seeking: stark raving lunatics
April 4th, 2008After reading Where are all the goddam photos, something in my head clicked. Not that photographers need a new way of doing things — I'd figured that out already — but that I wasn't the only one in this same situation trying to do this same damn thing.
Every day I see Photographers making it big. And every day I see photographers loving the craft, doing what they can, and not even trying to make it. But I didn't realize how many people there are out there in my exact same situation. And most of them aren't photographers.
I like looking to musicians when thinking about photography because like the public’s taste in music, taste in photography is subjective and attracting people to it is way more complicated than just creating the best image.
– Rob Haggart // where are all the goddamn photos
Creating the "best image" is only a very small part of this. Yeah, Martin Prihoda is awesome. But as I watch him work behind the scenes with Delerium, aside from appreciating the results, which are fantastic, my single strongest thought is, "DUH!". The lighting is simple. The framing, average. The location, obvious. Yes, it's a fantastic shot. But it's certainly not outside of the realm of what I'm completely capable of. But he's getting paid, and I'm not. So, there's something more to it than getting the "best image". A lot more.
The photographer has got to stop thinking they deliver a product TO BE framed. Rather, they need to deliver a product that is already framed. Build the story, build the frame and you can grow the revenue.
Here’s the real kicker, though. You have to have to have something to say. And it’s a hell of lot more work to build that frame.
– Sean Cayton // comment
I've always considered this to be the case: in this crazy, overstuffed, digital age, being the best isn't enough. Lots of people are the best. I've got to have a story, and a reason, and a drive. I've got to be different. I've got to be special. I've got to have someone as interested in looking at the subject I've selected as I am in photographing it. And it helps a lot if I bring a few people with me.
But if I’m passionate about a subject, and I’m following a particular photographer who distributes (for free) a work-in-progress on that subject, and once it’s finished she asks me to pony up for the book?
It’s a no-brainer. Of course I’m going to, ’cause I’m a true fan.
– Sean Cayton // comment
Regardless of your choice of art form, if you leave out the "big break" effect, the True Fan is the key. For every head-over-heels, stark-raving-mad, TRUE fan you have, there is a circle of friends that surrounds him wishing he'd just shut up about you. And that's they key.
Anyone producing works of art needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living.
A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the mug, and the hat. They can't wait till you issue your next work. They are true fans.
[...] Assume conservatively that your True Fans will each spend one day's wages per year in support of what you do. That "one-day-wage" is an average, because of course your truest fans will spend a lot more than that. Let's peg that per diem each True Fan spends at $100 per year. If you have 1,000 fans that sums up to $100,000 per year, which minus some modest expenses, is a living for most folks.
– Kevin Kelly // 1,000 True Fans
I used to think that finding True Fans began with my friends. I thought that if I could impress them with my work, gain their interest, acceptance, and word of mouth, that it would spread like wildfire. What I'm starting to realize is that people aren't generally stark-raving-mad about their friends. Not publicly, anyway. Not to strangers. And if you're good friends, then you already know all the people they know, which rules them all out too. I have an example of this exact situation.
I met a girl once at a party. I had only a very vague idea of who she was, but she knew me. The minute she realized I was me she became giddy and star-struck. The whole thing was surreal and amazing. I was high from it for weeks. I wanted more. I thought that the best way to nurture that fanatic was to befriend them. I don't regret that for even one second as she is a fantastic friend to me. But that whole giddy star-struck thing went away as soon as I became real and human to her.
Friends are often willing to say, "I know a guy who take photos. You should talk to him" when the conversation is directed that way. But friends aren't the people who post a new blog entry that says "Have you seen Daniel's newest photo?! OMG, I want to have like 10,000 of his babies!"
Friends are great. They fuel my work, they support its creation, they offer ideas, and subjects, and sounding boards, and shoulders. They are incredible, and amazing, and beautiful, and necessary. But they don't pay the bills.
I need to attract some fans to my work — some true, stark raving lunatics. Thankfully, I've got an excellent, inside source of information on them: I just happen to be one.
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