Wednesday, January 4, 2006

A favor to ask...

I've been tweaking my regular website and looking into festivals for the summer. It seems that if I want to make a real go of this whole selling my photographs business I must step up and enter some juried shows.

What does this mean you ask? It means bigger bucks to set-up a booth. It means a fee to see if they even want to let me in. It also means a good chance at much better sales.

So... I've decided to bite the bullet and enter. One. It's a big one. A competitive one. In the city. In the neighborhood I used to live in. It also attracts artists from around the country. And the publicity is good.

It also means submitting three slides in advance so they can judge me. For real. It sounds so ominous, doesn't it. They will be JUDGING ME.

What is that you say? Judging my work, not me. HA! They are judging me. If they reject my work they are rejecting ME.

Someone tell me why I setting myself up like this?

Oh yeah. The possible income. Which we really need.

And it seems if you don't put yourself out there - really out there - you won't succeed.

Do I consider this fun? No.

In fact, my stomach is balled up (and I may just puke on my keyboard) just thinking about it as I type this.

Maybe I should abandon the plan right now and delete this.

Wait. We all know I would never do that because I enjoy subjecting myself to rejection. Ok, maybe enjoy is a bit strong... I'm always waiting for someone to tell me I suck so I can move on and try something else.

Case in point, my writing. I've finally given it up but if someone would have told me I suck earlier I wouldn't have wasted 6 years working at it.

So now for my favor...

Would you go on over to my site and check out the index of photos (there are 2 pages)? Click on any images that you particularly like to see them enlarged and uncropped. Then come back here and vote on your top 3.

Or? Just tell me I suck and to stop cluttering the internet with my photos.

Thanks.

EDITED TO ADD: It has been brought to my attention that this seems like a plea for you to tell me how great I am. Not so.

Tell me what you really think.

Can you find 3 photos you like?

Does a fairly high profile show seem like too big a leap at this time?

Should I look for an office job? And do you know of any I could apply for?

13 comments:

GosMMY said...

okay, first of all get a grip...you did four years of study at two universities. Your eye is great. And second of all, I don't know that you should have given up writing, but that's for another time.
My favorites are too many to list, but for a show, I would have to say 1)Back Door to the Church, 2)sunflower 3, and coneflower 18. I knowe, I know, I didn't pick a magnolia, but I'm trying to be objective here.

Jeff said...

My faves are Ice 4, Yellow Lilies, and Magnolia 4. The photos on the index are very hard to choose from. I like Back Door a lot (like, enough to put on my wall at my office - that kind of thing), but decided to go with Mag's for judging purposes

Mark said...

I think "Tulip Centers 1" is your best work. I'd also pick "3 Yellow Crocuses" and "Forget-Me-Nots."

Isn't it just going to drive you more crazy if everybody picks three different photos?

MoMMY said...

This is quite possible. I'm just hoping to see a pattern. Thanks so much for taking the time to vote!

And thanks to my family for thier input.

DeAnn said...

Do NOT give up on your dream and work an office job, because then I will lose the ability to live vicariously through someone else's creativity.

My favorites:

Pine Ice
Waiting in Line
Sunflower and Thistles

But I honestly know almost nothing about photography! So feel free to ignore me.

Tami said...

Heidi, darlin' . . . you can do this. Your photos are awesome - it was hard to choose just three.

As always, my top three are Back Door to God and Tulip Centers, and Sunflower 4.

Runners up are Sunflower 3 and Red Tulip/Black.

I know it's not a flower shot, but Back Door is always my favorite.

Lonna said...

I love your photos.... I am not sure what my favorite is. Keep up the beautiful work!

Ditsy Chick said...

You know I love God's back door. I put it in my bedroom BTW. I also like Ice 3 and the leaf.

Good luck and don't worry, if nothing else, you can post a blog about how idiotic the judges are...

Your pictures are lovely (and yes, I like the rest of them as well)

The Queen Mama said...

My personal favorites are:

Partial Leaf
Back Door to God
Tulip Centers 1

I think you have a great eye for color and composition. I've always envied people like you just a little tiny bit...OK, a lot.

Best of luck in the competition!

Mrs. Belle said...

Wow! Those are great. I really like all of htem, but I feel especially drawn to "Back Door to God" and "Bluebells". Wonderful work, you will do just fine!

wordgirl said...

I LOVE your photographs. I've tried to blogroll you but--for some reason--I can't get the html to pull up your site. I'll be back. Oh...my faves.

1)Tulip Centers 1
2) Snowball Bush 1
3) a tie between Backdoor to God and Bluebells. Intense colors!

Jim R said...

Ice 3
Autumn Leaf
White Lilies 5
You take awesome pictures.

MoMMY said...

Thank you to everyone who has voted so far. I have chosen Tulip Centers I and Back Door to God to enter so far. As for the 3rd piece? No Idea. You all seem as divided as I.

I am leaning a bit toward Pink & Red Tulip. Why? No idea. No one has picked it and it's never been one of my favorites until yesterday. For some reason I'm finding it rather appealing.

Any thoughts?