[Lightstalkers] Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:55:31 +0000

If you read the interview of Nick Nichols, you might have seen that he, Jon Golden and the other organizers are keen on finding a way to have more photographers show work at the festival. He's also interested specifically in finding a way to show the work of LSers, since he says he was impressed with the LSers he met at Perpignan. (A big thanks to those of you who were there.) Who is planning on going to the the event in Charlottesville, and would you want to have a way to submit work? Any ideas on process? I imagine that we would not want to recreate the wheel, so I was thinking of having people submit images to a Flickr group, then having members vote on which they thought were best...? Thanks, W

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 14:45:18 +0000

Any thoughts? Anyone planning on going? Here were some of Nick's thoughts on having LSers participate. Nick and Jon have tossed around ideas, from doing something similar to Here is New York to finding a way to do a projection event. That’s one of the frustrating things for me, that we can’t have everyone who comes show work. [Nick hopes for ideas from the Lightstalkers community. He says that a lot of Lightstalker members were young /emerging photographers with an enthusiasm “like some kind of virus running around.”] We do have an exhibit space called “Your Space,” and everybody who walks in there can have a print made and hang it on a clothes line, that’s kind of mimicking ““Here Is New York,” [a “democracy of photographs” created to document 9/11]. Of course, the work won’t be as cohesive. As “Your Space” grows every year, we can come up with a theme. I really want the idea of [young and emerging photographers like those on Lightstalkers] sitting around, showing work and talking about it. Because that’s the thing of the festival that I’m most concerned about losing.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:03:19 +0000

well, you could do a show similar to a slideluck potshow, or more than one if enough people want to show work.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:15:14 +0000

I am certainly interested in going to the featival, I used to live in the area, and would also be interested in finding a way to show work. The flickr group is a pretty good idea, or if the organizers are interested, could we not submit directly to them via email or our own weblinks, photoshelter, flickr, etc?

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 15:39:11 +0000

I'd be interested to go and show the work (it is a nice drive from here). As Jeremy said if they really want this to happen it should be easy for them to set up some kind of submit guidelines (so many possibilities today), post it here, people would respond...

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:03:49 +0000

Because this is their first formal year, Nick, Jon and the other organizers are strapped for resources. Assuming we get a good LS turnout, they are hoping we can manage the initial submission process ourselves. The organizers are very interested in finding an outlet for LSers, though; Nick says the LSers he's met are a lot like the people who used to show up in his backyard (back when the event was more of an informal gathering). Last time I traded emails with Jon, it seems like they are leaning towards a (digital) slideshow. My own thoughts were to have people submit to a Flickr group. (Posting them in a thread here would be unwieldy, wouldn't it?) If there are a lot of submissions, we could have people vote on their favorites. Whatever we decide, the submission and selection processes should be as open and democratic as possible. Further thoughts? Thanks. I hope Jon is floating around and can give his thoughts too.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 17:54:00 +0000

Wayne, LS is about a free flow of ideas.....all you need is a small room in Charlottesville with a digital projector, keep it open 8 hours a day for anyone to show on a first come first served basis, with a sign up sheet. However wants to stop by, can stop by to show and discuss there work and look at others. This needs to be free and open to everyone, donations of course accepted.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 18:40:20 +0000

Hi Guys, for right now.. if you all can decide what images you want to represent LS.. I have projectors, and machines... Once you all have X number of images from X number of people.. I just need you to take on the judging/deciding... and length.. if you figure 3.5-5s per image...and order someone can upload them to our FTP or send me a disk.. Lets say your deadline is end of april for the moment.. Although we want to let you show whatever you want.. please understand it will most likely be in a public situation.. and I have city and state laws I will have to respect. We need no funding from LS to do it.. I am still not 100% that I can do it.. but am 95% certain we will find a way.. LS0001.jpg --> LS _____ .jpg I will be using a HD projector so I will be floating Images in a frame size / footprint of 1920x 1080 x 72dpi x Jpeg(MAX) (my testing indicates no difference between 72 and 300 on a projector - please correct me if you know I am wrong) and I will be using Keynote. I will loop the projection and it will run constantly. Jon

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 00:26:50 +0000

Jon confirmed that they are thinking about a show for LSers that would run 1 to 1 1/2 hours, which they would loop two to three times during one of the nights. While ideally this would be completely free form (in keeping with the spirit of LS, as Andy notes), it obviously would help the organizers out immensely if we set the show up beforehand. Still not sure how many people here are planning on going. IMHO, posting to a Flickr group (created for this purpose) would be the easiest way to post submissions and allow everyone to view and vote on images. Anyone strongly allergic to that idea? Thanks! W

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 05:28:34 +0000

actually we would try to put the show up 3-5 of the nights.. so it would run between dark and midnight/1am/2am each night for a week.. It needs to loop at some reasonable time frame so you can see the whole show.. Jon

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 06:57:25 +0000

Thanks for clarifying, Jon. W

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 10:50:38 +0000

about 3-5 pics/person is right, what about using a script that chooses them at random and have it run continously

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 21:43:44 +0000

I have HD projectors and will run everything in Keynote.. so it is loop-able.. that way we can have names b4 images, or name on first of X images I will probably stagger the start at different times each day so that same images do not run at same time each night.. - Jon

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 16:26:28 +0000

Can LS'ers such as myself who can't be present submit images to be shown?

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 02:45:00 +0000

I/We are leaving that all up to the community.. you do not have to be present. Whatever the community decides to send us.. I will run, our only stipulation is that since this will be a public presentation we have to restrict things that might not be suitable for outdoor display. But I am hoping that LS'er's will deal with all that as they choose/decide. And I wont have to. JG

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 02:56:29 +0000

I have 200 or so Lightstalker shots that I "bookmarked" a few years ago when I was doing research for another project that never happened which would show off Lightstalker members.......if you want to use these I am glad to send them along, they have the photographers names in the titles.. I think its an interesting and eclectic selection. Do you think that would be acceptable to the photographers? I can't imagine anyone objecting, they were all in the galleries....but who knows.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 08:59:16 +0000

Andy, while I trust your taste I think it really is up to us LSers to decide first if we want to send pics, and then which ones... Jon so can I just email them to you?

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 09:33:17 +0000

Not sure if it's too late for this but to lessen the load on the organizers, how about photographers show up with their own prints but with tear strips (with your web address) cut underneath, like they you used in college when selling books, etc.. I know some people are sensitive about their art and how it's presented but sounds very practical to me and an easy way for people to follow up with you if they like your work.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 13:05:39 +0000

Good to see all the interest and feedback. Sounds like we have enough ideas now that we need to start getting input from more members. I think we can assume two things: first, that we need to organize this ourselves, so that we can take it off the hands of the organizers, and second, it should be digital, since it will be easier to show / move /etc. I agree with Tommy that LSers ought to bring materials with them too, however. Maybe Jon would consider letting us set up a table somewhere? These seem to be the key open issues at this point:

(a) Do LSers need to be present at the festival in order to show work?

(b) Should this be a new submission process, or would you want the festival to consider a ready-made photo pool, like the one Andy has already put together (or the one we have in our Flickr pool)?

(c) Should submissions be open to all subjects and themes? Or to give it at least some unity, could we consider a fairly open-ended theme? Given world events, I like the idea of an LS reprise of the great Family of Man exhibit, which I think would be open enough to encompass the breadth of work of most LSers.

Thoughts...? W

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:09:08 +0000

Tommy I like it, a photo flea market. So do we have an LS member who has confirmed that he/she is going? It seems to me the brunt of the responsibility for the implementation of this thing will fall on that person(s). My vote for the theme is "Inside a Whale".

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 15:27:44 +0000

Wayne, I think you and Jon need to come up with something and that will be it......whateve you decide is fine. But simpler is definitely better and voting, etc, is just too cumbersome for something like this. Either you take whatever people give you or you go with an edit, by me or someone else.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 16:54:26 +0000

I am pretty sure I will be there, moving back to NC in a month or so, but it seems that those not present should be able to be included, it will give a better selection of work form all over this forum and it seems to me that is what it is all about. Perhaps a compromise should be to find a palce to submit photos, flickr, an email address, etc and select 2 "judges" who can thin down the submissions to a representative and powerful selection. The judges, I think it should be 2 at least to get a broader view, could be volunteers, Andy seems interested, and perhaps Wayne as he is a driving force so far in this endevor, but these are only suggestions and we should let those people wishing to take on the responsibility speak for themselves. Hope we can work this out, seems like a good opportunity Jeremy

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:16:19 +0000

It can be done fairly so everyone is represented with something in the mix, regardless of who does it, and I am happy to pass along the 200 or so I have marked.

Too bad its PG-13 because Michael's Russian porno shoot would give everyone a rise. :)

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:12:48 +0000

Andy for 5 bucks i'll show you the loose edit.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:31:00 +0000

I like the idea of using Andy's handpicked 200 or so photos as a base as well. If I understand Jon correctly, there can be up to 720 to 1200 photos. (Selections from the Flickr pool as another base?) Would someone be interested in helping with the additional selections? Andy? I would volunteer, but it makes sense to turn to someone like Andy or Jon Anderson, whose photo judgment is far more trustworthy than mine--they're also among the most active and integral members of LS. I would be happy to help on the logistical side (helping with the submissions and emails), burning the final selections to a DVD, corresponding with the judges and festival organizers and so on. W

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 18:46:07 +0000

Paypal?

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 19:22:02 +0000

I will try to clarify these points (a) Do LSers need to be present at the festival in order to show work? I/We do not care if the LSers are present... unless the LS community decides you need to be present - that is all up to you (b) Should this be a new submission process, or would you want the festival to consider a ready-made photo pool, like the one Andy has already put together (or the one we have in our Flickr pool)? It MUST be a selected group of X images given to me BEFORE the event starts.. I have given Wayne tech specs.. But I need to make this show a turn key and set projection Prior to the event.. We will have another venue where ANYONE that shows up can print a frame or two and hang in a space - if you look on the website it is called MySpace - this projection is designed by me to be a LSers show.. - with images chosen by LSer's around the world. But it will be a fixed projection and once you give me the X images then it is fixed and unchangeable.. as I will not have time to manage any changes (c) Should submissions be open to all subjects and themes? Or to give it at least some unity, could we consider a fairly open-ended theme? Given world events, I like the idea of an LS reprise of the great Family of Man exhibit, which I think would be open enough to encompass the breadth of work of most LSers. I like the idea of a LSer Family of Man.. but I will leave that decision up the community with the PG-13 understanding..

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 19:57:09 +0000

Your plain brown zip file is on its way.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:02:11 +0000

I am definitely gonna be there (already paid in my jack), probably from the beginning to the end. I am, however, in the Masterclass for most of two days, and may have homework afterwards! Subject to that, I am happy to help in any way possible. I like the idea of an LS branded slideshow, no voting, maybe having the photog's name and a one- or two-word location (Haiti, New York, etc.) at the bottom of each frame (photogs themselves responsible for both). I would say that each LS who wants to be included submit a disk of 5-10 shots to Jon (I am assuming that 100 LS people will submit). Make a deadline for submission of, say, June 1 (is that too late, Jon?). Then let it run continuously for the three days in some slightly darkened location.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 21:31:58 +0000

BTW, I would be in favor of not having anyone screen the submissions (other than for porn, indecency, or other feature that would not fly well in rural Virgin-eye-ay). LS has always been more about allowing everybody a forum than assuring that the level of presentation is uniformly excellent. Applying that rationale here would operate against the notion of screening submissions.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 23:19:52 +0000

Maybe its best to remove all credits and simply put this forward as the work of all LS, and as a tribute to Teru and Shinji. That would be a reasonably acceptable amount of work for a volunteer effort. Otherwise I think getting uniformity in the credits becomes problematic. Would people be agreeable to credits appearing at the end?

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 23:34:47 +0000

i like Andy's idea....a tribute to Teru and Shinji is APATLY appropriate...to demonstrate what LS has accomplished, gathered and created and what it will continue to foster.....i can't think of a more appropriate showcasing of what LS means and what Teru has spawned than to do something for them....if you need an image, let me know (i'll talk to Marina also) and i'll contribute if it's in honor of LS :))).... cheers b

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 04:36:29 +0000

will be there... i look forward to seeing how this shakes out... i'm a fan of crediting each photographer as the show goes along, but i'm not married to it.. frankly for me it would be fine either way.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 14:07:14 +0000

One way or another this is going to happen. Lets start getting images in now; the event is only three months away and everyone has a full plate. Either send to the Flickr that Wayne has or send jpegs to my email and we will figure out what to do....

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 15:15:31 +0000

Super glad that Andy is going to be involved. I'll touch base with Andy; let's see if we can post some kind of guidelines by tonight. In the meantime, please hold off on submissions until we come up with some prelim process. Thanks, W

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:24:48 +0000

I am happy to credit each individually or as a group at the end - as you all see fit >>> BTW, I would be in favor of not having anyone screen the submissions (other than for porn, indecency, or other feature that would not fly well in rural Virgin-eye-ay) I agree completely

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 20:29:07 +0000

Tech specs: I will be using a 1080i HD projector and will use Apple Keynote to run the show. The frame size is 1920x1080. A Horizontal 35mm frame sizes at approx 1625 pixels x 1080 pixels by 72 dpi. This would be floated in a Black 1920x1080 frame. 1080 pixels for the height is always the determining factor. If LS wants to give me files sized at the appropriate frame size and numbered 0001 -> XXXX - saved as jpg(12) or Tiffs - I can build the show.. Or if you have someone confident in building this show to my specs I can work with them over the phone/skype/chat. If I am building the show I will need all the files by Mid-May, if you are building the show I can give you till the 3rd week in may.. We have a rehearsal of all shows planned, internally the last week of May.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Sat, 10 Mar 2007 16:14:47 +0000

So, since at this point it looks like we can confirm the attendance of less than 5 LSers -- eh! It looks we're going to have to allow those not in attendance to contribute.

Re: Showing images at Festival of the Photograph - ideas?

Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:40:22 +0000

Thanks again to Nick and Jon for offering to let LS show images in such a slideshow. Thanks to Andy for offering to help with the selections process. Here is a new thread welcoming submissions for the slideshow. W