Kitchen paper - a new addition to 'mags and rags' series

Regular visitors to this blog will be aware of ‘mags and rags’, an ongoing series of black and white photographs I am working on to document the potential last days of the newspaper and magazine in printed form as we know it.

With the advent of digital media and devices on which to consume it, the way visual content is distributed is changing and will continue to do so. What happens to the days of physical print? Only time will tell, but I intend to keep recording photographs of ‘mags and rags’ until such time the medium no longer exists.

‘mags and rags’ is a personal photography project, something I believe is essential for a photographer to do develop their craft.  I also believe that training is important to develop both the craft and technique of a photographer in order for them to grow and experiment.

With that in mind I intend to join the Film Is Not Dead (FIND) workshop run by analogue film evangelist Jonathan Canlas to be held in Surrey, UK in May 2012.  At time of writing, just 4 spaces remain and I need to raise in the region of £1500 to attend. It seems somehow fitting to try and raise money from documenting the decline of one analogue medium to protect another.

Why analogue in a digital world?  I want to be a great photographer, to really understand both the craft and the technique, and so for me it is essential to understand the analogue roots of photography, in particular black and white film.  To this end, I have already been experimenting in the black and white darkroom but want to extend my understanding further by really exploring film and all it has to offer.  Learning from somebody like Jonathan with a passion for film and belief in its role within photography is a rare opportunity to advance my craft.  And this is why I need your support and why I have chosen to release a new softcover book and a limited edition of fine art black and white photographic prints.

So why should you invest in somebody elses career? For one, it is an altruistic thing to support anothers growth.  To help somebody achieve their potential in the creative arts enriches us all.  For without external investment, support and belief in musicians, writers, film directors, actors, models, poets, photographers et al, the world in which we live would be a bland, colourless environment.

Secondly, financially it may be one of the smartest investments you ever made. For an investment starting as low as £9.99 you will receive either a printed softcover photobook or one of a very limited edition fine art prints that will accrue in value as the popularity of my work increases.  Is there any guarantee?  No, that’s why these purchases should be made because you enjoy and appreciate the work first and foremost, with the potential benefit of gaining financially if sufficient people share your artistic value.

Why don’t I just pay for the workshop myself?  Since our move from Kent to Norfolk in September, and with Sal now studying Speech and Language therapy full time at the University of East Anglia, my salary is needed to support us both and therefore does not extend to investment in my photography.  I am not looking for donations here, I am looking to produce a limited run of my work in exchange for money. My only other options are lottery wins, unlikely, inheritances, hopefully unlikely, or organ donation. But as much as I want this, it is not at all costs, so I’m keeping my kidneys.

‘mags and rags’ printed photo book

Click to preview and purchase 'mags and rags' issue 1

I have self-published with Blurb an interim carry around book containing a sample of images from the early days of this personal photography project for those who are interested, or question my motives for taking photos in public.

I have utilised the Blurb black and white Trade book, uncoated off-white paper, to keep costs low for what is essentially an interim book. Over the years of this project, I will continue to produce these books updating the images as I collect them. Priced at just £9.99 for the physical soft-cover (excl. p+p) and £3.49 for the ebook version to download to your iPhone or Ipad, the costs of this book is set deliberately low to encourage people to invest in them. As each new issue is released, the preceding issue will be removed from sale to add a certain amount of collectibility to these photo books.

Limited edition fine art prints

In addition, I have selected 5 photographs from the launch issue of photo book ‘mags and rags‘ which will be printed in a limited edition of 10 each by Loxley Colour on Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl 285 GSM, unmounted and unframed, signed on the reverse by yours truly and accompanied by a signed letter of authenticity. Each limited edition print measures 12″ x 10″ and is priced at £55.00 (excl. p+p). Below are the images selected for this limited edition:

With space on the FIND workshop extremely restricted, I urge you to make your investment as soon as you possibly can to enable me to attend a once-a-year UK opportunity.

To order photobook ‘mags and rags’ issue 1, click here

To order limited edition, fine art black and white prints, click here.

Thank you for your support and if I can ask you to share this post by clicking on your preferred method in the toolbar below in order to help me reach my goal, I would be extremely grateful.