I've been brainstorming with Don as of late, trying to think of ways photographers can benefit from Web 2.0 (though I agree with Don, it's really Web 3.0. Web 2.0 was Amazon.com, pets.com, et al. Unless 1994 was the beta. I digress...), when I was struck by a fundamental truth of how photographers work.

We suck at collaboration.

Quick: Name me a successful photography team.

*crickets*

Now, that's not to say that photography isn't a team effort. You need a crackerjack art director and the best support team possible to do your best work. But there are some top-rate shooters who work alone, with no assistants. And at the end of the day, one hand alone is on the shutter release.

Writers collaborate. So do musicians. Robert Rodriguez insisted that Frank Miller be credited as a co-director for Sin City (a fact that drove the Director's Guild mad). Why must shooters (along with painters and many other visual artists) insist on going it alone? It's not like we don't shamelessy steal gain inspiration from the work of other shooters.

Making photographers work together is truly like herding cats. And making them realize they can be better if they ask for help and then give help in return is a mighty high mountain to climb.

This entry was posted by Kevin Creighton, on 10.23.2005. You can leave your response.