Questions For Discussion

Selected questions asked on Facebook's Flak Photo Network this Spring, listed below in reverse chronological order:

Back when we were Modern, The New was sine qua non to cultural production.

Now that we are no longer Modern, is The New still desirable? Is it still a virtue?

Is Jen Davis the anti-Nan Goldin?

Who are your favorite queer contemporary portrait photographers and why?

Hi all, I'm curious to hear about strategies for collecting photobooks. Do you collect along a specific direction of ideas or processes? Do you focus on a a variety of photo authors or just a select few? Do you try to predict books that may go on to be worth a lot in the future?

I do apologize for the dumb question, but I have been trying to figure it out for some time. What is contemporary photography?

Am I the only one that thinks calling an inkjet print a "giclee" is just plain dumb?

Help!! I saw some work in a magazine recently of rocket enthusiasts launching their rockets up on the moors somewhere in Britain. He was male but that's all I can remember! WHO WAS HE??? I loved the work.

What's the plural of panorama?

Can we still be book lovers, makers, and collectors...withOUT Amazon?

Hiya guys. I have a query: If I tell you "Square South Korean photographers", you answer...?

In less than a week I am going to be a mom again for the second time in two years. Having one baby is wild. Having two? I guess I'll find out. I'm just wondering how other Artist Mommas manage babies + art. Anyone?

My questions are: To what extent is highly personal photography more prevalent than in the past? If it is more prevalent now, why do you think that is? Is it a problem for photographers to be focused more on themselves? And, if so, how?

Has anyone used PLYWERK?

Would you consider it poor presentation if you were presented with a portfolio that contained vertical and horizontal prints and you were required to rotate the portfolio every time there was a change in orientation?

Has the deadpan portrait been replaced with obscured, deleted, covered, distorted, drawn over, and in other ways processed faces?

So here's a weird question...

There were two separate, month-long events (one teaching and one personal) that I thought were going to take up my entire summer 2014, but they have both suddenly evaporated. Any FlakFolk advice on how to best spend my time? 

Does anyone else have quibbles with the artists compiled herein? Or, rather, with the designations made by the writer and the definitions he used to guide his work? I think certain major museums were NOT considered when the writer composed his "tentative list of living photographers who have received at least one retrospective at a major institution, either here or in Europe or Asia" and named "another sizeable [sic] group who have proven themselves but not yet had their careers revisited by a distinguished art institution." What do you think?

Hello...I'm planing to travel to Romania, but I need someone to translate and act as fixer. Does anyone have any contacts in Romania? 

When you sell prints not through a dealer, how do you handle taxes?

Hi all! Does anyone know of any photo essays/projects on Michael Alig and the Club kids?

Question: Does anyone know of any photographers who have documented the LARPing community?

Who invented throwback thursday?

Nudes, Payment, Advice?

Do you have a muse?

Advice? I have a only few months to pack up 47 years of photos, negatives and transparencies I created and 12 years of magazines that I published. Any leads on discount, quantity archival storage boxes would be appreciated.

Hey everyone, I'm currently brainstorming for a photo project and I'm looking for photographers who have done projects on success, wealth, triumph? Does anyone have any ideas? 

Hmm... I'm just off the phone with a reporter who's writing a story about the use of white borders on Instagram images - which people use other apps to make. Is this a rejection of the IG square format or something else?

Late for school?

Portugal, somewhere in the 30s, a photo that I particularly like. I like the contrast between the shadowy foreground and the light and vastness of the avenue, where the kid's run will culminate as if he had to run alone the rest of the world to get somewhere. Or imagine is surprise when, reaching the corner, he suddenly face the pulsating heart of the city. He will, on the run, probably collide with the guys talking at the corner - "Hey, kiddo, take some attention"... 

That kid are each one of us. Is a beautiful photo always a beautiful metaphor?

Hello to all !
what would be the worst damage you could inflict to an image, be it dear or not to you ?

Have you done first aid training? If so/if not, do you work with people (either photographing them, or working with assistants/etc on the shoot)? I'm curious as I've never heard photogs discuss this (aside from conflict photogs who do the HEFAT course). Why have you/haven't you done a first aid course?

Ever wondered why Ed Ruscha's photobook of desert plants is called 'Colored People'?

Is there a difference between Criticism and Critique?

So, I've just had the dubious honor of being approached by a wallpaper company to license some images. It's actually kind of a cool idea ... they saw a project of mine of an abandoned refinery and want to use textures. Any thoughts on how to approach negotiating a rate for this kind of odd usage, or where I can research it?

Are there any projects done on Tokyo girl subcultures? (gothic lolitas, cafe maids?)

Anyone know a freelance photographer in Prague who might like to lead a private city shoot in July? An advanced student would be fine too.

Question : I would like to sell a signed print of an original Dennis Stock photograph. This is the only signed print in existence. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

What is the fabric of time in photography? I would like to know your opinions, please.