Phew! And I thought you've been drinking into oblivion these past few weeks... I will think about all the points raised, already have some questions/ideas/opinions, but would like to organize them a bit better.
More things to make and do.
an article.Hello,
I'd like to welcome you to the new year – we can only wish it to be a blessed year (one never knows until the year is over). Alas, we can still dream and hope things turn out as we wish.
With that said, I have this intrinsic passion for this site (and all the people that we interact with). The strangest part of that passion is that I don't really know what to do with it. I have ideas, but I always shut-'em-down before they even go public.
So, this time around, I figured I'll share with you what I have been thinking about, but before I do that, let me say this:
I see 75 running in a 'open social' context: what I mean by that is, there shouldn't be any heirachy. I am merely a fascilitator/administrator of the site, I see each and everyone that comes here (be it a 'grapher or just a visitor) as the custodian of this project.
If you take that into context to what I am about to say, you'll realise that:
I do not want to be the source of ideas of what we can do – I foresee a future where anybody (cape town, durban, polokwane, nairobi, cairo, tokyo) inspired by 75 and decides to implement that inspiration.
The only thing that matters to me is that each photograph that is used outside of this site is credited to the respective photographer – and used with permission.
Ok, enough of the cloud-9 talk, here are the ideas I have so far:
- 2011 (and beyond): Calendar – I do not want to select photographs that would go into the calendar but I would prefer it if everybody could build their own calendar (based on a selection of photographs that they choose to use).
- Exhibition: I understand the inherent need of this, anybody willing to, just run with it: the location of it is not important – I do not need to be there for an exhibition to be held.
- A coffee table book: this idea has been suggested many a-times, but just like the exhibition money-matters, but that in itself should not be a problem: surely we can find economical ways to get it done, no?
- Shop: this is an idea that has been around since 75 was conceived. I am not keen on it, as it starts to subject the photography to monetary value: shifting the focus away from appreciation, but I suppose I could build an interface that allows for it, should somebody wish to acquire a photograph.
- Permanent Themes: I'd like to have themes that are re-occuring like the following (and to add more in the future):
- RED (World Aids Day)
- Black & White Week.
- May First/Day.
- Future Themes: I have made notes on a few themes that I think would be interesting to do such as:
- Four Seasons (inspired by this)
- Dualism
- Capturing clichés
- Pin Hole Day
- Day/Night
Well, that's what I got so far — your thoughts?
- 16 Comments
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cazpix
I hear the following:
the Centre for the Book is a good place to start - for publishing a book. Otherwise, Struik/Random House is the biggest publisher of books using photographers...
I also hear it's very hard to get a publisher to have faith in photographers as a sale-able thing - unless Nat Geo types :PI LOVE the calendar idea - it should also however maybe be on this basis: people can buy a calendar, they just need to click on which images they want? That way other people can also make their own calendars, and there is a small amount of online sales?
Exhibition - try ask artspace44 in Stellenbosch? Stephen Rautenbach and his photographer friend Bani own it...just opened, check facebook for details?
Superb ideas :) Yayness
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lebogang nkoane
@cazpix ta for the info – I'll most definitely make contact.
On the Book thing, is it not possible to 'create' a book, without needin' to publish it --- like make as many copies as anybody is interested in owning a copy of the book?
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Uno
Ideas for themes:
- Identity
- Self portrait
- Machine(ry)
- Soccer World Cup (June theme)Ideas for the exhibition:
Why not use the same 75 platform on the web, where people can browse each grapher's work, it could just be a projector, a screen and a mouse, if in a gallery, visitors could feel free to browse or sit down and watch the other person's browsing, creating an interactive environment (both watcher/work and watcher/watcher). We could even make it in a way that people could leave comments (keyboard) the same way we do.
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lebogang nkoane
Hmmm, not sure 'bout soccer world cup — but hey,,,,
I like the 'interactive' exhibition idea.
When do we start?
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Uno
Why not sure about the soccer world cup? As much as many aspects of it irritate me, no one can deny that it's an historic moment for South Africa as well as an amazing opportunity to register some great moments, independent of the grapher's own motivations and views.
About the interactive exhibition idea I was also thinking about digital frames with slide shows, it saves a lot of gallery space and their popularity is emerging, we could even look for a sponsorship from one of the electronics brands that make them. The frames could be sold with a 75 permanent photo collection (based on theme, grapher, etc.) that could cover gallery costs.
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lebogang nkoane
hmmm, i like — lets do this!
*soccer — i'm not into 'riding' waves — but hey, i'd rather photograph kids playing soccer around my hood, than the actual world cup.
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Uno
I don't think that everyone would take the World Cup theme literally, I wouldn't, firstly because I don't even like soccer (shocking!), so my relationship with it is completely different from another grapher who does. Secondly because there are bigger social, regional, political, cultural, economical contexts to explore which can shine different lights on it.
I think that with the diversity we encounter here on 75, photography could become the perfect platform to open up the debate around events like this.
So if you want to photograph kids around your hood I think it's great, they will be living that moment and aspects of it will be reflected back to your lenses for sure, that final click will frame it in whatever way you choose...
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lebogang nkoane
Aiit — I hear you, lets rock!
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cazpix
the other option for books:
http://www.24hourphotobooks.co.za/index.htmPrint as many and however you want. I only use Linux, so can't but am sure you could? :)
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Hush
Hi
I signed up , how do I get an invitation to upload images
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lebogang nkoane
… somebody has to invite you — but i hear Tebogo is offering invitations: http://75.co.za/tebogo_motea/2010/02/08
:-)
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Android Veliskas
I totally agrre Lebo..
but you have to realise that as the "founder", "mentor", "facilitator", "administrator" of this site , you are inevitably expected to fuel projects that will unite this community.im starting my calender today (so thanx for that idea)..
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lebogang nkoane
Android, I hear you — eish, mara nna ke ya tswafa — plus, being un-employed means I can't really pursue everything I want to do.
but, we shall see in front.
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shizeeda
@ Lebogang: since we're both unemployed and you like my hood ;-) i'll help you with whatever you need. also i know people in publishing around - they hardly do well at marketing so that would be everyone's job... i'll motivate your tswaffing self lol
would it be an actual physical book or online?
i like the calendar. dont really understand the distribution process but i'll catch on later...
also for exhibition im on advisory committee for a museum/gallery thing so if you want i could maybe help out with that - it would really have to be other 75 people and not me since im involved in the selection process eish and they need exhibitions, mostly for next year, so that could be useful. we can plan for next year so if anyone needs lemme know.
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lebogang nkoane
Yay — Awesome!
So, we can speak 'bout this when we meet on Saturday.
Oh, the book is physical.
(dance)
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hello (at) 75.co.za