Why does it cost so much to join the Documentary Photography Club ?
The truth is that it does not have to , especially in the digital age , once you get past kitting yourself out , you can make a start with no more than a tale to tell , some serious intent and a way to share your pictures !
The sharing pictures bit seems to be the place where good people get lost , exploited and misled , it does not have to be like that , lets clear a few things up …
Photographs no longer posses the uniqueness that they once did , as the saying goes everyone’s a photographer now , I’m not sure I agree with that but the fact is that more than 1.4 trillion photographs were made in 2021 and that is expected to increase in 2022 as the Covid threat recedes. That is not to say that 1.4 trillion “Good” pics were made in 2021 but the medium of still photographs can not compete with TV as a first choice visual medium .
More importantly the market for Documentary Photography is not what it once was but that doesn’t appear to impact on photographers wanting to tell their stories with still cameras / camera phones . Educational establishments are still churning out more togs with Doc & Editorial aspirations than the world needs right now , truth be told photographer supply has been greater than the international demand for professional photographers for many years !
The harsh reality is that you are unlikely to become the next “Big Thing” , photographers who are very talented , hard working and connected are blessed with more downtime than ever before right now , so the space for newcomers is shrinking , the thing you need to be sure of is your motivation , if your plan is to make shit loads of cash by photographing socially challenged folk , your heading for a fall , financially and morally !
In short you should believe that the subject of your Doc Photography is compelling on a personal level , visually interesting and ideally threatened by some form of societal change , you need to be committed financially , emotionally and sufficiently time rich to get a project over the finishing line , do it for you and you alone , if others like it that’s a bonus …
Having ticked all the boxes so far a outlet for your “Documentary Masterpiece” needs to be identified , or does it ?
This is your first real test , the real priority is to get the project in the can , putting the cart before the horse with dreams of book deals etc is not helpful , think back to your motivation , share a few pics on line to gauge reaction but don’t be distracted , vanity is insanity in publishing !
“VANITY” that is where the problems start , togs by their nature believe that the work they make is better than it really is , projects are shot with little thought for commercial viability , does the world really need your photo project or is your current series self indulgent ?
Self indulgence is fine so long as your expectations are managed , the secret of happiness in personal self initiated Documentary Photography is to share your work online until a real life paid opportunity reveals itself , most Doc projects age well , so don’t be in a hurry to self publish in print , the money saved could fund your next project , pay the rent or feed and heat your family for a month or three !
The current trend for photographers to self publish at any cost does not sit well with me , many togs see publication as a endorsement of their talent , skill and vision , know this , the new larger audience for photo-books is not as discerning as it once was , this is probably linked to new funding models and the “Fact” that we are all photographers now ?
Social media popularity is no reflection of ability in todays Photo-Land or should that be La La Land ?
Don’t pay to have your work included in a book or allow free usage of your work , it will not be “Good” exposure , it will send a message that your photography is worth nowt , or less than nowt if you have paid for the “Privilege” of inclusion !
Don’t get caught up in the vanity of print publishing , the kudos of self publishing will soon wear off when your stuck with hundreds of unsold books in the attic , remember selling your Photo-Book will not be nearly as engaging as shooting your next project , there are only so many hours in a day , do you really want to pay for the privilege of becoming a book seller ?
Hundreds of the famous A1 Great North Road Photo Book by Paul Graham languished in Paul’s loft for ages before the world discovered him and his work , think about that …
In short , aim to make your photography publishing profitable , this mentality will help you focus on the reality of the demand for your work rather than being carried away with unrealistic hope , optimism and charity , like I said , vanity is insanity in all things photo- book publishing !
If you insist on following the Photo-Book road ensure that you have the support of good distribution , printing only 1000 copies will not enable you to keep the wolf away for long , if your very lucky you might break even ?
If you can afford to self publish with the same mentality as backing a horse in the Grand National then make the wager but if you live your life without a financial safety net , don’t !
Profit is not a dirty word , it’s the difference between creative folk feeling safe and secure in a uncertain world …
If your not blessed with piles of cash beware of those trying to exploit your photographic aspirations , many care not one jot for your photography ,
Take care and beware of the old vanity publishing scam in all its forms , Grandmaster Flash knew a thing or two about photo-book publishing …
It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
Ha ha ha ha …
PS : Keeping and maintaining a good personal website might help early career togs reach a larger audience , build a following & create print sales , online self publication is not second best , its flexible , always accessible and free to your audience , a great place to learn as you develop , sequence and share your ongoing projects before jumping into the abyss , I know you still want to jump into the abyss , you think your the one …
You might be , good luck …
MORE…
If your blessed with a bit more time feel free to click above and visit highlights from my Another Day Off project , The State Of Britain series and The Testing Times pictures , they represent the most turbulent years in modern British history and ten years of my life…