A few weeks ago, I received a call from Robert at Burlington College who is teaching a seminar on photography as a vocation. He had invited a number of Vermont based photographers to visit his class to share some of their own photography related experiences. He called JDK looking for someone who could provide his class with an alternative perspective on the industry. FYI: There is almost nothing I despise more than public speaking--I'm a behind the scenes gal! After some thought, I accepted the invitation. Thankfully, I'm comfortable talking about what I do. The twist was talking to a group of college students. I wasn't 100% sure what was going to be useful and relevant to them. The day of my college visit came. I ended up being so busy at work that day that the idea of speaking to a class seemed like a welcomed change from my non-stop work day. I filled the hour pretty easily...showing images from past projects, sharing stories of shoots gone awry and answering some questions along the way.
About a week ago, I received another call from Robert. I was invited back to the same class to review some of the work the students were producing for their final project. I had the opportunity to see some great images and hear the students explain the rationale behind their concepts. Some photography classes teach students how to push a button but, the kids in this class are considering what's in their photos, why they've captured it and what it means to the audience.
It was refreshing to experience photography out of the context of JDK. I love photography--my job wouldn't exist without it. When things get as busy as they've been, it's easy to slip into auto pilot and work to get the image you're supposed to get--the one that's going to work the hardest for the client. Art that sells something and art for art's sake are two very different things. This visit was a nice reminder to relax and enjoy the experience of seeing an image with no commercial motive.
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