OPOE for Creatives

5 Most Dangerous Creativity Killers

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:02:14 -0400

When it comes to doing creative work, it’s important to not only look for ways to let our creativity thrive, but to also be mindful of insidious “creativity killers” that can sneak up and strangle our ability to come up with our best ideas. According to research from Harvard University, there are five main culprits that are responsible for killing our creativity.

Garry Winogrand’s filing system cracks me up.

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 16:55:56 -0400

Garry Winogrand’s filing system cracks me up.

We’ve finally had a bit of winter here in New England and...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:33:29 -0500

We’ve finally had a bit of winter here in New England and hours of darkness still outnumber hours of daylight, but that’s no reason to let your promotional efforts succumb to a winter freeze. If you’ve got goals to heat up your business this year, but you’re feeling stuck or uncertain of how to move forward, we’d love to help you defrost your plans and get moving toward your goals.

Teaming up with OPOE is a great way to beat the winter doldrums. To make the decision to contact us that little bit easier, we’re offering a free hour of consultation. From now until the end of March, mention “DEFROST” to take advantage of this super chill offer.

Photo

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:01:19 -0500

John Cleese gives a talk on creativity. It’s a bit long,...

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:43:44 -0500

John Cleese gives a talk on creativity. It’s a bit long, so if you don’t have a good 30 minutes now, bookmark it for later. Very worth it!

Telling Your Story Takes Two (at Least!)

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:02:30 -0500

It’s easy to think that your artist statement or your portfolio or your brand is all about you. After all, you put in the long hours and drank too much coffee while you hustled from project to project. This is your baby and you know best, right?

The truth is that you know your work from the inside out, but sharing your talent with others requires you to frame your work in a way that other people will get excited about. The more you allow other people’s opinions coexist within the context of your work, the easier it will be for them to participate and share your project with a larger audience.

Start by testing the waters with a small group of people whose feedback is valuable to you. Don’t just look for cheerleaders; criticism is an important tool that can help you refine your narrative. A thumbs-up may stroke your ego, but talking it out with naysayers gives you the opportunity to refine your ideas.

Once you’ve seen your work from the perspective of your audience, you’ll see greater returns when promoting your portfolio. One person can make amazing work, but making champions of your audience is the key to a really successful creative business.

February Inspiration File: Michael Mapes. Thanks to a tip from...

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:38:50 -0500

February Inspiration File: Michael Mapes.

Thanks to a tip from the local Boston artist group Rifratkt, I checked out the quirky website of photo-based artist Michael Mapes. His recomposed portraits as collections of specimens is pretty awesome, and might make him a part of my collection of favorite artists who collect biographical things (see Candy Jernigan or Joseph Cornell) Actual biographic details including DNA in the form of fingernails, tears, etc are included in each piece as well. This Slate article shows a couple of angled detail shots of what the pinned pieces look like.

Must-Read Article from Heather Elder

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:01:39 -0500

Must-Read Article from Heather Elder:

Insights like these are the reason why pro and aspiring pro photographers alike should be reading the blog of Heather Elder Reps.

How to Leverage Your Blog to Land the Clients You Want

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 12:02:22 -0500

How to Leverage Your Blog to Land the Clients You Want:

Are you using your blog, instagram or other social platforms to let people know what you really love to shoot? PDN offers us a case study on street photographer Yvan Rodic whose success showing his personal projects online led to attracted gigs by clients who appreciated his style of shooting.

Jan Manski’s sculptures made of the real by-products of...

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:02:39 -0500

Jan Manski’s sculptures made of the real by-products of plastic surgery procedures are the best/worst thing I have seen in so long. I can’t stop looking at them.

For a less stunned description of the work, check out this article at Artlog.

"I don’t think I became a real photographer until I made a real acquaintanceship with music. That’s..."

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 12:02:36 -0500

“I don’t think I became a real photographer until I made a real acquaintanceship with music. That’s why I make my layouts the way I do. Photography happens to be my means of communication. But I do not feel I am a photographer singular. I feel that my art or my necessity is communication, and this could apply to many branches of the communicative art — whether it be writing or photography. Since I am somewhat adequate as a photographer, I remain with it. I am probably more in command of it than any other medium. I respect it highly as a medium. It has its own very definite purpose.”

- Eugene W. Smith (via photographsonthebrain)

It’s 2013. Go do something!

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 10:15:36 -0500

It’s 2013. Go do something!

A charming video from Vaudeville Pictures showing off a little...

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:01:21 -0500

A charming video from Vaudeville Pictures showing off a little bit of Beantown during the holidays…

December Inspiration File: Android Jones Andrew Jones has worked...

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 16:01:05 -0500

December Inspiration File: Android Jones

Andrew Jones has worked with George Lucas at Industrial Light and Magic, made album covers for musicians, and was the only North American concept artist for Nintendo. The detail in his elaborate illustrations could even freak out Philip Dick.

Why should photographers get paid to do something they love?

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 14:10:14 -0500

Why should photographers get paid to do something they love?:

Answer from Diane Meriwether on Quora:

There’s a story out there…

Nikola Tesla visited Henry Ford at his factory, which was having some kind of difficulty. Ford asked Tesla if he could help identify the problem area. Tesla walked up to a wall of boilerplate and made a small X in chalk on one of the plates. Ford was thrilled, and told him to send an invoice.

The bill arrived, for $10,000. Ford asked for a breakdown. Tesla sent another invoice, indicating a $1 charge for marking the wall with an X, and $9,999 for knowing where to put it.

No doubt apocrypha, but the point is clear — professional artists charge because what they do and see is hard earned and valuable.

To pay for art is to celebrate your own capacity to be surprised and moved. It lets you participate and share in what you cannot create. It stands as visible proof that you have faith in your own abundance. It’s a way of voting for more of what you love in the world.

Believing that creativity should not be supported is a poverty that wealth cannot cure.

November Inspiration File: Cy Twombly

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400

November Inspiration File: Cy Twombly:

The Gagosian Gallery on Madison Avenue opens today with an exhibition of the last paintings and a rare series of photographs by my all-time favorite artist, Cy Twombly.

Toby de Silva - Immortal (2012) Removed from the catacombs of...

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 09:57:36 -0400

Toby de Silva - Immortal (2012)

Removed from the catacombs of Rome in the 17th century, the relics of 12 martyred saints were attired in the jeweled regalia of the previous period and reinterred in a remote church on the German/Czech border

October Inspiration File: Bela Borsodi It’s hard to pick a...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:08:43 -0400

October Inspiration File: Bela Borsodi

It’s hard to pick a single image to represent Borsodi’s blend of eroticism, fashion, and visual humor - click through for more from a +81 magazine interview.

"Occupy!" by the International Center of Photography

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:36:39 -0400

Exhibition on Governor’s Island will be ending this month!

“The Ninety-Nine Percent” by Mathieu Asselin

reblog from photolia

Exhibition: “Occupy!” organised by the International Center ofPhotography
Location: The Governors Galleries on Governor’s Island (Map)
Dates: 18 August - 30 September 2012
Opening reception: Saturday, 18 August 2012, from 3 to 5

"Make sure you have the backing of your family and friends.” “Surround yourself with the right..."

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 12:00:50 -0400

““Make sure you have the backing of your family and friends.” “Surround yourself with the right people.” “Call in all favors.” “Build a wide base of support.” “Promise everything to everybody.” “Communication skills are key.” “Don’t leave town.” “Know the weaknesses of your opponents — and exploit them.” “Flatter voters shamelessly.” “Give people hope.””

- Cicero’s advice to candidates – how little has changed in 22 centuries. (via explore-blog)