Monday, March 31, 2014

Sharing your Work

"Show Your Work" by Austin Kleon
I'm a relatively new photographer with aspirations of one day becoming a good one.  This pursuit has led me to read and watch lots and lots of creative folks talk about creativity.  Let's be honest -- it's easier to just listen to someone talk about their experiences than have to go out and make those experiences on your own.

The one thing I keep hearing over and over again is "show your work."  Everyone has an online sharing routine -- both with their professional work and personal projects

As Austin Kleon, author of Show Your Work, puts it:
"Almost all of the people I look up to and try to steal from today, regardless of their profession, have built sharing into their routine. These people aren’t schmoozing at cocktail parties; they’re too busy for that. They’re cranking away in their studios, their laboratories, or their cubicles, but instead of maintaining absolute secrecy and hoarding their work, they’re open about what they’re working on, and they’re consistently posting bits and pieces of their work, their ideas, and what they’re learning online. Instead of wasting their time “networking,” they’re taking advantage of the network. By generously sharing their ideas and their knowledge, they often gain an audience that they can then leverage when they need it — for fellowship, feedback, or patronage."
Likewise, Chase Jarvis, photographer and entrepreneur, put it more simply in his creative mornings talk:
"The best way of doing it, is showing it."
So, on that note, here's some photos I took tonight at Marina Bay in Singapore.  It's my first real attempt at night photography & using the new VSCO Film post-processing software I bought.

Enjoy.







Grown-ups can play too, especially Jeff Greenspan

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wolfraven/2545068856
I discovered the artists, Jeff Greenspan, today via the blog, It's Nice That.  He previously was the Chief Creative Officer for Buzzfeed and now freelances his witty work.

I'm absolutely loving his playful style today.  There's no reason adults need to be so serious.

I mean, even Plato believed that play was important:
“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” 
And, Ralph Waldo Emerson went as for as calling it a talent:
"It is a happy talent to know how to play" 
So, following in these great mens' footprints, I've started giving my presentations in "meme" form and have been sending out a lot of dancing bear GIFs to accompany my process emails.  I'll report back if their wisdom is doing justice in the business arena.

Maybe I'll get some inspiration from Jeff's work below...

An excellent witticism




















"Hipster Traps"





























Tourist lanes in NYC
"Letter Bombing"

"Oil Bombing", the precursor to "Photo Bombing"
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