LensCulture Review
As I wrote before I submitted the ongoing series ‘Dear Father’ to the LensCulture Portrait Awards 2020 and a nice thing about this submission is the review you get from them, which helps a lot in looking at your own work with fresh eyes.
Vintage lace & layered with hot beeswax
I was happily surprised about some of the advise of the dollhouse and especially stitching fabrics on top, which is something I’ve already done before when printing images and layer them with pieces of vintage lace, which my mum used to collect, and seal them with hot beeswax.
I thought it might be interesting to share this review with you, so here it is, including some helpfull links they gave me and which might be useful to you too.
And of course, I’m very interested in your feedback and thoughts, so please leave a message here, on Instagram or in a mail, app or postcard ;)
Love,
Corina
“Hello Corina. Just, wow. What a solid collection of images. I understand you have submitted these within the Singles category which means jurors reviewed each of the individual images on their own accord, but as a reviewer I get a full, behind-the-scenes view of the work. While I would typically go through and review a few specific photographs, it is obvious that these are all part of the same series and so it be more effective to discuss the work more broadly rather than pick here and there at individual photographs.
There are numerous strengths to the work. Just to touch on a few, the work is visually easy to understand-- it makes an immediate impact, even when looking at an overview of the thumbnails. Compositions are both rich and minimal (#03 is an excellent example of that). You incorporate elements of abstraction that are not only visually appealing but also enticingly bizarre (#14, #20). The work is eery, as it should be, and you have thoroughly beckoned your viewers into this strange world of fantasy (see images below)
In terms of how to push your work even further, I truly hope that any future submissions of your work (here or elsewhere) are entered as a series. While there are certainly photographs here that stand in power, entirely on their own, many of these are enriched by their sister images, further reinforcing the emotional impact as a viewer can take more steps into this imagined world with each new photograph. Consider tightening a selection down to a dozen, if you can-- 19, 21, 22 (see below) are stellar images, but have a slightly different tone than the rest, so that would be how I recommend making cuts if you need to condense future submissions for publication, etc.
As the work continues, I also hope you bring in an interdisciplinary approach. Consider stitching fabric objects, collaging on top of antique pieces, making strange sculptures. Or, another idea is to create a sort of dollhouse where photographs can be placed upon the walls as a unique way of framing some of the work. In other words, *keep going* and let this expand into something that could fill a gallery space. I do hope you seek exhibitions and other opportunities for this work.
It is possible - It can also be difficult - Persist
I'll place a handful of resources below. Joyce Tenneson (who has also used a strained relationship between her and her father to inspire certain photographs), has divulged that even though she is now recognized as a fine art photographer, through the course of her career, half of her income actually came from commercial photo assignments. Brooke Shaden, another whose work you may enjoy, has diversified her income streams in which fine art print sales are just one piece (+speaking events, negotiating royalty payments from streaming teaching assignments, corporate sponsorships, commercial licensing for book covers, hosting a conference, selling books, and at times selling other tutorials or assignments to the following of several hundred followers she worked at building on social media). She created a marketing plan and keeps a schedule (1 hour responding to emails each day, 1 hour creating social media posts, 1 hour creating each day, etc.). Essentially, art is treated like any other job. Try to avoid the mistake many photographers make by shunning the practical side of business when it comes to living off of art.
Of course, you have already shared your work here and opened yourself to feedback such as this, so that's a great sign. Keep getting this out in front of the eyes you want looking at it (entering every competition under the sun can get expensive, so look for the most renowned, the ones that give something in return such as direct feedback, and those that are jurored by the curators/publishers/gallerists who you want to see your work). Face-to-face portfolio reviews are highly recommended for you at this point. If it were me, I would make that a 2020 goal to attend at least one portfolio event.
(I'll link a handful of festivals that have been held in the Netherlands in the past in case there is something of interest coming up in the next few months. I'm also linking the work of Alison Crocetta, an artist whose work yours reminds me of...though when I visited her site I didn't immediately see the series I was thinking about, but I wanted to send the reference regardless).
Very best of luck. I have added your name to my list of photographers to follow and am sure I will be seeing your work out in the world again soon. Thank you again for bringing this here into the LensCulture community!
Additional Recommendations
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Photographers (fine art & street)
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Photo Festivals & Events (Europe)
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