Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Seasonal Silly

It's the season of giving. Maybe readers have noticed that theme arise in certain posts here over the past week? I didn't even notice it myself until just today, but there it was here, here, here, and here. Unplanned, I swear. 

 Actually a season of giving is silly. It's a fine time to give things away any old day of the year. In 2012 I received photo related objects from many quarters (mostly books and prints, plus the occasional blow up doll), and I want to publicly acknowledge all of them here, in no particular order. Hopefully I haven't omitted anyone.
Bobby Abrahamson
Steve Rockoff
Ori Jauch
Tom Griggs
Theo Stroomer
George LeChat
Bryan Wolf
Zisis Kardianos
Bob Gervais
Missy Prince
George Kelly
Lyla Emery
Bill and Marilyn Andrews
Tabitha Soren
Lisa Gidley
Pete Brook
Jewel Mlnarik
Joe Reifer
Joscha Bruckett
Peter Evans
Jerry Jump
Faulkner Short
Chris Hoge
Bruce Hall
Portland Grid Project
The Postcard Collective
Nick Haymes (2012 Gift King)

Thank You All! I really appreciate and value all photos and books that come my way, and I look very carefully at everything. 

I encourage all photographers to make gifts of your work. I'm not talking about giving away every photo, or ceasing to earn a living. And I'm not talking about handing out keepsakes as a marketing tool or with any ulterior motive. But here and there once in a while it's fun to send out freebies. Don't keep that stuff in the closet. Give it to another photographer! 

And of course if you have anything especially valuable or easily convertible to cash this holiday season, I'm ready and willing to receive it.





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2 comments:

  1. Jesus H. Christ JrDecember 19, 2012 at 12:28 PM

    Maybe you better leave some milk and cookies out, just in case. Okay?

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  2. DonDentonDecember 19, 2012 at 12:33 PM

    I always liked this piece on the gift economy, poets mind you but applicable to photographers..

    From George Bowering’s Left Hook:

    on the late Canadian poet BP Nichol

    "Throughout his career, or rather through his life, and often with his wife, Nichol put together packages and sent them to his friends. For him publication was not part of the career economy: it was part of the gift economy. When it came to publishing more formally, Nichol gave his manuscripts to small presses rather than selling them to big business. When he was recognized with a Governor-General’s award despite that, the award recognized four small presses.
    According to the gift economy, art is not a commodity but rather a presentation. the artist has received the gift called talent, and understands that for art to stay alive it has to be handed on. If you pay some money for a bpNichol book, you are putting groceries in front of a small-press worker’s family.
    Here is another aspect of the gift economy, there won’t be anyone who has acquired all of bpNichol’s writings. He gave lines of poetry to many tiny magazines. Sometimes a Nichol “edition” was the same line typed on seven strips of paper, folded and distributed to fellow artists. the question arose among some fond readers: could a poem typed on bp’s typewriter once and given to a friend for his birthday be called a limited edition?"

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