SoFoboMo 2009

[aprilS]

"SoFoBoMo is short for Solo Photo Book Month - a group event where a bunch of photographers all make solo photo books start to finish, in 31 days, at more or less the same time...

"...the goal is to make the photos, write any needed text, layout the book, and produce a PDF image of the book, all in 31 days. Rather than confining it to a single calendar month, we use a 'fuzzy month', where you can pick any contiguous 31 day period inside a two month window."

I watched this event last year, and am going to give it a go this time. Eek!

A key link, I think, for getting a feel of the project is to the originator's blog: Paul Butzi.

My main reason for making this commitment is to focus on the challenge of developing a series or exploring an idea, as opposed to single images. It seems like the right time to make that push...even if I fall flat on my face.

[habakuk]

Thanks for the hint, April. I like the idea and the concept. I'll think about participation, although lots of things are on my schedule already. I think it is a vital exercise for a photographer, to break out of a "single picture mode" to expand the way of perception and visual thinking.

And I will certainly spend some time enjoying the books that have already been published. It's always a nice way to learn...

cheers
®


ah, and BTW: congrats to your Photo of the week selection in TMELive!

[aprilS]

In follow-up...

My official start date was May 2 (my birthday!), so I've had to pull back a bit from participation in the forums and make SoFoBoMo a priority.

But one thing I can relay already learned from the project: It's the process of investigation that's important. Somehow, I thought I should have all the answers going in, and then look for opportunities to exemplify what I thought about my theme. That is one way to work, yet what I'm enjoying most so far are the unexpected side-trips along the way.

[Ted Byrne]

Reeeeeeeeely cannot wait to see what you do with this April... Of course it could be awful and forever besmirch the high opinion we all have of you and make everyone never again click on your name when we see it next to a post anywhere and all go off together and laugh and laugh and laugh....

Um... but that's not very encouraging so, well, it could be good. Maybe. Like, right?

  :) :) :) :) :)  

Okay... got that out of my system... sigh.... Of course it will be terrific. What's your theme? Will you give us a hint?

[eob]

That is really a good concept. Unfortunately, not for me, 'cause I work in a different way. Sometimes, my ideas wait for years before I actually realize them photographically... But it will be interesting for me to see results of this endeavor. Thanks for a "heads-up", April.

[aprilS]

Okay... got that out of my system...

LOL! And hopefully out of mine. Thank you for the encouragement.

What's your theme? Will you give us a hint?

The stated title is "On the Edge," which I thought might give me lots of maneuvering room both graphically (my comfort zone) and conceptually -- along with available subjects, no matter the weather or location.

It has/is! But...soon the trick will be to pare down, and pull things together into some kind of cohesive presentation.

I work in a different way. Sometimes, my ideas wait for years before I actually realize them photographically...

eob: You always have such insightful comments, and have shared some of your work. But I would love to see more, specifically with your thoughts about what you are working to actualize. I remember you posting "we're not here to show off", and that's not what I'm asking for. But rather, more insights into a mature process... Yes, I'm hungry and greedy.

But also thank you for all the time and benefit of your perception that you give here.

[habakuk]

I must say, I always found it much harder to follow a strict concept compared to spend my focus on being open minded for whatever wonders the world has reaqdy for me and my camera.

Looking very much forward to your series.

And happy birthday, btw.

cheers
®

[aprilS]

And happy birthday, btw.

cheers

Thank you! ::clinking of glasses :: To new beginnings, always.

[eob]

April, the unfortunate effect of my "lazy" approach to creativity is that I get a very low output. Besides, sometimes, the results of my creative process turn out to be very meager (deficiency in my photographic craft). It doesn't bother me too much, though, since a conceptual work gives me as much satisfaction as the actual, physical creation. Of course, I have always been fully aware that I will never make a name for myself that way, but that never bothered me, either. I'm in it for myself and for all that I can get from it to help me get to know myself better.

But also thank you for all the time and benefit of your perception that you give here.

My perception is as good as the next guy's, but I'm very glad that I have an opportunity to share it with you. And same goes the other way around - I am privileged to get to know all of you through your creativity.

[aprilS]

For better or worse, published and out the door.

Links to all books completed so far can be found here.

Mine is 13MB, and can also be downloaded from here.

It was a terrific exercise, in part because I learned I could complete it.

But more important, I learned something about letting go, and...

That there are potentially 5 subjects in this book, each of which could be a book on its own. Not that each would be brilliant, but rather that a tighter focus on just one aspect of a theme can be expanded much more broadly than I'd realized.

[habakuk]

Heartfelt congratulations on the finished project. Regardless of the product, this is a very good thing to know: you did it!

Now for the product... You invited me on a journey through several different "countries" - each one with it's very own inner feel and energy. I loved them all. At first pass, I felt they don't really work together too well, but on the second and consecutive passes, I felt more and more thrilled by the very fact this is not only one stream of shots, but really as I wrote: kind of a journey through several places, each one so distinct, so enjoyable, so individual compared to the other sections - but always very consistent and harmonic in itself. The last one, crossing, touched me silently but profoundly. Thank you for sharing it with us!

I'd be proud of such a book!

cheers
®

[eob]

Just like Roland, I felt (at first) that different sections do not interact and do not intertwine with one another, but at the end of the book it all merged together somehow.

I think this is a good exercise and a good way of presenting quite a substantial body of work. Any time you decide to put together a book of images like this one, you are forced to do a significant retrospection. You look back at your own work and see the path (or the lack thereof). That helps you determine where you came from and where you're headed.

BTW, I saw several great pictures that you haven't shown us before...

[aprilS]

Roland and eob, thank you so much for taking the time to download and view, and for your thoughtful comments.

Roland, the feeling of finishing the challenge is indeed a very good thing! Then the next, whatever it might be, won't seem quite so daunting.

I agree the product is "all over the map", so to speak, and the ties between sections are tenuous at best. Yet it was interesting to
discover, as you both suggest, that there are threads among them -- a back-and-forth -- and perhaps something in there which might be further explored.

BTW, I saw several great pictures that you haven't shown us before...

I'd love to know which stood out for you, and be happy to post them individually. Oddly...it didn't occur to me to do that while a work in progress. (Though now I have a few faves. )

[eob]

I especially liked shots on pages 16-23, but there's more works that I haven't seen before...

[habakuk]

I do like each and every single shot of the water edge series. And I do like even more the way you arranged them as a sequence with the last one, where I am confronted by one of the "artists", giving me the feel like he's there to ask me how I liked their performance.

Another one that captured my attention was the "Colled" .

And of course the Aunt & Catherine juxtaposition rang my bell very directly.

Again, I think you did very well with this book.

cheers
®