Re: [Leica] Re: Political Correctness

[Stephen Gandy <Stephen@CameraQuest.com>]

I agree that Tina has to eat, but when a photog chooses their  commercial subject
matter,  taking some time to consider how it will be marketed can save a lot of
problems.  Apparently these issues hit her unaware, now she is left with the best
way to handle it, and still make a living.

I advocated a solution (by no means the only solution) for  the problem she set
herself up for.    By Tina's own statements, it  seems unlikely she will get many
exhibitions using what could be interpreted as the "buy a picture of the Honduran
downtrodden so Tina can get your bucks" marketing strategy.

On the other hand, going the donation route, my guess is she will have galleries
calling her, and have a hard time keeping up with the print orders.  A little bit
of a big pie is much more satisfying than all of a nonexistent pie.   In the long
run, the mailing list sales would probably surpass the initial sales -- turning a
lemon into lemonade.

Though you may disagree, I did think about what I wrote.  Whatever she chooses to
do is fine with me.  I wasn't attacking her, I was just offering what I believe to
a  solution to a marketing problem.   To me at least, merely siding with Tina's
initial lack of a successful marketing plan and portraying the gallery owners who
want to make money just as much as Tina, doesn't help her at all.  Following a
"you are wrong" not to show my work strategy with galleries can easily get her a
reputation as someone difficult to work with -- so that the next time she calls
they won't even talk to her.

Stephen Gandy

MicroGrid@aol.com wrote:

> Stephan,
>
> I'm not attacking you here but let's stop and think of what you are
> advocating.
> It seems too steep a price for Tina to have to give up a substantial part of
> her sales as a price to get a show or a book. I think Tina should take the
> photographs, write any captions, and earn any revenue from their sale. She
> can then decide to donate anything she chooses to whomever she chooses.
> I know you have a good heart, but do you sell your classic cameras, and give
> a substantial part of the sale to your favorite charity

the issue is not charity to me, the issue is a way for her to sell her prints.
This route overcomes possible objections to her work, at the time time making her
the caring  photographer who want to help her subjects.  It's smart marketing.

> (I am not commenting on your altruism here, of which I know nothing. I was
> simply looking for a metaphor, and this one obviously came to mind.)
> I know what you're getting at with your post, but if the gallery owners or
> purchasers have any "qualms" they can write the checks to the charities. In
> virtually everything I've seen of Tina's work, she includes an invitation of
> some kind or another for the viewer to donate.
> The gallery owners and publishers (or thier agents) are putting themselves
> behind Tina's camera, and telling her "how" she needs to accomplish HER
> project.
> >From the North? OK, give the camera to a local, and let them shoot the
> pictures.
> Captions? We don't think you should do this. Give the pen to someone you have
> photographed and have them write something.
> What's left of Tina Manley's work?
> Tina, like you and I has to eat.
> Sometimes I think that it's easy to ask people, such as Tina who are out
> there in the trenches, to do even more. I wonder how fair that is
>
> Bruce Bowman
> Killingworth CT
>
> In a message dated 7/18/00 12:34:48 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> Stephen@CameraQuest.com writes:
>
> << Although Tina does not exactly say so, it would seem her pics and possible
> book
>  are intended for sale.   If  the money from the pics goes to the photog in
> this
>  sort of project,  some will argue that the photog is trying to enhance their
>  photographic reputation and their  pocketbook on the backs of the less
> fortunate
>  -- exactly what the gallery owners want to avoid. Why not make a substantial
>  donation from the sale of each print and each book to an appropriate Honduran
>  relief fund, or perhaps the Red Cross for use in Honduras ?  Giving each
>  purchaser a xerox of the check to the charity would make them feel at ease,
> as
>  well as providing you with a future mailing list for future sales -- it would
>  also be a great sales tool.
>
>  Stephen Gandy >>