If you're anything like me then funding a project has often been the biggest stumbling block for my creative ventures. Earning enough coin to put beer in the fridge often takes up so much time that many of my projects are very slow burning, taking years to complete. It would be great to have the money to create the conditions to make the projects a reality. But, finding sponsors and writing successful grant applications is an art all in itself... and one that I am yet to master, so this idea of crowdfunding has some appeal.
Crowdfunding, if you're not familiar with the concept, raises cash through collective online donations. You outline your project online via one of the crowdfunding websites, set a funding goal within a specific time-frame and appeal to friends, family, associates and the general public to see the benefits of your project and donate. The range and scope of the projects being funded on these sites is broad and not just limited to photography, but here are a couple that I think are worth supporting.
Bangkok based photojournalist, 'Paddy' Brown has been documenting the trade in the illegal wildlife trade for years. You can see some of the results of his work in "Black Market" at Mediastorm. Now he is raising funds via the Emphas.is site to fund "Trading to Extinction", a book documenting the illegal trade. A donation of as little as $60 will help him reach his $14900 goal AND secure you a copy of the book. To help Paddy get there, click here
Twelve months of separation is a more modest endeavor by four Perth photographers whom I had the pleasure of teaching whilst they were studying at Central. Natalie, Amanda, Alanna and Amber are using the FotoFreo 2012 Fringe festival (now re-badged as the "Open Exhibition Programme") to exhibit their work.
Their goal is a mere $1000 with minimum donations as low as a dollar helping them to reach that target. They're just over $200 short of their target so let's hope that enough people take a look and see the benefit in supporting our emerging talent. To support Nat, Amanda, Alanna and Amber, click here.
OK, so what else? Not much to report, had a great time working with the Timorese photographers in Dili last month. But as always seems to be the case, never enough time and as soon as we had finished I was back on the plane heading back to a Perth heatwave. Next trip will have to be a holiday where I can take some time out to explore the country methinks.
