This post from Magnum photographer David Alan Harvey nails it … again. More than 250 comments in his post highlight the ‘formidable’ task that editing is for most.

there should be a big difference between your web presentation and your archive…two totally different animals….many fail to see the difference….. rather than really seeing the good pictures you do have, many editors will just exit in frustration over just too too much miscellaneous material…they do not want to go on a treasure hunt…they want to see the really best work … fast, concise, clear… period … – David Alan Harvey

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Noel Rodo, editor of the great blog “We can’t Paint” is expanding his efforts and will create soon two additional online ventures related with contemporary photography: an online magazine and an online gallery. He is now requesting work from contributors and it is my great pleasure to pass his message to you.It is very interesting to see how the internet and the efforts from a number of great bloggers [you can find many of them at the links on the side bar] is creating new ways for emerging artists to share both their work and express their opinions. More exciting, it is refreshing to see many people, with diverse backgrounds, sharing their intense appreciation for photography.

This is just the beginning, the best is in front of us. I foresee many more bloggers expanding their efforts, perhaps alone, perhaps in collaborative ways, so the internet becomes the main source of information about contemporary photography and photography in general. What is even more interesting is to see how the blogosphere is now starting to blend with other media. We see expanded efforts using web-based approaches like the one initiated by Rob Haggart, at A Photo Editor, with Photo Rank a showcase of photographers where anyone can contribute. We see now Noel Rodo expanding into online galleries and a online magazine. We also see the blend between printed material and the blogosphere with Shane Lavalette and his new project, Remain in Light. With Joerg Colberg from Conscientious expanding the reach of his prolific interviews to printed magazines. And of course I need to mention the effort of Any Adams, editor and creator of the best website to see new interesting contemporary photography in the web, Flak Photo, that serves as a network to link to galleries, exhibits, new books and new projects.

Things are evolving, and it is exciting. Many of these efforts, and new ones that are coming, will provide additional ways for photographers to showcase their work, receive the recognition they deserve, and more importantly, engage a broader community of viewers to appreciate the art of photography. In a way, we need to democratize photography, make it more accessible to the people in general, to a broader audience, and be as inclusive as we can.

Here, at Exposure Compensation, I will not stay put. It is just to much fun to share with you and to learn from you. It is exciting to see the field moving forward. I hope we don’t lose the sense of community and collaboration moving forward. We are in this all together, to enjoy and grow.

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In a way, the same concept applies to most activities and projects we undertake in life. It is quite revealing how taking a paper, and a pen, and translating thoughts into words can shape our perspective into directions we did not anticipate. Like photography, writing elevates the intensity of the present so we become more aware of what we intend to achieve, why we want so, and how best to get there. As much as a I love spontaneity in photography, purpose is what provides cohesivity, and to find it, sometimes you need to write it.

Words, yes, words. A word that seems to strike terror, fear, and loathing into hearts and minds of most photographers. Even though a picture may be worth 1,000 words, don’t ever ask a photographer to write a few about their own pictures. No, not that! Because, as everyone knows, a picture that needs words is a failure. After all, photography is a visual medium.

IMO, the world would be a better place if those who couldn’t write a coherent and interesting 1,000 words about their pictures had their cameras wrenched from their hands and smashed into a zillions bits (or a zillion bytes if it’s a digital camera). Or, better yet, how about if you couldn’t even buy a camera unless you submit 1,000 words about the pictures you intend to make with it. And, oh yeah, one of the rules is that, if you even mention equipment in your 1,000 words, they poke your eyes out.

Of course, even in that perfect world, anyone would be able to buy a 2mp P&S. After all, I am the benevolent one. – Mark Hobson, from “The Landscapist“

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Powerhouse Mechanic and Steam Pump (1920). One of Lewis Wickes Hine’s celebrated “work portraits” made after he completed his decade-long project documenting child labor [purchase here].

During the last months I have been increasingly interested in vintage photography and recently while Reading Cameron Davidson’s blog I found a reference to a site on this topic that is really interesting: “Shorpy“, The 100-year Old Photoblog. I found it so interesting that I wanted to refer to it here in this blog, just in case you are not aware of it.

At Shorpy you will find vintage and old pictures [see galleries] from the dawn of photography to the 1940s that not only are beautiful but, to make it even more interesting, you can purchase prints. The prints are created from high resolution TIFF scans and they command very reasonable [inexpensive] prices. The sizes range from small 5×7 inches (12.7 x 17.8 cm) to large prints 44×36 inches (111 x 91.4 cm), and include prints in fine art paper.

You will find there many of the images from the Library of Congress among many other pictures. If it happens that you own vintage prints and like to share them with the community, you can do so: join and add your image/s to the collection.

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© Joe McNally

I have not been covering technical aspects of photography in this blog, nor linking to technical information as I prefer to concentrate in the artistic aspects. This time I will make a exception to welcome a new blog from photographer Joe McNally.

Joe is not only a very successful commercial and editorial photographer but he is also well known to be a master with the use of camera flash lighting for creative photography “on location”. His technical skills in this area are just extraordinary. In addition he is absolutely passionate about photography and has a great sense of humor that you will grasp easily in his blog.

His first book, “The moment it clicks“, has just been released and sales are sky rocketing at amazon.com (#28 rank of all books just few days after going on sale!). Not bad for a start … see a video here.

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