I really like this book, these images, this body of work; yeah, that's pretty much it... I-like-'em.
Awright, awright, I like 'em cause they're: square- kinda perfect little beings unto themselves; minimalist- don't have to answer to no one; different- never did anything like 'em, ever. That's right... and not one dick in any of 'em, so there!
Hey Stan,
ReplyDeleteHave you ever thought of entering any of your self-published books into one of the photobook competitions? I feel like you and I photograph in a similar manner, yes we have our hero shots that can stand alone, but to capture (no pun intended) the full meaning and scope of what we are trying to say, you have to see the finished product, the book for it all the make sense. At least that's what I tell myself after all my rejections for 2018.
You get rejected too!?!?
ReplyDeleteMost of the places (that I've seen- and I could be very wrong) that have photobook competitions of any sort don't allow Blurb books. And even if they did, you're still at a distinct disadvantage, since privately printed books allow all the bells, whistles and idiosyncrasies that are all the rage today...
Oh yeah, and I got some great ones too, Photolucida rejected me, although I wasn't under any delusion that I would make their top 50 or whatever, I was just hoping for a shortlist mention, since I've heard even those can garner you some attention in the photo world. I also I got turned down for an Adobe residency. The worst however was one competition (I'm not going to say their name) who didn't even bother to notify me that my work was unwanted, I just happened to see a story on the winner in one of the big art photo blogs (which I will also leave nameless). And I was hoping we'd both get into the New York Times portfolio review, so I could meet you in person!
DeleteThere are a couple of competitions, and that's all they allow is self published stuff (blurb books as well). They were all over my facebook timeline a few months ago, and I made mental notes of when I finally put together something more than a short zine, to send some stuff off.
That explains it- not on the FB!
ReplyDeleteYeah, the NY Times has (repeatedly) made it clear to me that I ain't worth a shit either...
Blurb, at its inception, held competitions which featured quality work and high end incentives to publicize its service. Then they just quit cold turkey. Pity they didn't continue that competition, even if the ultimate "prize" was a roll of film or a memory card.
That would be nice for Blurb to reconsider bringing that back, since there are a lot more photographers working in the book form.
DeleteHere's one competition that just had it's deadline in Jan, the Mack First Book Award:
http://www.firstbookaward.com/submissionguidelines/
And here's one that is coming up in July!
https://www.luciephotobookprize.org/submit
This one was one I really was gunning for, but they quit doing it in 2018 (prize was $10k no strings attached)
http://www.anamorphosisprize.com/prize/
It seems that PDN has something too
https://www.pdnphotoannual.com/fbcontests/profiletab/PDNANNUAL
Facebook has it's many, many horrible traits; but it's how I keep up with photoland.
Oh, and I was 0 for 10 in 2018! I felt I slacked a little, I was shooting for at least 15 rejections!
DeleteHey, don't think you can just casually waltz on in here and claim King of Rejection status-
ReplyDeletemy rep is all I got!!!
Honestly, I think (I know) I reached double figures in getting the boot myself last year. 2018- The year of no holds barred online rejection debauchery. I should go back and count 'em all, but I've well surpassed my pain safety threshold...
No way, I would never lay claim for the crown! Last year was my real first year trying to put myself out there (something I've never really done in any year prior), so that 0-10, that's like my rookie year stats!
DeleteAll jokes aside- Hope UR Luck better than mine...
ReplyDeleteThanks Stan, but I (and I'm sure I'm not alone in this), want to come to this blog one day and get some news about your work appearing in something, or you get that long overdue MacArthur!
ReplyDeleteApplying to a couple of calls right now (including one that turned me down last year, hopefully they like what I'm showing them this year...)