Sunday, May 27, 2012

Shameless Self Promotion

This blog was spotlighted today, Sunday, on Scoop.it!  which is a blog dedicated to the Fujifilm X-Pro-1 camera. These have been a difficult few weeks for me, so it's nice to get some recognition.

Shooting street images is the food that feeds my soul. The food that feeds my belly, however, is much more materialistic than spiritual. So I have begun exploring possibilities. Shooting journalistic stories is not a viable possibility anymore - I'm just too old - but since I have a knack for photographing people, I want to put that to use by photographing social events - private parties, social gatherings at churches and synagogues, dinners - that sort of thing. It's going to require a marketing effort on my part, and I'm not very skilled at that. I've been called the King of Shmooze my a number of my friends, and I hope to use that to some effect to network and get the word around that I'm available.

This is an exciting veture for me. Scary, because I need to get out of my comfort zone, and because I need to generate income. But usually, after the anxiety of the unknown wears off a bit, I do pretty well rising to challenges.

I have several bodies of work that I am beginning to prepare as e-books. The Lightroom Book module is quite a flexible tool for creating them. The first will be I Hear A Voice Calling - Photographs of Bill Monroe. That's almost done. The second will be Manhattan Diaspora - New York's Lower East Side. And the one(s) following that will be of my street photography. I'm not at all sure how I'll market the books, but it will probably involve paypal. Stay tuned for more info in later posts.

Now, here's your treat for reading this far and bearing with me. I shot this last week in the Brooklyn River Park that is part of the DUMBO neighborhood. The gentle nonchalance of the man grabbed my attention. The background was in dark shade and the sunshine gave him a glow that screamed out for a shot. As always, the b/w conversion was made with Nik SilverEfex Pro 2. Thank you Nik for all of your amazing plugins. The flexibility afforded by Nik Software has allowed me to fulfill and expand my creativity.




9 comments:

  1. Gene I think you perfectly manage the activity that you described. Newly termino movie (23 June) I'm preparing to realize the book about street photography, but here in Italy but I also think you have a privacy problem, in theory for each photo should have a disclaimer of the person portrayed, for the web, an impossible situation, so if risk public complaints and compensation. You how you act? A hug and thanks

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  2. When I was 18 years, I wanted to be a press photographer. But the school was far away, and I don´t wanted to leave my home town. So I never got a professionel photographer. Today I am very happy about it. I take lots of photos all the time - and most important the photos shall - as you write "feed my soul". If I was a professionel it should feed my customers soul. The most professionel photographers I know don´t take photos, expect on their work. Sometime people ask me to take photos to example their wedding - my answer is "NO".
    So Gene, I know your passion for photography is so important for you, that I afraid you will lose it if you got a kind of professionel.

    But fortunately you are a great fiddler. I am sure many people will pay you to learn them play the fiddle or violin...
    Then photography can feed your soul and the fiddle teaching can feed your belly...
    Thanks for writing this very interesting blog, which i am reading every time and enjoying the great street shots.

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    1. Daniel, I agree with you in that I want to enjoy my photography. But with so few options available at this point in time, I look to make use of my skills with both photography and music.

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  3. hello my friend, I can not visit more often, I hope you are in good health, I admire your passion for this art !!

    I agree with our friend Daniel, when money is involved, the passion disappears, you have a good goblin, wholehearted desire to continue showing us these wonderful street scenes

    you are one of the few people who made ​​that touches me with their images !!!

    a hug and kisses for our friend Gene !!!

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  4. Hello Gene,I hope everything is OK with you.Your photos are inspiration for me and I am sure for most street photographers all around the globe.As I mentioned before,I learned a lot from you ,but I strictly believe that feeling for photography is a god gift.I really enjoy taking streets shots,It is the part of second,will you get what you want or miss.That is the charm of street photography.Sometimes I get three or five good photos,sometimes non.I also use Nik SilverEfex Pro 2 for my street works and yes,it is fantastic tool.
    Good light my friend!

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  5. I've just got round to reading this article and I tried the link to Scoop.it! It doesn't appear to work - is there an address for this web site as I'd like to see what is being said about the X-Pro1.

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