4. If an image isn’t any
good, take 20 more and
call it a series.
- Anonymous
taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
5. “I always thought good
photos were like good jokes.
If you have to explain it, it
just isn’t that good.”
– Anonymous
http://bit.ly/photojoke taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
6. The power of stories…
taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
7. That’s not new.
What *is* new today is the way we
create, share, experience,
distribute, promote, buy and sell
the stories behind images.
taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
8. Less experienced photographers
can improve their images by
telling stories.
Experienced photographers can
improve their business by
creating stories using their
images.
taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
9. Stories that resonate and create
conversations, shared experiences
and connections based on solid
work also help create business
opportunities.
taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
10. Why?
The economics of content and context
have changed and shifted the balance of
power and opportunity from creators of
content to creators of context.
Thus, the biggest creative and business
opportunities for photographers is not the
image, but everything around the image.
taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
20. Recap: How?
Combine online and offline
Create “Content Moments” and Shareable Experiences
(and share them!)
Embed narrative into the content
Be a hub (i.e. create and connect a community)
Instead of selling just the image, sell everything around the
image. (i.e., sell the experience, the meaning, the
connections)
Credit to Tom Martin (@TomMartin) for
creating the phrase “content moments”. taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
21. Remember: Context can’t be
copied blindly.
The story, experience and content
has to be tailored to the event,
community, and purpose.
taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
22. I often hear…
“But I only want to take photos!”
1. It’s never worked that way.
2. Good luck.
Credit to Umair Haque (@umairh) for his
thinking and writing that helped me frame
up and apply the concept of content and
context for photography. taylordavidson.com | narratively.com | NOLAlicious.com | @tdavidson
Notas del editor
Artists have always understood the need for context; why do we create series? Why do we create artist statements to explain the themes and ideas we explore? Why do we obsess over the stories as much as the images? Why do we return to view certain images over and over? Why do we love the images we love?We create series, themes, ideas and comprehensive bodies of work because we understand that they are more powerful than individual images. The true beauty is in the discussion, the linkages between images, the connection between the images and the stories, their connections to causes, communities, meaning and people.
Content is cheap to create and distribute, but context is *still* expensive. The economics of the web have increased the competition between content creators, flattened the experience advantage and upended supply and demand for content. But at the same time, it's expanded the opportunity to create context, made context easier, cheaper and more accessible to create than ever before. People that recognize how context is created, what type of context they can create, and why context is important will create economically meaningful, valuable and sustainable products, services and experiences. And more than anything, that's what we need.