Visiting Photo Scratch/feedback and Red 287

A nice idea - peer feedback

In the days of vinyl there used to be a phrase - 'That difficult second album' - the idea was around having put out a record that had distilled over a reasonable period of time where each individual track had evolved and been revisited for maximum effect suddenly a load of new material was needed.

Walk this way

This second album was often rushed and had not had the valuable input that  playing the music live to an audience so often in comparison it failed to shine.

Yesterday fresh from exhibiting my own photo's (which I think deserve an apostrophe) I went to what I consider an interesting and potentially worthwhile forum for photographers who are in the stage where there putting together something prior to full-scale 'release' - it was called Photo Scratch (I can live without an apostrophe here).

The work for me was hard to judge because it wasn't finished, there was a lack of coherence to some ideas and layout and presentation are undoubtedly significant (as is context) - I was looking at this stuff in a Southwark basement on the coldest (London) day so far this winter.

We can argue about the 'Apostrophe' but Feedback is good

Ask anyone involved in marketing  large retail companies and I'll wager that you'll find what they want is market intelligence and information from their customers - the problem we (as individuals) often have is sensitivity we don't want to hurt peoples feelings and we don't want to have our feelings hurt.

The way I've sought feedback for my pictures was using a comments book and a web presence - but this is an easier option and I'm not having to make a big there the way some of the practitioners I looked at were - whatever I do next will likely be more difficult and even though it's risky for my ego I'll need input.

Red 287

The Ealing Sherpa, snapped yesterday morning as I walked down Gordon Road, I don't know if I'd have spotted this guy if he didn't have his red jacket on..

Climb this way

The fun of an exhibition and Red 288

What a great time I had yesterday - really enjoyed holding a 'viewing' of my exhibition 'Pictureofthe Week PLUS' at Questors grapevine Bar- thanks so much to those who came along as well as Nigel at The Questors for making them welcome and his ongoing assistance (and patience)  with putting on the display.

Turn left for the Grapevine Bar

What I got from showing and talking about the pictures were some incisive pointers- some about why the particular print 'worked' and also general chat which flowed from the ideas that came to mind.

If you're doing something similar would say Waitrose do a good line in prepared snacks/party food and you can't go wrong with M&S sausage rolls.

Most of the pictures are displayed along the long wall of the bar

I was fortunate  too with numbers around 20 people  attended (and there were 14 pictures), it was enough to allow time to show the pictures and for general conviviality - nice too that I've now got something in the comments book.

Red 288

and what works as a social lubricant at such occasions is available in Red (and white for that matter).

Looking strangely dominant and enjoyed by some primates

How far we've come and Red 289

A long conversation with a very good friend yesterday - what such talks can do is help to see where we are now and how we got there.

A younger me -What would I make of myself now

People often consider that life can improve as we get older and manage to negotiate an accommodations with our own (and others) personal limitations.

Both myself and my friend spoke of our sense of achievement, albeit around in different fields from our earlier careers.

I was very much reminded of Charles Handy who I encountered during studies and his views on career changing.

Perhaps too as we get older we find better ways to appreciate the relationships and friends around us?

Red 289

An odd use of red perhaps

What's he saying?

QR Codes, The Oxygen of Publicity and Red 290

Scan the Exhibition Code

The other night I caught a little of Dave Gorman's TV programme appropriately enough on the channel also called Dave.

Dave (the man) was talking rather disparagingly I thought about QR codes and this felt bad as I'd just implemented them on my photographic exhibition - in fact I've had good feedback on them so far and will check to see if they're doing the business while my exhibition runs.

[And I'm sure others have used them for this purpose but I've not seen it before- as far as I can recall]

Community noticeboard

I reckon that there's a limit to the amount of publicity that an exhibition such as mine will benefit from - OPEN Ealing have kindly promoted it (Thanks Mandie)   on their web-site, they've tweeted too  and I've left a couple of postcard promo's around.

As well as this on Friday I dropped off an A5 poster to the Ealing Town Hall and perhaps they'll put it out?


I've also posted the exhibition manifesto at the theatre bar so that's about enough

Nailing my colours to the wall at The Grapevine Bar.

Red 290

if all else fails Post Office can help..

In an earlier day invites and publicity would be hand delivered.