Earlier this week I announced the initiation of my Take 5 series and more importantly talked about the first set of videos that I’d be producing focusing in on 10 women photographers. I wanted to take just a second and provide a bit more detail and my rationale for this focus.
I have, as I’m sure most you have as well, spent no small amount of time exploring and admiring the photographic work of others. What occurred to me, and still strikes me, is just how many amazing photographers there have been, and are, who remain for all intents an purposes essentially unknown. While we have celebrity photographers today more renowned for their shenanigans across social media frontiers, and as always the shock-and-awe photographers who tend towards all show and little substance, the fact remains that there are currently and always have been photographers out there who generate exceptional work, drive the cutting edge through innovation and remain unknown.
When I started my YouTube channel I had a clear set of goals in mind:
- High quality “how to” videos focused on illuminating and then demystifying all variety of photographic processes.
- A video production format and structure that REALLY imparted knowledge and truly enabled and motivated people to step out and give something a try.
- Videos designed to foster discovery, experience and learning.
- Videos intended to cultivate appreciation and inspire.
I looked at this blog as ultimately becoming a place for really elaborating on a topic and providing further specifics, links to resources and sometimes just my perspective. Keeping the videos to a reasonable lengths is important.
I always had in the back of my mind the intention to share more than just process in the spirit of discovery and inspiration. At the forefront was digging up and sharing all of the amazing work done by unknown, or lesser known, artists and photographers. This is the impetus behind the Take 5 series.
As I began to formulate my approach to the series, I also went back and began to consider many of the photographs and photographers which had a strong impact on me. To my surprise, the majority of these were women. Women working in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Women working in photography at a time with ALL OF THE CARDS were stacked against them. Women who were exceptional in their work and in many case absolutely driving the cutting edge, innovating dramatically and producing photographs which were sublime to my eyes. All of whom remain essentially unheralded today outside of bookworm academic circles at best.
I decided to make my list. To restrict my list to my top 10. This was not hard as my initial list greatly exceeded 10. The next challenge was how to approach these videos. The spirit of the Take 5 series is to limit the video to 5 minutes and to really just use it as a vehicle for exposing and cultivating interest. I want people to become inspired by these short videos and head off and explore. I resolved my approach and have set to work on production.
I intend to use this blog as a cooperative and correlated vehicle to support these videos as well. Each video will be accompanied by a dedicated article here with exhaustive resources provided and a bit more perspective and commentary from my perspective.
I will announce each release here as well. As always, please keep an eye on my YouTube channel and the AAP Website.
All Aspects of Photography 