A couple of weeks ago, Glasshouse Photographer Ryan Pfluger teamed up with Apple to host a talk about his body of work. The event had a great turnout and we were thrilled to have Ryan share with others some insight on his work and process. Both Apple and Glasshouse promoted for the event through social media, personalized emails, postings at the store, etc. While I thought there would be a good-size crowd in attendance, I had no idea that we would receive the sort of feedback that we did. Not only was there a great attendance, but even photo editors and directors who couldn't make it took the time to personally email and rave about the event. It was humbling to see so many people excited to hear Ryan's insight on his work!
It seems as though personal connection is one of the key elements to establishing a presence in the photo industry. Mailings, emails, blog posts, and other forms of social media are a huge way to start those connections, and should be important components in a photographer's workflow. However, I do think it's worth it for photographers to explore additional avenues. Each photographer is different, so whether it's opportunities such as a talk, presentation, interview, demonstration, etc., it's important to make themselves accessible to their audience in a way that compliments their personality. These avenues allow people to hear a photographer share about his or her work, experience, and process, which can add a completely new dimension to the photographs. The audience at the Apple talk seemed to be a mix of both community members and photo professionals, of both aspiring and seasoned photographers; however, even with the diverse mix, questions asked at the end seemed to be garnered toward hearing more about Ryan's thought process.
When I asked Ryan why he particularly enjoys having discussions and lectures with his audience, he said, "Having a dialogue is always a good thing, especially when you can inspire, mentor or advise. I think as an artist it's important to make yourself accessible to people in many different avenues, whether it be a public talk, a critique at an art school or even a blog post about your experiences and work." Ryan certainly has a gift of sharing his thoughts and advice with his audience. He has a large tumblr following, and posts updates daily. While every photographer has their own way of reaching out to the community, it's evident that offering wisdom and experience is the natural dialog platform for Ryan.
Wishing you a safe and warm day in the impending cold NYC weather!