Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2013/07/03

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Subject: [Leica] Re; Accidental photojournalist
From: imagist3 at mac.com (George Lottermoser)
Date: Wed, 03 Jul 2013 12:50:50 -0500
References: <8D04628C1C94D7D-1A60-75327@webmail-m299.sysops.aol.com>

On Jul 3, 2013, at 12:20 PM, lrzeitlin at aol.com wrote:

> For every artist who is exhibited, I know 10 equally talented artists who 
> never found an outlet. Look at the LUG. The Gallery is replete with 
> excellent photographs, most taken by "non-professionals" whose pictures 
> will be seen only by close friends and on the web. Ted, Tina, and some few 
> others have managed to break the barrier but there are plenty of other 
> LUGGERS whose work is equally as good.
> 
> 
> In my day if you wanted to get paid for taking pictures, you did one of 
> two things. You worked for a media outlet, newspaper or magazine, or you 
> tried to establish an independent freelance or "professional" business. 
> While some "professionals" managed to live quite nicely, most barely 
> scraped by or failed completely. I bought most of my cameras from failed 
> professionals. Sometimes "security" is better than starving.

Larry,

We seem to be talking past one another a bit; not unusual as we've had 
different experiences.

I began my visual art career at 14, in 1960, as an assistant in a successful 
commercial studio.
The studio catered to Advertising Agency and Corporate Clients.
Between 1967 and 1972 or 3 I earned my living, and my way through college
as a free lance photo journalist, and graphic designer, selling to local 
newspapers and magazines.

Since 1973 and through the late 90s I managed to earn fairly well doing a 
combination of;
editorial photography, corporate photography and graphic design, gallery 
shows and print sales.

Each of those markets has had its ups and downs over the years and decades.

In every case protection of the right to use and license the work remained 
important;
not only to me but to all of my peers working in photography, illustration 
and graphic design.
At the height of my career I was a member of both ASMP and the Graphic 
Artists Guild.
Both organizations have worked tirelessly at protecting and valuing creative 
work.

My first wife, of 25 years, also made a good living as a fine art painter.
I have many friends who are professional artists, photographers, painters, 
sculptors, metal workers, and musicians.
I know how the art markets have worked historically as well as currently.

Tina's career or mine or many others do not fit the model that you seem feel 
is the only rigid view of how things worked
"in your day" "my day" or "to day."

We could discuss any creative market in terms of blue chip international 
"history book" success,
regional success and/or local success;
as well as several other parameters and paradigms.

Regards,
George Lottermoser 
george at imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com
http://www.imagist.com/blog
http://www.linkedin.com/in/imagist







Replies: Reply from kanner at acm.org (Herbert Kanner) ([Leica] Re; Accidental photojournalist)
In reply to: Message from lrzeitlin at aol.com (lrzeitlin at aol.com) ([Leica] Re; Accidental photojournalist)