April 8, 2009
Beach News
The videos I shot over the Alternative Spring Break trip to New Orleans using my Canon PowerShot SX110 were featured in this week's edition of Beach News. Very cool. It was pretty brief, though, and it didn't feature any of the rousing speeches that the group leaders gave.
March 20, 2009
AP Environmental Science, 2005-2006
Today I presented the AP Environmental Science, 2006-2006 book to Mr. Ostrowski, chronicling the inaugural year of the AP Environmental Science program at Huntington Beach High School. Three years later, the class has expanded to three sessions (Periods 1, 2 and 4) with the same components – Yosemite in the fall and scuba diving in the spring.
The ambition of my photo book projects seems to inversely correlate with the distance I have from the subjects – the further the distance from the subjects, the more I want to do. In the MOCA book, all I wanted was "Where they are now?" blurbs from the 15 apprentices. In this book, I wanted all 40 students to write "Why did I do this?" with a 2005-2006 picture and "What am I doing now?" with a 2008-2009 picture. The response? Two of the 38 students contacted responded.
I really didn't want to doom myself to a self-fulfilling prophecy, but let's be honest here. People hated my camera, I didn't talk to anybody, and I haven't maintained really good contact with anyone following high school. People don't trust me. People didn't care for the class. As I wrote in the afterward, it was just a class, for everyone else. But for me, it was something more than that. It was something to be remembered, because it was the inaugural class. And I wanted everyone to contribute, only to find few takers.
It's not about the money. I have money, and I'm willing to spend it. I budgeted for the extra 80 pages (see Blurb's pricing scale). When the APES book was 200 pages ($43.95), it would have cost me an extra $11 ($54.95) to add those pages to the book. When I expanded the book to 240 pages ($49.95), it would have cost me $10 ($59.95) for 80 more pages. Because my pictures are not the magic. The students are. And when the students chose not to contribute, the magic of the book vanishes.
The ambition of my photo book projects seems to inversely correlate with the distance I have from the subjects – the further the distance from the subjects, the more I want to do. In the MOCA book, all I wanted was "Where they are now?" blurbs from the 15 apprentices. In this book, I wanted all 40 students to write "Why did I do this?" with a 2005-2006 picture and "What am I doing now?" with a 2008-2009 picture. The response? Two of the 38 students contacted responded.
I really didn't want to doom myself to a self-fulfilling prophecy, but let's be honest here. People hated my camera, I didn't talk to anybody, and I haven't maintained really good contact with anyone following high school. People don't trust me. People didn't care for the class. As I wrote in the afterward, it was just a class, for everyone else. But for me, it was something more than that. It was something to be remembered, because it was the inaugural class. And I wanted everyone to contribute, only to find few takers.
It's not about the money. I have money, and I'm willing to spend it. I budgeted for the extra 80 pages (see Blurb's pricing scale). When the APES book was 200 pages ($43.95), it would have cost me an extra $11 ($54.95) to add those pages to the book. When I expanded the book to 240 pages ($49.95), it would have cost me $10 ($59.95) for 80 more pages. Because my pictures are not the magic. The students are. And when the students chose not to contribute, the magic of the book vanishes.
March 16, 2009
The House of Blue Leaves
New blog! Go to hbhshbl.blogspot.com to find the latest updates for the sixth photo book project, covering The House of Blue Leaves production from March 13-14. It's new. I realize that, in order to be successful, I need to be completely transparent and public about the inner workings and ambitions of the project, rather than shroud it in complete secrecy and privacy and only transmit it through email.
February 6, 2009
Blurb book projects
Since August 2008, I've been using my candid photography to produce photo books. This is a list of all the books I produced. Links are given when the books are public; otherwise, they were either deleted or they have not been published yet.
Daily Forty-Niner, Summer 2008
Published: August 11, 2008 and September 11, 2008
Size: 10x8
The prototype for all future books, this was an 10x8 book that was 24 pages. I purchased a softcover copy and showed it to everyone. It was used as a way to gain credibility and acceptance for my candid photography in the newsroom. I came out with a second version in September that was 40 pages long and published it, but promises to buy a copy were not fulfilled.
MOCA Apprenticeship Program, 2005-2006
Published: November 20, 2008 and January 15, 2009
Size: 7x7
It was this internship program where I first took the camera and engaged in candid photography. I made three poster boards to commemorate the year, but revisited in September 2008 to come out with a 232-page book that more fully revealed the inner workings, dynamics, and relationships forged during the year. I republished a second version on January 15.
Joanne's birthday party
Published: November 26, 2008 and December 26, 2008
Size: 7x7
Joanne Tucker's 20th birthday party on October 17 was the first birthday I had ever gone to. I took a lot of photographs and, with the help of her roommate Lindsay Taylor, identified everyone and compiled it to an 77-page book. Since nobody bought a copy, it remains on my computer only.
JOUR 300, fall 2008
Published: November 28, 2008; December 19, 2008
Size: 7x7
A photo book for a photojournalism class? it seemed to go hand in hand for the class led by Suzanne Mapes. I originally envisioned it as a 13x11 book, but later scaled it down to a 7x7 . It was also the first book where I tried to avidly recruit people to submit their own photographs, only to fail. I produced a 120-page book. Innovations included a flip book section, a page for every student, and a page dedicated to every assignment the class did.
AP Environmental Science, 2005-2006
Published: February 9, 2009 and March 1, 2009
Size: 7x7
Alongside MOCA, I took photographs of every outing the inaugural class at Huntington Beach High School, and later inside the classroom. This book uniquely integrates my journals, assignments, and memory alongside the photographs I took. Attempts to recruit people to submit "Why did I do this?" and "Where am I now?" entries and pictures met with near-universal failure. I managed to produce a 240-page book that documents the class like no other object does.
Fusion 2009
Publishing: June 2009?
Size: 10x8
As part of the final for JOUR 380, advanced photojournalism, I was required to do a photo essay. My topic was the Academy of Performing Arts at my alma mater, HBHS. I took 2000 pictures of the course in two days. Publication is in question now that there was a professional photographer there whose book will be better...if I am to go forward, I need outdo that person.
Daily Forty-Niner, 2008-2009
Publishing: June 2009
Size: 13x11
The ultimate effort, this book, when done, will document the entire workings of the 2008-2009 staff at the Daily-Forty Niner, including articles, candid pictures, and their own words. It currently stands at 150 pages with Summer and Fall 2008 semesters completed, and I'm projecting up to 250 pages with Spring 2009 included.
Daily Forty-Niner, Summer 2008
Published: August 11, 2008 and September 11, 2008
Size: 10x8
The prototype for all future books, this was an 10x8 book that was 24 pages. I purchased a softcover copy and showed it to everyone. It was used as a way to gain credibility and acceptance for my candid photography in the newsroom. I came out with a second version in September that was 40 pages long and published it, but promises to buy a copy were not fulfilled.
MOCA Apprenticeship Program, 2005-2006
Published: November 20, 2008 and January 15, 2009
Size: 7x7
It was this internship program where I first took the camera and engaged in candid photography. I made three poster boards to commemorate the year, but revisited in September 2008 to come out with a 232-page book that more fully revealed the inner workings, dynamics, and relationships forged during the year. I republished a second version on January 15.
Joanne's birthday party
Published: November 26, 2008 and December 26, 2008
Size: 7x7
Joanne Tucker's 20th birthday party on October 17 was the first birthday I had ever gone to. I took a lot of photographs and, with the help of her roommate Lindsay Taylor, identified everyone and compiled it to an 77-page book. Since nobody bought a copy, it remains on my computer only.
JOUR 300, fall 2008
Published: November 28, 2008; December 19, 2008
Size: 7x7
A photo book for a photojournalism class? it seemed to go hand in hand for the class led by Suzanne Mapes. I originally envisioned it as a 13x11 book, but later scaled it down to a 7x7 . It was also the first book where I tried to avidly recruit people to submit their own photographs, only to fail. I produced a 120-page book. Innovations included a flip book section, a page for every student, and a page dedicated to every assignment the class did.
AP Environmental Science, 2005-2006
Published: February 9, 2009 and March 1, 2009
Size: 7x7
Alongside MOCA, I took photographs of every outing the inaugural class at Huntington Beach High School, and later inside the classroom. This book uniquely integrates my journals, assignments, and memory alongside the photographs I took. Attempts to recruit people to submit "Why did I do this?" and "Where am I now?" entries and pictures met with near-universal failure. I managed to produce a 240-page book that documents the class like no other object does.
Fusion 2009
Publishing: June 2009?
Size: 10x8
As part of the final for JOUR 380, advanced photojournalism, I was required to do a photo essay. My topic was the Academy of Performing Arts at my alma mater, HBHS. I took 2000 pictures of the course in two days. Publication is in question now that there was a professional photographer there whose book will be better...if I am to go forward, I need outdo that person.
Daily Forty-Niner, 2008-2009
Publishing: June 2009
Size: 13x11
The ultimate effort, this book, when done, will document the entire workings of the 2008-2009 staff at the Daily-Forty Niner, including articles, candid pictures, and their own words. It currently stands at 150 pages with Summer and Fall 2008 semesters completed, and I'm projecting up to 250 pages with Spring 2009 included.
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