Digital BW, The Print

I hasten to add that I have no problem with anyone of any income level being active in photography. In fact some of those with more discretionary income than most, are helping keep some of the rest of us afloat, seriously committed to their work, and insisting on high quality services. I have a few clients who are dedicated to their work and would prefer a large gorgeous print of an image of theirs over a painting from an art gallery, in their home, thank goodness!
It's the surrounding community that has tapered off support of those artists who can not afford to finance their own shows etc... and also the rise of these on line venues that literally offer nothing whatsoever to the artists but a pat on the back and exposure to rights violations. I was talking to a very successful person involved in all of this, and he said quite blatantly.. all this has resulted in content being almost valueless, and the money is in the delivery systems. Kinda looked at me like I was crazy for being an "artist".
All these things are the result of a crap economy and of course the arts always take a huge hit. Problem is, many of us thought this bottomed out a few years back, but it continues on down... 
To all of you experiencing this, hey I'm in it with you.. all I can say is your imagery is your life's work, having taken everything you have and many years of commitment to develop. Just because it seems valueless to the public at large these days, doesn't mean it is valueless to you, or history, or culture, or me and others like us. Don't let it be misused..
More ranting..
Tyler

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "E.Neilsen" <e.neilsen2@...> wrote:
>
> Burning Man _ Camera , but with piles of old Ink Jet, cameras, etc. We make
> a mass pilgrimage to some place in Utah, where pollution is highly accepted
> and burn the holy cap out of the worthless, near worthless, make a make in
> the deserts of the high plains. Video , FB, YouTube. .. Rant the F away
> Tyler, I am with you : ) 
>  
>  a giant incinerator..   We could of invite any number of well to do with
> their gear and convince them it's all for a good cause.. take their gear and
> throw it in. 
>  
> Eric Neilsen
> Eric Neilsen Photography
> 4101 Commerce Street, Suite 9
> Dallas, TX 75226
>  
> www.ericneilsenphotography.com
> skype me with ejprinter
> Let's Talk Photography
>  
>   _____  
> 
> From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of tboleyyh
> Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 6:09 PM
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Digital BW] Re: Photography That Doesn't Suck
>  
>   
> exactly.. precisely.. etc.. this is what I am seeing and experiencing as
> well. But not only are accomplished artists competing with amateurs selling
> on the budget market, even licensing their work for next to nothing for the
> fun of it, but also "artists" not required to be viable financially because
> they are otherwise funded.. spouses of the 1%, etc.
> But I have to say.. in my experience photographers are their own worse
> enemies.. particularly in the assignment world, accepting lower and lower
> fees, giving away rights, giving up viable percentages of their stock,
> thinking they will somehow be competetive.. no, now they are just broke..
> and of course health insurance a myth from past legends around the camp
> fire.
> Perhaps photography that doesn't suck will be just dandy, and an exception,
> but on line sharing I am seeing is being "curated" and hosted by people who
> have no idea what they are talking about, and simultaneously providing,
> knowingly or not (FB knows EXACTLY what they are doing) essentially a free
> grab bag of content.
> My friend Lauren Henkin just chewed out the flack photo dude in public to
> the point he was speechless, and the growing crowd around gave her an
> ovation at the wrap up...
> You think he's even heard of, oh I don't know.. Samuel Bourne? Albert
> Renger-Patzsch? Do you think he knows John Paul Caponigro has a dad..
> living.. a master?
> 
> We're eating ourselves up from the inside out. Where's the cultural
> continuity of our loved medium? The history? 
> 
> Sorry for the rant.
> Tyler
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint%40yahoogroups.com> , Walker Blackwell
> wrote:
> >
> > As a digital printmaker and artist directly interested in and surviving
> in, the art world, I'm extremely depressed by the current economic state of
> affairs. 
> > 
> > That said, I think we can all adapt. Well, we'll have to. Lowering ones
> overhead is key. I survived on $12,000 last year--personal rent and food
> included in that number. That was so I could rebuild Black Point Editions
> into a different organization more in-tune with what is going on in the
> community.
> > 
> > I print for a lot of big names. Many of them are struggling more than I
> because they have lifestyles to live and health insurance to pay and
> families to feed. They also have international shows to support and
> galleries are not funding shipping and framing like they used to. Now you
> can be in the top 200 of artists and have 5 huge shows a year and not be
> able to afford a studio or health insurance while you can be a relatively
> unknown artist selling to the budget market and making a handsome
> > profit. It's all kinda crazy.
> > 
> > In the end, I believe the people who buckle down and do the real work will
> be fine when the dust settles. But we are also the people who will define
> the landscape once that dust is settled. Either us or the wider financial
> market that seems hell-bent on downward costs and lower profits for working
> artists to the benefit of well-known galleries and art investors. There's a
> perceptual fight to be had.
> > 
> > Best,
> > Walker
> >
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>