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Wednesday, May 16, 2007
The Plan
"So what are you doing in California?"
That's easily the first thing everyone wants to know when I tell them that I'll be living there for two months this summer. My typical response, "shooting pictures."
But shooting photos of what? Who for? Why? How did you get into that?
Honestly, I can't answer all the questions. I don't know what I'll be shooting pictures of. I can't tell you if I'll make any money. I'd like to, but it's not promised.
Dave is trying to start a stock company. Ed, Elliott, Keith and I will be shooting whatever Dave tells us to shoot. If it's a little league game we'll go in and tackle it. If it's a parade, we're going to all split up, prance around it and cover it as well as possible. Dave will decide the agenda. We will decide how to shoot it.
The idea is to shoot these events, hand out business cards and be able to sell these photos back. While getting to explore Ventura County, we will actually be doing a little work.
We have an office space downtown, and we'll be dumping our cards (that's photo talk for downloading our photos to the computer) and editing our shoots there. The trick will be working with four people and two cars. But I think we'll adapt just fine. We're college students, it's not like we don't walk everywhere anyway.
The plan is to make a few bucks selling photos. But it's not promised. My hope? To just enjoy the opportunity. I'd like to break even, but if I don't, I really couldn't care less. I know that this is an opportunity that anyone would spend thousands of dollars to get to do. Just the idea of making a few bucks is nice.
A few possible side projects are working with Dave in a program he started in Ventura years ago. He takes "at risk kids" and works with them, teaching them photography in hope of giving them something to look forward to and a chance to stay out of trouble. This year Dave will be running the program out of his first grade classroom.
Another idea (that I am having trouble seeing happening) is to finish a book several photographers from the Kernel started through our Picture Kentucky Workshop. Dave wants us to complete the layout, but we'll see how that goes. I'm not sure we have the information to complete the book.
No matter what projects we take on, there is no doubt that it'll be a great chance for the four of us to develop as photographers. Dave LaBelle is a great person to be around to get those opportunities. And if know Dave, I'd say he'll teach us a few life lessons along the way too.
That's easily the first thing everyone wants to know when I tell them that I'll be living there for two months this summer. My typical response, "shooting pictures."
But shooting photos of what? Who for? Why? How did you get into that?
Honestly, I can't answer all the questions. I don't know what I'll be shooting pictures of. I can't tell you if I'll make any money. I'd like to, but it's not promised.
Dave is trying to start a stock company. Ed, Elliott, Keith and I will be shooting whatever Dave tells us to shoot. If it's a little league game we'll go in and tackle it. If it's a parade, we're going to all split up, prance around it and cover it as well as possible. Dave will decide the agenda. We will decide how to shoot it.
The idea is to shoot these events, hand out business cards and be able to sell these photos back. While getting to explore Ventura County, we will actually be doing a little work.
We have an office space downtown, and we'll be dumping our cards (that's photo talk for downloading our photos to the computer) and editing our shoots there. The trick will be working with four people and two cars. But I think we'll adapt just fine. We're college students, it's not like we don't walk everywhere anyway.
The plan is to make a few bucks selling photos. But it's not promised. My hope? To just enjoy the opportunity. I'd like to break even, but if I don't, I really couldn't care less. I know that this is an opportunity that anyone would spend thousands of dollars to get to do. Just the idea of making a few bucks is nice.
A few possible side projects are working with Dave in a program he started in Ventura years ago. He takes "at risk kids" and works with them, teaching them photography in hope of giving them something to look forward to and a chance to stay out of trouble. This year Dave will be running the program out of his first grade classroom.
Another idea (that I am having trouble seeing happening) is to finish a book several photographers from the Kernel started through our Picture Kentucky Workshop. Dave wants us to complete the layout, but we'll see how that goes. I'm not sure we have the information to complete the book.
No matter what projects we take on, there is no doubt that it'll be a great chance for the four of us to develop as photographers. Dave LaBelle is a great person to be around to get those opportunities. And if know Dave, I'd say he'll teach us a few life lessons along the way too.
The beginning
It is an idea that started with a let down.
I was looking for an adventure during the summer of 2007, which I seemed to have found through an internship. Dave LaBelle, photo advisor of the Kentucky Kernel and a good friend, knew a man in Alaska that ran several magazines. Every year there was a paid internship, and if I wanted it, there seemed to be a good chance.
After a little work and investigation, I found that Dave's friend, Rob, had lost his ability to pay his interns. My trip fell through.
Dave and I talked about what I was going to do during the summer. I told him if I didn't have that internship, I would probably just be heading to Florida for a week to go lobstering with a friend.
Then Dave LaBelle made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
Dave invited me to go with him and his family to California for two months. With no idea of why, when or how I was going to pay for it, I committed.
It wasn't long after my friends found out, that a few of them were interested. Elliott Hess, a new-comer to the Kernel, super passionate student and future assistant photo editor walked into Dave's office one day, and just told Dave, "I want to go to California with you."
"Sure."
Shortly after Elliott's commitment, one of the most dedicated people I know was coming with us. Ed Matthews, the up and coming photo editor of the Kernel, was on board for the trip.
It's been questionable as to whether or not Keith Smiley will show up. He's very spontaneous and likely to just be standing on our door step with a smile and a camera bag one day.
Over the past six months we've hardly had a plan. At first we were living with Dave, then we were on our own. After a nonexistent search for an apartment, we landed an opportunity to live with one of Dave's friends, Martha. Despite not meeting Martha, it's safe to say that anyone who will open up their arms to a group of strangers for a friend has to be a great person.
The disappointment of not being able to work in Alaska didn't last long. As most people, I've always wanted to go to California. I just never thought I would have a trip so personal and open to whatever I wanted.
I was looking for an adventure during the summer of 2007, which I seemed to have found through an internship. Dave LaBelle, photo advisor of the Kentucky Kernel and a good friend, knew a man in Alaska that ran several magazines. Every year there was a paid internship, and if I wanted it, there seemed to be a good chance.
After a little work and investigation, I found that Dave's friend, Rob, had lost his ability to pay his interns. My trip fell through.
Dave and I talked about what I was going to do during the summer. I told him if I didn't have that internship, I would probably just be heading to Florida for a week to go lobstering with a friend.
Then Dave LaBelle made me an offer I couldn't refuse.
Dave invited me to go with him and his family to California for two months. With no idea of why, when or how I was going to pay for it, I committed.
It wasn't long after my friends found out, that a few of them were interested. Elliott Hess, a new-comer to the Kernel, super passionate student and future assistant photo editor walked into Dave's office one day, and just told Dave, "I want to go to California with you."
"Sure."
Shortly after Elliott's commitment, one of the most dedicated people I know was coming with us. Ed Matthews, the up and coming photo editor of the Kernel, was on board for the trip.
It's been questionable as to whether or not Keith Smiley will show up. He's very spontaneous and likely to just be standing on our door step with a smile and a camera bag one day.
Over the past six months we've hardly had a plan. At first we were living with Dave, then we were on our own. After a nonexistent search for an apartment, we landed an opportunity to live with one of Dave's friends, Martha. Despite not meeting Martha, it's safe to say that anyone who will open up their arms to a group of strangers for a friend has to be a great person.
The disappointment of not being able to work in Alaska didn't last long. As most people, I've always wanted to go to California. I just never thought I would have a trip so personal and open to whatever I wanted.
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