This past weekend I went to a photographic career workshop at UC Berkeley, put together by [Fotovision](http://www.fotovision.org), a local photography collective. The instructors were Ken Light and Ellen Manchester. It was a whirlwind of information, more of a cram session over three days than an actual class. These are my somewhat disjointed notes from the seminar, the bits that really stuck out for me.
This past weekend I went to a photographic career workshop at UC Berkeley, put together by [Fotovision](http://www.fotovision.org), a local photography collective. The instructors were Ken Light and Ellen Manchester (Ken was the photographer that took that [picture of John Kerry](http://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/kerry2.asp)).
It was a whirlwind of information, more of a cram session over three days than an actual class. These are my somewhat disjointed notes from the seminar, the bits that really stuck out for me.
##When working on projects:##
- Give them names, to give yourself something to refer to and think through
- Set do-able goals, like # of photos, research milestones, shows/books/catalogs, etc.
- Set un-do-able goals as well, like exhibiting in the [MoMA](http://www.moma.org/).
- Work towards CLOSURE. This really struck me, as one of the big issues I’ve had with shooting for a photoblog is both the lack of a defined project and a total lack of closure to the project.
- Gallery shows are temporary, they disappear. Use them as a career path advancement strategy, not a goal in and of itself.
- Curators save everything. Books, small catalogs, portfolios are permanent records that they can and will hold onto.
- Part of having a career in photography is creating a record of your existence through books, catalogs, sites, shows, reviews, etc.
- Books don’t make money, supplement them with “special editions”, signed books + 1 or 2 prints from the book.
- Some of the great photographers don’t make any money. [Gene Richards](http://www.photography-now.com/artists/K09309.html) is broke.
##Talking to the “Gatekeepers” (at portfolio reviews, gallery submissions, etc.)##
- Make the reviewers job easy, like a book to flip through. Don’t make the presentation annoyingly obtuse (like a portfolio box that they can’t dig the prints from).
- Select 15, 20 or 30 images, standard size if possible
- If asked what size the artwork is, don’t ever say “I can print any size,” your size choice is part of the presentation of the artwork, you decide.
- Artwork size is image size, not necessarily paper size
##The Business##
- Put together a resume:
- If giving a short synopsis of your career, like for a gallery show, include the bio on the page. This can be used by the gallery in the catalog, promotions, etc. (again, making the job easier for them).
- To get around the issue of “taxable inventory,” always say “Print to order” whenever selling prints
- Decide early one whether you will be selling prints as part of editions; if so, you have to keep meticulous records (when #n is sold, etc.)
- Different size/medium means different edition
- Required format for display of copyright notice:
- “All rights reserved” can give further international protection
##Grant writing##
- Describe your work in 3 to 4 sentences
- Write an expanded 1 or 2 paragraph description of the project, to further clarify
- Prepare a budget
- Prepare calendar/time-line
- Find a non-profit to sponsor your project (Must have IRS 501-C-3 determination)
- Put together a small group of advisors. Get a written letter of support (probably written by you)
- Organize and prepare your slides, prints and resume for a professional presentation
- [Foundation Center](http://www.foundationcenter.org/) is a great resource of grant foundations
All in all the workshop was totally worth it. There was a huge range of experience in the room; some people were just getting started in photography while others had been professional photographers for twenty years, and wanted to hear some different angles. And of course others just wanted to bitch about how digital is ruining everything.