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Who's the lucky one?I am currently staying in the Cap Ducal Hotel in Vina del Mar in Chile. This is probably the most memorable hotel I have ever stayed in. As their literature says, "We are not so much by the sea, but ON the sea." Built in 1936, it is an Art Deco-style, concrete-based liner with spectacular views from all the rooms and the restaurant that stretches over three floors. In the morning you can watch the resident seal while you sip your cafe con leche. The hotel is delightfully run down and, as you can imagine, has a loyal and interesting clientèle. I am here because I am doing a tour of South American beach resorts in the height of summer. Two days earlier, I met a group of Chilean photographers organised by a photographer called Luis Weinstein. He circumnavigates the tricky problem of earning a living in Chile as a photographer by being a TV weather man. He works three hours a day, half the week, and is home to watch himself do the weather after the main TV news. At this most pleasant encounter, I learnt that the main gripe from the photographers is that there is no market for photography, little interest in buying prints, and the magazines are terrible. Sound familiar? Yes, we all believe this, even if there is a market and the magazines still give half decent commissions. I had just come from Rio, where photographing is a real problem. The beach of Copacabana would be a delight to photograph on if you could walk around with an invisible camera. If you have a biggish camera, you have to watch every step. I was nearly arrested because a father took exception to the fact that one of his children was in the background of a shot I had taken. However, on Chilean beaches the opposite is the case - friendly, charming, not a hint of malice. It is a delight to photograph on. It reminds me of when I first started shooting in the 1970s in the UK. So now you see the dilemma, as when I was telling my new Chilean friends how lucky they were to have the ability to shoot without hassle, they thought my envy was rather poorly founded. I come from a part of the world where you can earn a living by shooting the images you want. Looks like you can't have it both ways. See Martin Parr's multimedia essay "Agenda" produced by Olivia Wyatt/Magnum In Motion
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Reader comments (14)
Dear Martin!
All the best to you. You earn your position with hard and good work. But journalists, photographers and photojournalists participate much in general paranoia all over the world. Remember Jock Sturges story?
K.
Comment posted by KATJA BROZ on February 13, 2007
Martin
How unfortunate that your blog comes after Jonas'. While you are doing one of the longest possible plane journeys from the UK to do what was it? Oh yeah the very essential task of taking pictures of beaches... you are burning your way and our way through plenty CO2 emissions so that you may enjoy you coffee with the seals. Oh and as you mention so succinctly yourself you are also by the sounds of it burning the local photographers out of a job.... Mmm there's a new thread for a blog me thinks...
Comment posted by Jon Levy on February 13, 2007
Martin, I know what you are talking about. I am from Colombia and here it's not only hard to find a decent job in a magazine; editors who know very little of photography, poor paying...but almost impossible to sell a print. Not to mention the usual problem of freaking out the people with the camera. But I suppose is the same for everybody and if you want to make a living of photography we most keep working and living with that. Cheers.
Comment posted by Ivan Herrera on February 13, 2007
Well, I would be happy to see your work. I find your approach to photography very different from the usual stuff out there. I like your preoccupation with the "banal". Though I do agree with them, you are a very lucky man to be making a living from this. :)
Comment posted by Rafal Pruszynski on February 13, 2007
Dear Martin,
I love your work, as I told you once in Munich while you were signing a book (one of hundreds). At that evening I start thinking and wandering, that it is not only your own very special style to take pictures: not shy to have a very curious, humorous and close, or direct look on people and objects. It is also the very special humour and calm behaviour of people in the UK that let your work develop in the way it is famous for. Am I right or totally wrong? servus, bar
Comment posted by Barbara Schöning on February 15, 2007
Hey Martin, like Ivan Herrera in Colombia and your friends in Chile I can tell you that here in Venezuela is also very difficult to make a living out of photography, nevertheless passion rules; when you love what you do, you manage somehow.
If Venezuela is in your plans to continue your project please call us and we will show you around.
All the best
Ricardo
Comment posted by Ricardo Jimenez on February 17, 2007
Hi Martin,
say hello to my good friend Lucio Weinstein, if you see him again - he is a fine b/w street photographer when he is not predicting the usually balmy weather. Make sure you go to the beach at Cartagena, about 60 km south of Viña del Mar. It's a once splendid, now totally run down resort for the poorer masses (as opposed to the golden kids which populate Viña and Reñaca). Try to catch the days when the Santiago universities celebrate their exams on the beach with loads of Pisco. I "did" Chilean beaches last year and you are welcome to look up my take on the Magnum site. Please be careful - there are nasty types with knives on those beaches who love cameras and very smart pickpockets who specialize in cash and cell phones. Looking forward to seeing your harvest.
Best
Thomas
Comment posted by Thomas Hoepker on February 18, 2007
Yeah, wouldn’t we all like to make a living out of photography but I suppose what really matters is taking good photographs. I don’t think Lartigue made a lot out of photography before he was over 70 and had taken most of his best photos. But if anybody knows how to make a living from it, Martin, it’s you ;-) so I hope you’re giving them plenty of tips! Enjoy yourself down there.
Comment posted by James Cox on February 18, 2007
hmmm,
Here in Quebec, a photographer called Gilbert Duclos went in front of the supreme court because he published in an art magazine a photo of a young woman taken in the street...
and he lost the case. Everybody is now scared, and I'm scared because if photographers stop this king of art, only will last faked portrait of my generation... how sad.
To that I will add that I met a photographer from London saying that he was free!!! And Mister Parr, to hear that you are doing such a project, I can see the images you are taken! I saw your conference when you came in Montreal, and your parking lot exhibition... I'm totally in love with your work, please don't let anything or anybody stop you!
Bests,
Comment posted by Julie Gauthier on February 21, 2007
Picking up on Jon Levy's remarks about CO2 emissions. Perhaps Magnum Photos as a whole should be more concerned about their prodigious contributions to global pollution via their frequent air travel. Its one thing to highlight concerns about the environment by raising awareness through concerned photojournalism, its another thing to acknowledge the environmental price that ‘we’ collectively pay for that raising of our awareness.
Ultimately, art photography and/or photojournalism, whichever you prefer to identify with, hardly ever informs us of the bigger picture. Instead we just receive a subjective view of an individual photographer, with everyday motivations and desires just like the rest of us.
Comment posted by David Axelbank on May 31, 2007
Mi chiamo Umberto Cornale, e sono un fotografo d'Arte. Vorrei dirLe che ammiro il Suo stile di fotos. Raccontano la realtà. Anch'io in qualche maniera racconto la realtà con i sogni.
Cordiali saluti
Grazie.
Umberto Cornale
Vicenza, Italy 28/03/2008
Comment posted by Umberto Cornale on March 28, 2008
Martin,
I'm really looking forward to your body of work on South American beaches, specially Renaca, Chile, where I grew up. Your appreciations seem spot on. I decided to leave Chile for sunny Queensland, AUS, as I couldn't fulfill my ambitions as a photojournalism student there. The academic programs were very basic, specially in the traditional schools of journalism. The media is poor as well, they are normally adamant to publishing good photojournalism and there is a very destructive oligopoly running the show.
Now in OZ, I have experienced the other side of the story that you mentioned: some sort of paranoia against photographers, both from the masses as well as the police. 3 students from my school have been jailed for shooting in public places (there is no legislation here restricting photography in public). The other day I got stopped in the street by some cops for no reason, telling me that my face was familiar to them and asking if I had had any dealings with the police recently. And a very severe anti-terrorism legislation is doing no good to free speech, whistleblowing, investigative journalism, etc. (only one conviction so far under this legislative scheme.)
Dear good, I come from a country where we believe that any malice in your thoughts or attitudes is merely a mirror of your own badness. Very well observed and said, Martin Parr.
Comment posted by Jaime San Martin on September 22, 2008
Regarding the CO2 comments, I have planted about 50 acres of forest in Scotland, the CO2 sequestration benefits of which I hereby donate to Magnum so they can continue their fine work globally.
Comment posted by Michael Calvert on June 18, 2009
Hello Martin,
I make so many wishes to you, although you certainly do not need.
I am sure that what you bring home will be the best.
I did a recently reportage in Kenya, I can define it in extreme conditions, where the danger and the emotions are never missed, I suggest that you live this, without which we could not express our feelings through photography.
I continue to love your nice work
My best wishes
Comment posted by Marco Negri on June 19, 2009