Gospels, Timkat (Epiphany), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, January 2009

Gospels, Timkat (Epiphany), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, January 2009

At least I assume that the bosses represent the Evangelists, and it is thus the Gospels–I neither asked nor looked too closely. I am not sure of the significance of the red velvet capes–they generally seemed to be worn by those who were directing the choristers and däbtäras–I shall have to ask.

Joey Lawrence

Joey L link image

JoeyL, as he is apparently known, is a wunderkind photographer whom I have been following a bit since he appeared on Strobist (the post is here). He specializes in band photography, and definitely has an edgy, gritty, and urban look. The photo I have linking to him has really stuck in my mind since I saw it on the Strobist post, and it makes me think of some kind of future archaeologist, penetrating some forgotten relic of industrial civilization. Only after I referred to it as the ‘faux-archaeologist picture’ in the email I sent him (see below) did I stop to think that I was entirely bringing that to the photo–which is definitely in its favour–there is great energy that allows the viewer to bring their own ideas to play. His site is at www.joeyl.com.

The reason that I thought of him this week is that he has posted a new series of work on the people of the Omo Valley region of Ethiopia (misleadingly titled ‘Abyssinia,’ despite being of low-land Ethiopians–I sent a correcting email–I should have mentioned the false etymology, too). (I can’t link it, as his site is one of those annoying all-flash contraptions, but if you go to his site, click on Personal> Abyssinia.) I can’t say that I really like the set, as the way he has set up and processed many of these shots, they look to me like they could have been shot in a studio, in front of a drop-cloth (even though I have been to many of these places), but there are some real gems in there–worth a look.

He says in his blog, where he writes about his experience in Ethiopia (the specific posts are here and here and here) that he was specifically going for a very posed/directed style, which is just as well in the Omo region, as the cash-economy in photography, in addition to its other deleterious effects, makes documentary-style photography basically impossible in the region (which is why Don McCullin In Africa has that posed, 19th-century look to it). Interesting to read–I found it amusing that he ended up talking to the same pushy car agent that we did (thanks to a travel-savvy Italian, we actually got a good car and deal out off him, but only after rejecting a few).

Getty Images

Getty Images apparently has a program where they are scouring flickr for images to be included in their stock catalogue. Six of my images have been invited, and I have been looking into it.

Priest and Cross, Lalibela, Woldia, Ethiopia, October 2007

Fog and Trees, Dawn, Glacier National Park, Summer 2006

Along the Trail from Buyit Ras to Sankaber, Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia, October 2007

2007_eth_simien_tree01

Abba Pentalehwon Monastery, Axum, Ethiopia

Entrance, Bete Medhane Alem, Lalibela, Woldia, Ethiopia, October 2007

I am a little concerned that, especially given the low number of images I have, and the fact that 5 are royalty-free (only the image of the priest is rights-managed), I would essentially be giving away some of my best work for free. Even is something does sell, I would only get 20%/30% of the proceeds, and I lose all commercial rights and waive all moral rights, especially troubling since I was in the process of selecting a printer for two of these images, and the one from glacier is perhaps my favorite image that I have produced.

On the other hand, they let me produce limited edition print and book runs (up to 500), I am not really marketing my images, and Getty is the most able to sell them, so perhaps I should put them in, and see if any money comes my way. My main concern is that even if Getty never sells my images, I can never get them back.

I think this is a really good idea for Getty, and an innovative way to get a collection of great images with limited outlay, but I wonder if it is a good model for me, letting them cherry-pick my most marketable work for low percentages.