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This is a Photo Show

Monday April 18th, 2011

Collaboration is a force to be reckoned with. So often it starts on the internet, with names like “crowdsourcing,” or “Twitter,” but then it overflows into the word of physical reality. It overflows, like the aptly named This is a Photo Blog, which is prepared to express itself as a material place, in the form of the aptly named This is a Photo Show.

The show, sponsored by MOPLA, the Lucie Foundation’s month-long celebration of photography, will appear in Studio 9 at 33 West, with a reception on Thursday, April 21, 2011 from 6pm – 11pm. If you’re in the area, you should check it out—hit them up on Facebook or Twitter. But even if you’re not in the area, this is an interesting story of a digital photography cooperative.

Photo by Natalie Young/Los Angeles

This is a Photo Blog was founded by Los Angeles-based WM photographer Tamar Levine, along with some of her colleagues at the Art Center College of Design. Since then it’s expanded, and include a few other WM photographers—Tamar actually found Natalie Young on the WM site, and Jose Mandojana and Alexa Miller are also members. I asked Tamar to tell me how she decided to start the group:

I started TIAPB a few years out of Art Center when I noticed myself and some of my peers hitting creative walls. We were so focused on marketing ourselves and doing commercial work that we weren’t taking many pictures just for fun. I also missed the nurturing environment of a classroom where peers gave me feedback on my work. Since we all lived in different areas of the US, I thought an online community would be the easiest venue. To make the blog democratic, I decided everyone should have the chance to give assignments, so we take turns alphabetically each month. It began as just a handful of Art Center students but expanded to 21 photographers. Although we add photographers occasionally, it is important for me to keep the group small so each person has a voice and it feels tight-knit.

Tamar is optimistic about the direction of the blog, and the possibilities opened up by the show. “If this show goes well, I would love to do more,” she told me. “Beyond that I think it would be great to do more to enrich the creativity of commercial photographers, possibly with some field trips, community service, and workshops.” But I had to ask—the translation from a blog to a gallery is not automatic. I asked Tamar whether it was a challenge, but she pointed out that starting with a blog was enabling:

The concept was easy since we have so much material to work with! We have been active for over three years, so we have plenty of work to show. I wanted to keep it open and loose so everyone could show what they are most proud of throughout the blog’s history. Everyone will showcase one to three pieces from an assignment for the blog. The biggest challenge was finding a space and sponsorships since I have never actually put a show together. Luckily everyone in the collective was very happy to help out and we have done a great job of working together!

We’re looking forward to seeing what else they come up with.