcase what I love, and perhaps it even becoming a promotional piece for those involved. But it has barely been put to paper so plans are still in brainstorming mode.
I would also love to continue my ferris wheel series throughout 2016. I have three or four favorite images I’ve taken and would love to create a series of fine art images focusing on the ferris wheel that people can purchase as a collection or separate pieces.
If you’re a landscape photographer, it helps to live in a gorgeous part of the world – like Adam King in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
I’m always a sucker for mountains, especially the Rockies, so it was great to learn about Adam’s work.
Where are you and what do you do?
I was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I’m currently a second year student at Macewan University, taking my Bachelor of Science, hoping one day to get a job in the computer science field! All that aside, I also have a pretty serious artistic side that I like to express mainly through photography nowadays.
How did you get started in photography?
I remember taking my first photograph at the age of 8. I was in Drumheller with my family which is located in the Southern Alberta Badlands. This is an area which is known for its rich fossil deposits and important dinosaur related discoveries. Badlands are landscapes that are intricately eroded, steeply sloped, and largely devoid of vegetation. This area was so new and different to me I remember wanting to capture every little detail about the trip while we were there.
My family eventually noticed how much interest I had in photography and let me take some photos that trip. When we finally got the photos back from the local drugstore, I was given the photos that I had taken in a little scrapbook, which I still have to this day. I must’ve looked through them all a couple dozen times alone that first day. Ever since then, I’ve been interested in documenting and recreating important trips and events in my life through photography.
What do you like about your photography?
I guess what I like most about my photography is being able to return to a certain point in my life through a collection of photos. Getting back into the mindset of 13 year old me, for example, and figuring out why the subject of the photo was important to me is something I find myself doing often while looking at old photos. On a more superficial level, I feel really fortunate to live so close to the Rockies and share them with the world.
You live in very photo-worthy part of the world. Where do you get inspiration for your style/ideas?
I gather inspiration everywhere I can. My time in the National Parks of Alberta are usually spent just walking around (or hiking the side of a mountain) with one or two friends and taking photos of whatever I come across. One of my biggest inspirations when I first joined Tumblr a couple years ago was man-and-camera.com. I really felt the artistic approach behind his work, and it really motivated me to attempt to recreate something similar with my own perspective. Other than that, there definitely isn’t a shortage of great Alberta-based photographers out there to follow.
I notice you do a lot of your landscape work in portrait orientation, which is not typical. Is there a method behind your technique?
I honestly lean towards it out of instinct nowadays. My preference for portrait orientation is definitely heavily influenced by my high school communication technology teacher. He was an outspoken advocate of experimentation with your art and remembering that you can turn the camera on its side and shoot that way too. Since then I find it easier to create interesting compositions with the added vertical space.
What kinds of themes do you explore with your work?
Documenting nature in all of its forms. Mostly landscapes of Alberta and British Columbia, however I am going to be posting some shots from my trip to London a couple years ago. Fitting an overarching theme isn’t something I’ve really thought too much about. I just find myself always drawn back to nature.
Something I want to do in the upcoming year is diversify a little bit and try out some portrait work. I feel like learning the nuances of a different theme and bringing those ideas into your photography can be really beneficial.
Any upcoming projects or shoots you’re working on?
As I mentioned above, I definitely want to try some portraits and see how I can integrate that in with my current focus. I also just started as a volunteer at @lensblr-network, helping the team find the best in original photography here on Tumblr. I couldn’t be more excited at this opportunity to broaden my artistic eye and share the best this site has to offer with such a wide audience. It’s a really great feeling finding someone that is more than deserving of recognition for their work and having a hand in facilitating that for them. I’ve already found at least a dozen of artists that I’ve really fallen in love with since starting that I otherwise probably wouldn’t have found!
Follow @adm-kng here on Tumblr for more of Adam’s work, or catch his stuff on his Flickr account.
During the winter, especially in January, it’s hard for me to make photographs. Usually, I tackle some other kind of project during the cold months – a photo book, or a portrait project idea, or just catching up on editing photos I made during the warmer months.
This year, I’m trying something a little different.
Over and above photos, I like making things. Books, videos, graphics, tinkering with electronics, etc. Keeping my hands or my brain busy is important to me.
It’s why, above and beyond portraits, my Artists In Jackson project is so multi-layered. I wanted a book and a website and an eBook, and so on.
So this January, I’m sending some photographers I like questions, and each week I’ll feature a different photographer profile. The profiles will include a sample of their work, some background, and then a question and answer session.
Portrait photographers, landscape photographers, abstract photographers – I’m working on getting a variety of styles.
It’s a way for me to learn more about my favorite photographers, and to share the work that I appreciate. It also gives them a tiny bit of promotion – my way of sharing the love. And the editor in me loves this kind of project, where I mix and match a bunch of good material into a cohesive whole.
I’m doing a series of interviews with photographers whose work I enjoy. If I follow you, or you follow me, send me a note and let’s make something together.
Must be willing to share your photos, answer some questions, and have the desire to promote yourself.
“This place lacks confidence. That comes out in so many ways, and it’s important to me for people to recognize that they’re valuable.”
A few years back, while living out west, Doug Jones came across an art gallery in Sante Fe, New Mexico, and noticed the gallery was featuring a single artist.
Doug was attracted to the work’s bright and bold colors, so he walked in. After talking with the gallery director, he found out the artist – who was selling his work for thousands of dollars – was from a little town in Michigan.
The town? Doug’s town. Our town. Jackson, Michigan.
That discovery got Doug thinking.
“There was this fire inside of me that wondered, ‘Why do I have to move away from Jackson? Why can’t someone make it as an artist here?’”
Now, it’s almost a mission for him: finding untapped potential and creativity, and letting it loose on the world.
It wasn’t always that way for Doug, a corporate lawyer turned community developer turned painter and art community organizer. He was going to turn his University of Michigan education into big money somewhere outside of Jackson.
But a couple of things happened that brought him back. For one, a trip to New York during college switched on the aesthetic part of his brain. For two, working at Lifeways helped him identify with the needs of the community, spiritually and artistically.
“I found myself surrounded by incredible history and remarkable talent in Jackson,” Doug says. “And people here didn’t seem to recognize it. So I started to encourage people around me to paint.”
That encouragement came in the form of live painting and art events – bringing creative people out of the wilderness, in a sense. It all comes from understanding what the power of positive reinforcement and encouragement can do.
“I remember what it was like when someone first took notice of me,” Doug says. “If I can encourage someone to do something positive, I’m passing on the beauty and blessings that I’ve been given.”
Personally, art acts as an outlet for the suffering and pain Doug sees in the world. Working with Lifeways and other non-profits, he saw and heard gut-wrenching stories from clients about pain and loss. He saw a tough guy break down in front of him, and he helped a girl struggling with suicide.
“I saw things that helped me realize how fleeting life can be,” Doug says. “With all the stuff going on around me, I have to get it out and do something with it.”
Doug recognizes the pressures that a small, blue-collar town can put on up-and-coming artists. Helping artists realize that what they’re doing is valuable? That’s the goal.
“That self-actualization makes my entire world better,” he says. “It lets me know that the generations that come after us will be better because of what’s happening today.”
While there is more happening in the Jackson arts community – a Public Arts Commission, more and more shows popping up, collectives (like his own, The Singularity) forming – Doug sees a lack of self-confidence in town. One way to help is to bring in more creative professionals from outside.
“People recognize what Jackson has on the outside,” he says. “We just need people here to feel that, too.”
“It’s true for most artists, but I’m an extremely emotionally-driven artist. I want people to feel something when they look at it. I put my heart and soul into what I do.”
You don’t have to look far to find great talent, says Melissa Morse.
“All the real artists aren’t in the big cities,” she says. “They’re everywhere you go. And we have our own arena of talent here in Jackson.”
Melissa would know. As a painter and mixed media artist, she’s seen what it’s like to be an artist in the biggest city – New York. She traveled to the Big Apple in college and lived there for many years as an artist.
After several years in New York, she came back to Jackson wiser and embraced her home community.
“It was the best thing for me, to stay in Jackson and raise my daughter,” Melissa says. “Coming back here, you realize that you can run all over looking for a place to be happy. But if you have inner peace, you can be happy in Jackson.”
Melissa explores happiness, loss, and faith through her art. She’s also a bit of a self-made artist, stretching her own canvases and creating her own frames from recycled materials.
“I think it makes for a better product. You put more into it,” she says.
Putting more into her art is a goal, Melissa says, whether that’s trying out new styles or putting pieces together to make something new. It helps her express what’s inside.
“It’s true for most artists, but I’m an extremely emotionally driven artist,” Melissa says. “I want people to feel something when they look at it. I put my heart and soul into what I do.”
And as is true for most people, that heart and soul can go through dark times. That’s where art can help, like when Melissa lost her parents.
Melissa participated in Grand Rapids’s ArtPrize showcase the year after her mother died. Melissa doubted that she was even worthy of being there. But the year before, her mother encouraged her to participate in the event.
“There was so much healing in that,” Melissa says. “It was a difficult journey, but in the end, when I was there and sharing my story, it was just what I needed to do.”
Being an artist involves going through ups and downs. It’s true of creatives everywhere. But it is possible to be successful in Jackson, Melissa says. Artists just have to be willing to communicate and work together.
Take art shows. She notices that when there’s low turnout at an area show, it’s often because people are what she calls “touch lazy.”
“I see a little bit of procrastination,” Melissa says. “Someone will say, ‘Maybe I’ll go to it,’ and then not show up. Something needs to shake it up a bit.”
In her own creative life, Melissa is the opposite of lazy. Recently, she became an art teacher for kids at Ella Sharp Museum during their summer camp series.
“It’s the best kind of challenge, working with kids that age. But it’s so rewarding,” she says. “When you can learn as much as the other people are learning, I really love that.”
“I would prefer to make guitars and give them away, if it was feasible to do that.”
For Stephen Ziegenfuss, it’s easy to love wood.
Its strength, its smell, even its taste – wood is a noble material to work with.
That’s why Stephen loves to make it sing as a guitar maker. An engineer by training, he loves to shape and bend the material into sonic works of art for his Ziegenfuss Guitars company.
Stephen has been building guitars since college when he tried making his own bass. From there, he built more guitars for friends and family, especially the parents of friends who could help him pay for parts.
“They kind of paid for my education – they’d pay for the materials that went into it,” he says.
From there, he worked on repairing guitars, learning about their inner workings, and before long he had a name brand and a website set up to sell his custom bodies.
More than that, Stephen likes to make things with his hands. Woodworking was prevalent in his home, he says, and he’s always enjoyed tinkering and making. That’s how he got into engineering. It was his artistic side – both in guitar playing and photography – that helped shape his guitar projects.
It started pragmatically enough. Stephen remembers seeing a guitar that he would’ve liked to own, if it weren’t for the high price tag. What would happen if he tried to mimic the design and build his own guitar?
“There’s a certain group of people with my personality who say, ‘I’ll just build it myself,'” he says. “Making a guitar was the perfect crossroads of all those things: working with my hands, engineering, and music.”
That first guitar didn’t exactly hit the mark. But over the years, he’s built his skills up enough so that he can build his own guitar at the level that originally inspired him.
Business-wise, Stephen is working on forming relationships with artists and getting name recognition in the boutique guitar industry. It’s one thing to make a quality guitar, but it’s another to make yourself known to the instrument-buying public.
When it comes right down to it, though, Stephen makes guitars to participate in the magic of music making. And to get his hands dirty in the process of making.
His senses get involved, too: Stephen loves the smell and the taste of the woods he uses, like African sapele (tastes great) and rosewood (the smell).
“The variability of the material is so cool,” Stephen says.
Walnut, cherry, sassafras, spruce, ash, hickory, walnut – these are his raw materials, and he appreciates the engineering quality of wood, too. Stephen says that wood, as a composite material, is great to work with. It’s robust and durable, and its strength-to-weight ratio is top-notch.
This is why Stephen makes other things out of wood, like bike frames. Stephen says he could make a bike frame that competes with metal in terms of durability. And, he says, the ride on a wood-frame bike is really smooth because the material absorbs high-frequency vibrations.
“Certain days, you just feel inspired to build different things,” he says. “And I love using wood as my medium.”
Stephen, along with his wife and three daughters, loves the lifestyle that Jackson affords.
“The pace of life here, for us, is just right,” he says. “If I were somewhere else, I wouldn’t nearly have the time to pursue things like this. It’s such a tremendous value added to life.”
Now that I’m a few weeks removed from launching my portrait project, Artists In Jackson, I thought it’d be helpful to share a few thoughts on the process – maybe for others thinking about tackling a self-published photo book.
I broke this down into sections, because there is a lot to think about and digest.
To Self Publish or Not To Self Publish
This one was easy for me: self publish!
It’s so easy these days to make and publish a photo book. There are vendors begging you to print with them. I get coupons all the time – 25% off, 75% off, a free book print to try out, etc.
My project was design- and text-intensive, so I needed a specific vendor to get my book finished. But if you just want to make a photo book, there are tons of options. If you have a Macintosh computer, Apple bundles Photos and a book-printing option as a default. VSCO has a super nice (and pricey) option. There’s My Publisher, MPix, Pinhole Press, and Blurb (my option).
You could go the professional publishing route, but chance are, if you’re reading this, that whole world is a mystery to you, too. And besides, who wants a box full of books gathering dust in their basement? Print on demand!
Print On Demand (Kind Of)
Speaking of which, I highly recommend print-on-demand services to keep costs and risk low. To a point.
Print-on-demand publishing means someone goes to a website or storefront and orders your book, and then it gets printed and shipped to them. This avoids the basement-book scenario. You don’t have to worry about inventory or unsold merchandise.
Now, I did it kind of half and half. I wanted an initial small press run of books delivered to me because I wanted to sign and customize them for the first batch of supporters. This involved a small bit of risk, because if I couldn’t sell that complete set of printed books, I’m stuck with the entire bill.
I had enough confidence to buy the initial batch, however, and once that runs out, I will send customers to the Blurb storefront to buy their on-demand copy.
Think of it as offering something special for your die-hard supporters, while still keeping the risk manageable. And through a service like Blurb, you can sell your book through Amazon, potential increasing your audience size.
Thinking About Your Audience
Who are you aiming for? What’s your customer base? Who would buy this thing you’re going to make? Who’s going to care?
It could be the marketing/communications professional in me, but one of the first things I thought about was my audience. I knew that if I photographed a large enough number of artists I could grow my audience base. How? Artists have friends and family, spouses, proud grandmothers, co-workers, etc. Each artist will tell their fan base, and word will spread.
Also, because my project was so community focused, the Jackson community itself became a target audience. If you care about Jackson, or you care about the arts community, you’re a potentially-interested person.
If you’re well-connected and well-known, this may not be such an issue for you. Your art may already have an audience. But if you’re a first-timer like me, this audience stuff matters. I didn’t want to make something and have it flop.
It also doesn’t decrease your artsy-ness by thinking about this kind of thing. If you make something great, and no one knows about it, and you want it to reach people, have you succeeded or failed? Or somewhere in between?
My project had a goal (increase awareness about artistic talent in our community), and so it had to have an audience that cared.
The M-Word
Marketing. I’ll start by saying that whether you like it or not, if you want your work to reach an audience, you have to have a bit of marketing involved. Sometimes, you have to be a megaphone.
For me, my marketing plan was comprehensive and multi-channeled. I used the website, Facebook, social media, email, and personal outreach to get the word out about Artists In Jackson. From there, the network effect kicked in. I had 15 artists who helped me reach a larger audience, and the artistic community took their message and spread it even farther.
I set it up in stages. First, I teased the project with a launch page and an email sign-up form. The artists knew what I was doing, but no one else did, so there was some mystery involved.
Then I published the About page on the website, and sent people there. “Look!” I said. “I have a project that I’m finishing up, and here are the basics!” That’s when the social media part came into play – I had something I could point to and share.
The landing page and about page helped me gather email addresses for my mailing list. These folks were the die-hards, the special ones, who bought in to the project. They got weekly updates from me, with little sneak peeks of the book’s progress.
From there, I published the Meet the Artists page to announce who was in the project. Now people could see faces attached to this project. I did this a week before the book launch to get people really talking. It helped with awareness, because this is the stage where the artists could kick their promotional messages into high gear.
And then it was a slow, steady rollout of the products: book pre-sale, book general public sale, eBook pre-sale, eBook general sale, magazine pre-sale, etc. This gave me a month of weekly promotional messages that gave people a specific way of supporting the project. The book begat the eBook begat the magazine. Boom, boom, boom.
I’ll add that groups like the local arts and cultural alliance and the chamber got word of the project and used their communication channels to talk about it. On and on it went, and the audience grew.
Why An Ebook and A Magazine
Easy: Affordability, and access. Not everyone can afford an $89 art book, so the magazine was a way for people to still enjoy a physical piece and saving some money.
It was a pain to layout the magazine. The size was different than the book, and it makes you reformat the pagination and design. But luckily the hard work – writing the stories, sizing the photos, etc. – was already done when I finished the book.
For the eBook, it was more of a way to experiment with the format. I had a chance to play with the iBook Store (and learn all its peculiarities and rules), which will help me on future projects. And I wanted a portable format for those on-the-go tablet folks.
As a multimedia professional, it just made sense to have different formats for Artists In Jackson. It increased the workload, yes, but I feel like it increased the audience size, too. Call it democratic self publishing.
Inventory and Mailing
My fear, as stated above, was that my basement would become a warehouse for these books. So while I split the difference and ordered some inventory, I kept it manageable.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) helped things by offering free mailing supplies (did you know?) and a great online service to order postage labels. It reminded me of the old days on eBay where you had to become a mailing service expert to move your merchandise.
I ordered 20 padded envelopes (free!) from USPS, and when a book order came in I’d buy a postage label, print it out, stuff the envelope with the book, and slap the label on. I’m lucky in that we have a post office here on the campus where I work, so I could just drop off the packages whenever I wanted.
USPS makes it easy to research shipping costs, too, so you know how much to charge your customers. This was vital – I had no idea what postage would be until I looked it up. Free envelopes, calculate the shipping, and send away. Really easy stuff.
Why USPS and not, say, FedEx? It’s totally political. I think our mail system should be run by the federal government, and I try to support the postage system – flawed and unfriendly as it may be – whenever I can.
Online Store
This was a fun part because I had the right e-commerce site. Gumroad is great to work with, and I got their name from @bleeblu after purchasing his eBook. Their markup is very reasonable, and I love the stats and metrics they offer. It became kind of addicting to see a new email from Gumroad pop into my inbox, telling me I just sold another book. It was very helpful to see where my sales came from (website? email? social media?), too.
For the eBook, Gumroad did all the hosting and handled all the downloading. They also make sending mail tracking numbers and receipts super easy. Gumroad is really made for digital goods, but I found they handled physical goods just as well.
For individual photo prints, I use Society6. They take care of all the printing and shipping, and I get to set my profit amount for each print. I don’t make much from prints, but I wanted to offer them to family members and the artists at an affordable price.
After my initial 25 book order runs out, I’m going to switch my online store to Blurb’s version. It’s not the prettiest, but it will serve my needs for those print-on-demand orders.
And everything – the project, the stores, everything – is hosted with grace and beauty by Squarespace. I can’t recommend them enough for creative projects and professionals.
What’s Next
Next, I’m focusing on getting the word out about the project, either through media outlets or art blogs. This is a step-by-step, methodical process: emailing contacts, submitting press releases, knowing who to get a hold of, etc. But I enjoy the work.
I’m also chatting with folks about hosting some events in town to bring the art and artists together. This area is totally out of my comfort zone. I am not an event organizer.
So I pulled in a few of the artists from the project who are experience in events (Hi, Kaiti and Colleen) to help me think through the logistics. Where to have it? Who to invite? Sell tickets? Have food? How to promote? Etc.
I’m also thinking about some speaking engagements, through local service clubs and the museum, to give some backstory on the project.
The big rush at the end of this year is to get the book in people’s hands and get the word out. In 2016, I’ll be focusing on the social and event aspects of the project.
Final Thoughts
Finally, the project was super fun, and a ton of work. It’s not just the photographing and interviewing that takes time. It’s the writing the profiles, editing the photos, sizing them according to the media, building the website, developing the marketing plan, designing the book – on and on. It was five solid months of hard work and late nights.
But. I’m super proud of how it turned out, and the feedback and support has been great. It’s also fun for me to do this stuff.
I tend to be risk-averse, both financially and in life. I didn’t want to go into this project blind and blow a bunch of money on something that I can’t recoup. Yes, risk is a part of any artistic project, but my ability to tolerate risk is low. So at every step in the project, I made sure that there would be creative and financial payoff.
At the least, I just wanted to cover my costs. This was not a money-making scheme. Far from it. If I calculated the time put in to the payout, I’m probably in the red.
That’s what a hobby is, though. It’s a big time and money sink that’s worth all of that as long as you enjoy yourself. With Artists In Jackson, I had the satisfaction of knowing that not only was I exercising my photography muscles, but I was doing something worthwhile for the community.
“I don’t like to be pushy with my art. If they want to come look, they can come look and bring their own viewpoint.”
Call Nicole Cure a natural. She never studied art, never felt like she worked hard at it, and even took a 10-year creative hiatus when her kids were born.
“I never worked hard at it. I was just born with a natural talent,” she says.
That talent is paying off now that Nicole runs a drawing and interior design business out of her home studio. She named the studio Ardis J Studio after her grandmother, Ardis Jane, from whom she inherited some of her artistic ability.
That natural talent does not mean Nicole doesn’t work hard on her sketches. She often spends 10 to 20 hours on each piece.
Her customers are now asking for more and more of her custom pieces and original work.
“It’s been fun and crazy busy,” Nicole says. “And I have more work than I thought I’d ever get.”
She says word of mouth is what works. After trying the art show scene for a few years, Nicole found it to be a slog, even if she got a custom job or two. Now, she’s called it quits on art shows, and her workload is still doing just fine.
Nicole works in her small studio in Hanover, which she built a few years ago as her kids went off to school. She found her basement studio cramped, and her handy father-in-law built it in no time flat. Nicole’s studio hosts little tots drawing lessons during the summer, where she teaches basic drawing techniques to first through seventh graders.
“It’s a blast,” she says. “You can usually tell within the first session if the child has a natural ability.”
For her work, Nicole draws inspiration from the world around her: kids, family, animals, and the rural setting. Customers ask her for lots of animal drawings, like horses and dogs.
“I think I’ve done every breed of dog 10 times,” Nicole says.
To experiment, Nicole dabbles in other creative projects, like furniture and interior design. The furniture thing came about because she likes to make her own pieces.
“I would rather not pay top dollar for anything. Furniture is really fun to me,” Nicole says. “I garage sale like bonkers. I love it – it’s a total addiction.”
In fact, if she were to do it over again, Nicole would concentrate on interior design work. She does a few projects here and there, using a style she calls “modern shabby chic,” but she really wants to redo an entire house.
“I use crazy colors. I just have an eye for it,” she says. “Like, my kitchen’s a bright teal. People wake up when they go in.”
Nicole’s kids have an eye for art, too, she says. Two may be better than she ever was. Take her oldest daughter, who draws all the time. Nicole calls her “phenomenal.”
Maybe there’s an art gene in there after all. Take a look around Nicole’s studio, and you will see four pieces hanging up created by her kids.
