I have watched the
photographic industry die in Saskatoon. As a fellow artist pointed out the very essence of
a collaboration has changed and now becomes a commercial advertisement of some
sort. When to me (and to several others of us here in Saskatoon) the word collaboration means and still
does: Where two or more people get together and plan and work out the details
of a project (artistic etc) and come together to bring it to fruition.
Hopefully succeeding but knowing that failure could also be part of it. If you fail,
you sort out what went wrong and try again.
There are several so called “agencies”
in Saskatoon. The
model will pay a fee and hopefully get some
kind of paying work out of the arrangement. Well... to me being an agent or
signing with an agency means you have something they are looking for and you
shouldn’t be paying a fee, the agent should be paying you a percentage of
whatever income you help bring in. Anyway, this along with those people who
simply cannot commit or live up to the arrangement made which includes not
showing up or calling at the last minute because their grandma died again, has virtually
killed this city for any creative collaborations.
The future of photo modelling
has gone off on a tangent and if it weren’t for a select few then I would
simply move on. With “flakes” on all sides as well as unlawfully operated
agencies, studios and such that do not have a license (city and provincial) and
don’t pay taxes (provincial and federal) I don’t need the drama nor bullsh-t
and am beginning not to tolerate it. Will I report the lawbreakers?
Maybe...
I have been asked why I travel to the west coast as often as I do. Well the answer is simple. The
artists in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island are
a dedicated group and will work together with me and other photographers,
artists etc to bring a simple idea to life. A true meaning of collaboration is
alive and well. Everyone will listen to what others have to offer and their
noses are not stuck up into the air like there are at home. Along the way there
is some really fantastic scenery and that helps in the journey.
I may seem to be a bit
bitter but I am not really as I have better things to do. Working with a small
cluster of real people, my work and research my work will continue. So will my
reading, music (playing and composing) sketching and more. My studio will
continue to operate working on collaborative and personal projects as well as
Photographic Therapies and so on. I will free up even more time by eliminating
most social media (Facebook and the studio Facebook pages) but Instagram will
be maintained.
I am done with many things
but those who are real and dedicated will walk with me and a handful of others
from coast to coast proudly into the future.
This blog will serve as the medium I choose to share my work and imagery.
This blog will serve as the medium I choose to share my work and imagery.
