WIPI
News - Archive #1
PREMIERE
ISSUE -
View
Current list of nominees.
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Industry
News #1 - Archive #1
We
are happy to report that there is a new 'European Photography Prize'.
The prize money amounts to 25,000 EURO.
The
REIND M. DE VRIES FOUNDATION awards a prize entitled 'the Reind M. De
Vries Foundation European Photography Prize', which is intended to support
photography in the broadest sense of the word.
Everyone
living in the geographic area of Europe is eligible to compete for the
prize. Participants may submit a personal
application dossier, or they may point out possible candidates.
Aim
The foundation was created with the aim of setting
up and awarding an international prize, to be called the 'Reind M. de
Vries Foundation European Photography Prize'.
The
prize of 25,000 EURO is to be awarded in appreciation of an artistic,
theoretical, scientific, technological or agogical achievement or contribution
that has proved to be essential or substantially significant to the
progress and promotion of photography in the real sense of the word.
Description
This means: the invention, discovery or elaboration
of techniques, methods, materials and instruments that can be used for
realising, recording, transmitting or registering photographic images
in a tangible form. These recorded images
may be the result of one or more photochemical, analogue photographic
processes.
This also includes: scientific research and the
historical and theoretical study of a specific field of photography
or an important contribution or achievement stimulating the progress
of photography or extending its scope, social influence and effect.
Setting up an exhibition or writing a book are also eligible categories
for the prize. The candidate is free to choose how he presents his application
file. The prize can be awarded to one private
individual, to a co-operative partnership or to the leader of a team.
The
REIND M. DE VRIES FOUNDATION accepts nominations and awards the prize
on the basis of the proposals of an international jury, consisting of:
President
(who has no vote); Eugene Van Hoye, Director
'Museum voor Fotografie', Antwerp, Belgium
Secretary (who has a vote): dr. Johan Swinnen,
professor
'Higher Institute for Fine Arts', Antwerp, Belgium
Voting Members:
Pool Andries, curator 'Museum voor Fotografie',
Antwerp, Belgium
Jean Back, director of the 'Family of Man' Museum,
Clervaux, Luxembourg
Jan Coppens, photography historian, Eindhoven,
the Netherlands
David Elliott, Director 'Moderna Museet', Stockholm,
Sweden
Roger Erlandsen, Director 'Cultural Hermitage',
Oslo, Norway
Joan Fontcuberta, visual artist and publicist,
Barcelona, Spain
Jean-Luc Monterosso, Director 'Maison Europeenne
de la Photographie', Paris, France
Andreas Muller-Pohle, visual artist and publisher
'European Photography', Gottingen, Germany
Dr. Laurent Roossens, Agfa-Gevaert, Mortsel, Belgium
Val Williams, London, England, Curator 'Hasselblad
Foundation', Goteborg, Sweden
Correspondence:
dr. Johan Swinnen:
e-mail: info@devriesfoundation.org
Website: http://www.devriesfoundation.org
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Industry
News #2 - Archive #1
U.S. News & World Report has come out with a list of the top academic
MFA photography programs - Fine Arts Specialities - for the year 2000.
They are: Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
-
The
Art Institute of Chicago(IL)
-
University
of New Mexico(NM)
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Rhode
Island School of Design (RI)
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California
Institute of the Arts (CA)
-
San
Francisco Art Institute CA)
-
Yale
University (CT)
-
School
of Visual Arts (NY)
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Art
Center College of Design (CA)
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University
of California-Los Angeles (CA)
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Cranbrook
Academy of Art (MI)
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Syracuse
University (NY)
-
Temple
University (PA)
-
Pratt
Institute (NY)
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Ohio
University(OH)
-
University
of Arizona(AZ)
-
University
of California-Irvine(CA)
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Gallery
News - Archive #1
"Behind
the Redwood Curtain:
Women Photographers of Humboldt County, California 1850-2000"
Rosie
Lasley with Bertha Perigot, photographers 1896
Using
Humboldt County as a focus region, the Women in Photography International
Archive has undertaken a comprehensive study of all women who have ever
worked in the field of photography in Humboldt County, from 1850 (the
date of the first settlement) through the year 2000. Why limit this
study to women photographers? Women have been almost universally ignored
in the existing literature of the history of photography. While the
aims of this three-fold project (exhibition, book & community outreach)
will do little to rectify the glaring oversight in our photographic
heritage, it does provide a unique opportunity to highlight the contributions
of one group of female photographers in a notably male-dominated portion
of the world. Another important goal is to champion the creative productions
of women in general. At the same time, by studying the photographic
history of both men and women over the past 150 years, we can demonstrate
that this male-to-female imbalance is itself now in the process of mirroring
national trends. Local university photography programs, long the province
of men, have shifted so rapidly in recent years that the majority of
new students today are female. Finally, "Behind the Redwood Curtain"
provides a unique opportunity for comparing this region's women photographers
with other geographic areas. While a comparison may be drawn between
Humboldt County and any rural county in America, it might just as easily
be applied to a densely populated urban center such as New York City.
Long
regarded as a wilderness until white settlement began in 1850, the Humboldt
region lies some 275 miles north of San Francisco and contains a land
mass of 3,573 square miles. Reputed to be the home of the elusive "Big
Foot", Humboldt County is mountainous, laced with numerous rivers, and
bounded by vast forestlands. In modern times, the population has hovered
around 100,000, with the majority of the county's citizens clustered
around Humboldt Bay which incorporates the principle cities of Eureka
(Humboldt County's largest urban center) and Arcata (Home of Humboldt
State University). Logging, ranching and maritime industries have constituted
the principle economic base, while rains and dense fogs shroud the land.
Groves of giant redwood trees dominate the landscape; often so thick
and forbidding that even the local Native American inhabitants avoided
their dark domain.
Not
surprisingly, Humboldt County has frequently been stereotyped as a "man's
domain", where women are considered scarce. Pejorative slogans like:
"Humboldt Honey" and "Where Men are Men, and so are the women" imply
that only an independent-minded, burly woman with unshaven legs and
armpits, ever found her way to this remote and inhospitable land. While
much has changed over the past 150 years, both geographically and regarding
the female population of Humboldt County, many of these negative attitudes
linger still.
The
makers of the 100 photographs selected for the exhibition "Behind the
Redwood Curtain" represents roughly 10% of the 700 plus women who have
been linked to photography in Humboldt County over the past 150 yrs.
Although there are a number of motion picture and videographers in the
area, we have elected to limit the exhibition to still photographers
only. The image selection represents a wide spectrum of interests and
backgrounds. Some have used a camera for a lifetime, while others still
count themselves as beginners, including several young women who are
still in high school.
You
are invited to celebrate the photographs in this exhibition as it travels
and, where possible, to congratulate the women who made them. We also
trust that, at least for the women photographers of Humboldt County,
California, the "redwood curtain" has been lifted, letting the sunshine
of diversity and creativity shine through brightly.
Exhibition
Dates and Sites:
- Reese-Bullen
Gallery, Humboldt State University
4 November - 18 December 1999
- International
Photography Hall of Fame, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
15 February - 31 March 2000
Other
venues are pending.
Curators
for "Behind the Redwood Curtain" are:
- Peter
E. Palmquist, an independent historian of photography, specializing
in pioneer photography, the American West, California photography
to 1950, and women in photography globally. He is founding curator
of the Women in Photography International Archive and author of more
than forty books in the field.
- Gia
Musso, an historian of California and the West, and Associate Curator
of the Women in Photography International Archive. She has most recently
co-authored the book: Women Photographers - a Selection of Images
from the Women in Photography International Archive, 1852 - 1997.
Gia is the project manager for this exhibition.
Peter
Palmquist
Women in Photography International Archive:
I
Hold You Close 1999 by Jorden Nigro
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Marketing
News - Archive #1
Get
Going with Greeting Cards
by
Maria Piscopo
Electronic
Rights and Promotion Rights Only in Exchange for Piscopo Web site link
http://www.mpiscopo.com
As
we enter the end of a very turbulent decade for the photography business,
new clients and markets for your images are topics close to the heart
of every photographer. You have experienced upheavals in new technology,
in the clients and in the budgets for your photo services. In addition,
you are probably looking for a market for many “personal” images not
marketable to traditional commercial clients.
How
about greeting cards? Whatever happens with the technology or commercial
clients, the consumer greeting card market is growing and here to stay.
The end of this century has seen tremendous growth of photo image use
by the alternative greeting card publishers. With gross sales projections
in the six and one half billion-dollar range the major publishers buy
shelf space in major consumer outlets for their cards to dominate this
market. You’ll find competition to get into their talent pool is quite
fierce. Since nearly fifteen percent of the above sales are generated
from alternative greeting card publishers, they may be your best bet
for entry into this market. This figure is expected to increase to eighteen
percent by the end of this year, an almost two billion dollar slice
of the “pie”. Retail distribution is the key to greeting card sales
success. Your first decision is whether to find a publisher to print
and distribute your cards and reach the end consumer or to self-publish.
How
To Submit To Publishers
The submission process begins with researching The Photographer’s Market
Book 2000; (Writer’s Digest Books in Cincinnati, OH). Though not a “phonebook”
of all greeting card publishers, it lists extensive information provided
by those publishers looking for photo images. So if a publisher is not
listed for any given year, that’s their way of saying “We’re full up!”
The bonus is you get to talk to publishers that want your submissions.
Follow the submission guidelines! Though it is always good procedure
to call if you have any questions about submission directions, it is
always better to send ten great shots than 100 mediocre images. Edit
your work ruthlessly and follow the recommendations for submission formats
very carefully. Always send a self-addressed stamped envelope for the
return of your work. You should also design produce and print a promo
piece for the publisher to keep on file. Since the shelf life of a photo
greeting card is only thirty to forty five days, greeting card publishers
are constantly in need of new, strong selling images!
Payment
Terms
Many publishers choose to pay a royalty of 2% to 10% on the wholesale
price based on sales of your cards and have set payment schedules (quarterly
or annually). Be sure to determine whether royalty is based on cards
printed or cards sold. Whenever possible, ask for a guaranteed advance.
As with any photography pricing, everything is negotiable! Some pay
a flat fee royalty based on each printing of your images. For example,
the first printing of 5,000 of each card design pays the photographer
from $75.00 to $100.00 for a postcard use and $150.00 to $175.00 for
greeting card. In addition, each photographer gets one hundred cards
free, making great promo pieces for other clients and markets. Contracts
must be discussed and the issue of exclusivity and photo credits negotiated.
For example, some publishers get five-year exclusive use of your image
for greeting card market but always give photographer’s credits. Always
record the usage you are selling. Though your image can then be sold
in other markets, any original or subsequent clients should know it
is on the greeting card market.
How
To Self-Publish Your Own Cards
Since the greeting card industry has about a 30% turnover in new start-up
publishers each year self-publishing is a good option to consider. The
key to self-publishing your own line of cards is to find a theme. With
a “theme” that is well defined, the retail distribution outlets can
be easily identified. To define your theme and market, start your research
with a focus group. For example, for every group of images you want
to produce, prepare a presentation binder of prints. Select the prime
target audience, a group of women, age’s twenty-five years to fifty-five
years, to review the presentation. As questions like, “What cards would
you buy?” instead of the less useful question, “What cards do you like?”
This information will help you distinguish your favorite images from
a best-selling greeting card! Knowing that women purchase 90% of greeting
cards will have an influence on your theme and image selection. Since
the major publishers have the grocery chains and department stores “locked
up”; self-published and alternative greeting card published cards are
more successful in their own unique outlets. These include stationary
stores, retail gift shops, craft shops, bookstores, airport and hotel
gift shops, car washes, even hardware stores. The key is to concentrate
on a theme and find the best retail outlet for it. Also, when you self
publish, remember that retailers need to charge twice the wholesale
price when you calculate your design and production costs.
Marketing
Tips for Self-Published Greeting Cards
Start with a line of cards, six to twelve designs would be a minimum.
Look at what’s currently selling and then figure out your own designs.
Put your sample book together then find the retail locations that best
fit the cards. Plan your card production steps carefully. First, cut
card stock to size. Second, score and fold card stock. Third, stamp
my logo on back of card. Fourth, Paste color photographic print on front
of card, add title and signature. Fifth, Package card using plastic
sleeve with envelope and promotional copy. Plan for start-up time and
production costs. These include research, card stock, envelopes, and
packaging, creating the images, photo costs, lots of phone calls and
your business cards and letters. Producing a catalog of your card designs
is extra work but today’s desktop publishing software should make this
easier. Look at other markets for your images after they have been greeting
cards. Check on stock houses, poster and calendar publishers, and art
fairs and fine art prints.
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Book Review - Archive
#1
Witch
of Kodakery
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The
Photography of Myra Albert Wiggins, 1869-1956,
by Carole Glauber, with a forward by Terry Toedtemeier.
Washington
State University Press, Pullman (1-800-354-7360)
Myra
Albert Wiggins, photographer, painter, writer, and musician, lived and
worked in the Pacific Northwest. Witch of Kodakery: The Photography
of Myra Albert Wiggins,1869-1956 is the first comprehensive look at
Wiggins' life and work. Her powerful and enduring photographs encompass
Dutch genre, landscapes, portraits, family life, and scenes from her
travels in the Northwest and abroad. Despite living in faraway Salem,
Oregon, Wiggins' pictorial photographs appeared in national and international
journals and hung in salons in the United States and Europe. Wiggins'
artistic success led to her admittance into the Photo-Secession in 1903.
The
implications of Wiggins' work within the context of social, cultural
and technological changes are considerable. Her life intersected the
Arts and Crafts movement, the invention of half-tone printing, and the
development of the dry plate and roll film - all highly influential
to her style of photography. Few women in the 1890's struggled to balance
the demands of marriage and motherhood with a career as Wiggins did.
While
Wiggins' story weaves a description of turn-of-the-century amateur photography,
it also portrays the intertwining of personal ambition with collegial
friendships, the filtering of national photographic politics westward
to Salem, and how Photo-Secession membership both helped and hindered
Wiggins' photographic pursuits. Her astuteness for self-promotion dovetailed
with the same media and corporate hierarchy that happily endorsed her
work. The title of the book derives from an Eastman Kodak promotional
campaign employing witch and witchery imagery as a metaphor for the
magic, charm, and fascination of photography.
Later
in life, while a grandmother, Wiggins built a second career as a painter
and mentor to artists. Although her paintings did not explore new ideology
and technique as did her photographs, she continued to garner awards
and recognition for her work. Culminating her career, the Seattle Art
Museum in 1953 and the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco in 1954, honored
her with retrospective exhibitions of her photographs and paintings.
Her vivacity and devotion to her work remained intact until her death
at age 86. Extensive research using diaries, letters, newspapers, photographic
journals, Wiggins' photographs, exhibition catalogs, and interviews
with family members and friends create a revealing and thought provoking
narrative about an artist and her times.
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