The interview with Marc Wilson was interesting to listen to how his commercial practice allows him to undertake longer term projects that he considers are important bodies of work. For me I found the discussion beneficial for a number of reasons firstly when finalising my project proposal I decided that I would only cost the project based on production cots and not include costs for my own time which I consider is ethically correct if the project driven by your own desire to tell the store and for me if you want other people to back the project either financially or in kind they will want to see that you have made a personal commitment to the project. For the me giving time for free to a project is a commitment that shows I believe in my stories.
Now that I have a small number of images that are starting to define my project I am finding it easier to discuss the project with other people. What has been great is the positive feedback I have from people when I share those images on my phone. Though I really like the idea of creating a small box of images that start to define my project because I agree there is something really powerful about the printed image compared with the ease we can flick through images on a phone.
Another element that I found resonates with my longer vision for my practice is the use of 1 project to act as seed money for the next project. I watched a video by a Sandro Miller on creating a body of work and I could identify parallels with point made in the interview by Marc about the integrated use of social media, the photobook and exhibitions. Sandro Miller made the point that the Photobook can be viewed as a calling card when speaking to galleries about exhibiting work.
I plan to spend time over the break to create a 1 page proposal for my project that I can share with people who are interested in the project. I think it will be useful when I am approaching different organisations as part of the project. Over break I plan to do further research work to help refine the project ahead of the next module. This will include creating a shortlist of photographers who are creating work similar to my project and scouting of the different locations that will feature in the different coastal journeys that will make-up the project.
