How do you identify a photography project?

<p>Just for curiosity sake, I wonder how others view the idea of a "project" (or series/theme if you wish). Does it have a defined start point ("I'm going to shoot ____ now"), or do you just recognize a trend in your photography and decide to follow a certain path. How long does a series take you or is it ever really complete? (if you prescribe to the idea of a timeline at all) Do you go from one project to the next, to the next -or- do you have a bunch on the go all at the same time?</p>

<p>While you professionals are most likely dictated by your client's wants for the paying portion of your photography, how about your personal shooting. All stories, experiences and views are most welcome and appreciated.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>James, to me folios (bodies of work) should be tied together by some sort of them, the images should read in context. The theme should be considered prior to starting the photographing, one should start by drafting a mission statement about what the folio will be about and what the story the photographer is trying to convey. The amount of images is not so relevant, and neither is the timeline, some peoples folio's are created over a lifetime others are short projects. I am currently doing one that will take about 12 months and will have about 50 images, i have done others that have only had about 8 images and from start to finish have taken only a couple of months.<br>

The key is the images should be connected in some way, that connectivity should be evident when read with the entire folio.<br>

Hope that helps.<br>

Regards</p>

<p>Richard</p>

<p>Depends on the individual project, the photographer him/herself's way of working, and deadline (if it has one) whether self imposed or otherwise. If it's purely for oneself, a too tight or too loose deadline isn't very helpful imo.<br /> <br /> <br /> </p>

>>> How long does a series take you or is it ever really complete? (if you prescribe to the idea of a timeline at all) ... All stories, experiences and views are most welcome and appreciated.

 

It varies...

 

I like getting involved in projects that shed light on subjects that interest me. The most recent one involved engaging

people in a particular San Francisco neighborhood, and resulted in publishing a 52 page photo journal. The

proceeds were donated to an organization that helps at-risk youth on the street. That project took about a year to shoot with a co-author/photographer. And three months

to edit, prototype, and produce.

 

Another, just completed, but not yet released, is about a six-day no-agenda road trip across Nevada's desert with

another photographer - all shot with kind of a street photography aesthetic. That photo journal will be released shortly and is

62 pages in length. That took six days to shoot, and about a month to edit and produce.

 

>>> Do you go from one project to the next, to the next -or- do you have a bunch on the go all at the same time?

 

Lately they're sequential. But have another three in various states of progress right now, and a lot of ideas to pursue after that.

<p>Photographers work in different ways. Some do essentially the same sort of work over their career and then package it in sets for books or shows. Others work in series over time and some do both. I have done quite a few personal projects--some aren't currently on my website--but also do more general work that I curate into something when it makes sense. But I have had specific projects grow out of a recognition that I was doing something naturally and then I see something I wanted to pursue more formally. Other series have come from realizing that I had a specific concern I wanted to explore and I went for it.</p>

<p>Many of the projects I start have different lives. Some die, some go into comas and some take time to develop. Once in awhile, an idea will pop and the work will be focused quickly. I don't force things and I don't set deadlines. I generally know when a series is done and when it needs more attention. With one project, I thought it was over and a year later found myself doing the best work on it even though I hadn't intended working on it--it just happened. It was done after that.</p>

<p>Most of my series take at least a few years although once in awhile something comes together more quickly. i do work on multiple series at one time if they seem to be compatible. Right now, I have 3 that I see as long term book projects that I work on more based on opportunity than direct purpose (shoot pieces as they present themselves) and two that are a bit more deliberate. The latter two are particularly compatible because I can't work on either when I am working on the other--no dilution or diversion of my attention. Both of these do require more total attention when I am shooting them and so this works well for me.</p>

<p>Years ago, I heard a Beatles song with the lyric "Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream." I combine that notion with my usual hangouts, dive bars, and a love of film noir to create a variety of series. Some are long-term and some end abruptly, positive or negative. I have been working for years on a series of film stills from films that don't exist, like this one...</p>

<p><center><img src="http://spirer.com/images/fellini.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /><br>

<em>8 3/4</em></center></p>

<p>I think the phrase the Beatles used originated with Tim Leary.</p>

<p>Jeff: That photo reminds me of the movie<em> "Blade Runner." </em>Al</p>

<p><em>Does it have a defined start point ("I'm going to shoot ____ now"), or do you just recognize a trend in your photography and decide to follow a certain path?</em><br>

Yes! Which is to say, both. Probably most people start by just toting a camera and shooting what they like - after a while, they will probably see potential for a project in terms of a number of shots that could be placed together. At the same time, they will probably see that the "series" they have created (which was of course not planned as such) needs a few more shots to work effectively, at which time the process may become more deliberate. When is a project finished? As a rule of thumb, when adding extra pictures does not clearly make it better (and always bearing in mind that viewers' attention span is not infinite - 12 to 20 really good pictures can be much more effective than a larger number).</p>

<p>Yes. My defined start point was in the Alleghany Mountains of Virginia, and the end point was 340 miles away at the Chesapeake Bay. The project took two and a half years, five Nikons, six lenses, several thousand miles on the car, mosquito bites, sunburn, a car with four-wheel drive, a retro bicycle, a monopod committed to the deep (thank goodness there was no camera attached to it), and four pairs of sneakers (old-man style with Velcro straps). It became a book called <em><a href="http://www.willdaniel.com/james/">James River Reflections</a></em> — my brand of photojournalism. Because this was one book/one direction, it was easy to follow the path. The book I'm working on now is not so well defined because I am shooting several rivers, but none of them start to finish this time.</p>

<p><img src="http://www.willdaniel.com/stuff/james_river_reflections_w2.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="388" /></p>

Jeff, in the Beatles Anthology mega-DVD box set, the surviving Beatles discussed in detail their use of LSD during that period to influence their music. The most interesting thing I got out of it all was the fact that LSD was legal in those days. I think it was George Harrison who emphasized that. Who knew, after all, that people would think they could fly under the influence and jump off of buildings and stuff, eh?

<p>Some interesting points here. Everything from the strict, linear approach to what I perceive as more organic (e.g. John A. and Brad)</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>...one should start by drafting a mission statement about what the folio will be about and what the story the photographer is trying to convey. </p>

</blockquote>

<p>A very focused method here Richard, I know this would be more difficult for me to follow (as my nature is to not be that focused). Half the time I am literally "just going out to shoot", while on certain occasions yes, I am looking to a very specified location and subject in the hopes of finding some strong or interesting image to capture. I suppose that's the reason for the post in the first place.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>"Turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream." I combine that notion with my usual hangouts, dive bars, and a love of film noir to create a variety of series.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Jeff, you must indeed lead a very interesting life (cool image BTW). I sometimes wish that my local environment displayed the sort of colourful characters you find and depict. I am personally more comfortable with non-human subjects. </p>

<p>It seems everyone so far has been published (books) in some aspect or another. Was that the original intent when you started or just a great thing that happened at the end of the journey?</p>

 

>>> It seems everyone so far has been published (books) in some aspect or another. Was that the

original intent when you started or just a great thing that happened at the end of the journey?

 

Original intent.

 

What's great about a book or journal, is that it's a compact representation of your work or project. It's a

tangible object that can be handed to another; whether they be potential venues, purchasers, or subjects

that you'd like to engage as a photographer in the future. As such, a book/journal can be used as

a "business card" that speaks volumes about what you do and the quality of your work. A miniature

portfolio box, of sorts.

 

They are easy to create; especially after you've done a couple. Usually, though not always, they're

designed to offer a linear representation of your story. Though that's not necessarily how they'll be

approached. They also offer an opportunity to experiment with different ideas.

 

What's great about a journal/book, is that when considered in the early stages, it can help get your head

around a project with goals in mind.

<p>The project or the series is a open topic for me.<br>

If you art photographer</a> or an artist in any medium I do not think you have a specific timeframe. You might work on a project and then close it and never come back to it, for me it is all open expierence..<br>

Sometimes I would start photographic specific object and then put together a series.<br>

Soetimes I come up with a new idea and know this work will belong to the specific series or I can call it a project.</p>

<p>For examples I have been doing Plastic Landscapes for a year and so and know that this plastic compositions in my landscapes will belong to my plastic series.<br>

At the same time i do my classical landscape, traditional black and white landscape that i have been doing for a long time.</p>

<p>In the landscape work I can later pick a up ocean or trees or mountains and so on.</p>

<p>This i what I love about art it is flexible and you do what you feel is right, what you feel will be great, beautiful, different. </p>

<p ></p>

<p>Moods, creative energies, and contemplations continuously change. To avoid photographer's block I have a repertoire of ongoing personal themes in the back of the mind for when an image shows up. I always think "series". Series pictures expand and reinforce each other. There is always a surprise waiting that makes a set cohere. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>BRAD: They (books) are easy to create; especially after you've done a couple. Usually, though not always, they're designed to offer a linear representation of your story. Though that's not necessarily how they'll be approached. They also offer an opportunity to experiment with different ideas</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This past twelve months I did five "work in progress" Blurb books and a couple of single theme books. They each have around sixty pictures. The WIP books are mostly urban and sub-themes comprised of daily casual shooting. Once I get near a book's worth of subsets or just one theme I concentrate on refinement. I have more serious and complex projects that will take years to think through. I can't say enough about the value of doing books to refine photographic skills and judgment. The ego boost alone is encouraging. </p>

<p> </p><div></div>

Brad, your description of a book as "easy to create" can be a bit misleading. It depends on what kind of book you are doing. People can refer to all sorts of publications as books, but when you have a 14-page contract that specifies 250-300 photos, 22,000 words, drop-dead deadlines, penalties subtracted from your royalties for non-compliance on any number of items in that contract, and so on, it is not easy to create. And when the result is a 144-page hard-bound book that is selling in stores and the largest online booksellers, you don't use it as a "business card." You have business cards that help you sell the book. I look at it as selling 250 of my photos for $29.99 -- quite a bargain, actually. I agree with you, however, about the book project helping you get your head around a project with goals in mind. When you present your research along with your photos, you get recognized as someone who knows a thing or two about the subject, and you get invited to speak about it and sign your books. It's a great feeling.

Will, I offered advice that was appropriate for the scope of the OP's question and the nature of the thread.

And based on that, I stand by what I said. Certainly there are much more involved projects, but have a

feeling the OP wasn't starting there.

<p>Thank you everyone for the insight. There are both some very interesting and enlightening approaches here. I don't think I am quite ready to look at publishing a book although I can appreciate how it focuses ones work.</p>

<p>At this point I think I may just turn off my mind and float for awhile. Never know what may be downstream but there's nothing wrong with that.</p>

<p>Regards, James </p>