[Leica] Sell your Instasgram photo‹for $90,000

[Mark Rabiner]

Richard Prince was sued by a French photographer a few years back for re
photographing his work a thing Prince has been doing  in various ways for
years.  The French photographer won the case but years later it was
overturned by a judge who called his work "transformative". I would agree
this time with the judge though my heart must often goes to photogs not
having their intellectual property ripped off. Much of Princes message is
just what he is doing the nature of ownership of an image and the nature of
art itself. Me I don't do Instasgram yet I've been offended by the fake
borders and push button cross processing effects making people doing snaps
come off like more committed photo enthusiasts. But it has taken off and
involves more than that. But I do do Facebook and people are very concerned
as well about Marc Zuckerberg making off with their precious bodily fluids.
That headline has not hit yet. There has been no Glen Beck crying
photographer face of a guy who's just had his main shot appear on the cover
of the New York Times magazine with Zuckerberg getting all his much needed
cash. Zuckerberg does not need the money and knows which side of the bread
he has fore breakfast is buttered and which is not. And that is the trust of
his constituents. 
I find the main issue to be the non work of the antisocial people who are
not putting up their non existent or lame work so the world can see what
they're made off. These people dwell on the work of Richard Prince claiming
it validates them and in the end all we see is their new lens when we meet
them for coffee.
I strongly belive just about most important part of your workflo as a photo
enthusiast is showing your work to people and getting feedback. This is a
step you don't just don't get around to doing just like you'd not put your
print in the fix or wash.  This is something I'd not have to say to the
average person who is every day getting instant feedback on images they are
mainly making with their smart phones from many of their acquaintances. And
that's called Social Networking.  Ironic that those using real cameras dong
supposedly more committed work will stop at nothing to hold back letting
just about anybody see just about anything.
Social Networking would be the great evil to serious photography and you can
get that from a whole bunch of people who just don't ever do the work in the
first place. They just cant bare looking at their own jpegs to pick one out.


-- 
Mark William Rabiner
Photographer
http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lugalrabs/