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Hey - let me be honest here for a moment: I’ve always been a bit skeptical about the value of promoting oneself on one’s blog. That probably is why I was more than a year late to both the blogging thing and then yet another year late to Twitter party…
That being said, when you can harness the power of the web to either: a. share with others or to b. even better, to help others - then I’m totally sold on the concept.
A few weeks ago someone I had just met called me out of the blue. While we were far from longtime friends - what she needed to share with me was clearly pretty heavy. I’ve been a photojournalist for most of my life and I can tell pretty easily when someone is having a tough time sharing something with me - so I pretty much cut her off to try to ease the difficulty for both of us…
“What’s up?” I interrupted…
“My ____ found out she has cancer and …”
“Ok - no problem” I interrupted ” How can I help?”
The best thing about the web and/or art - is that it can take on a much bigger meaning than you / your initial intent ever purported to do. Art can exceed our intent as mere artists - and it can (or perhaps other people’s interpretations can) lead to things that we (as artists) never even dared to imagine.
I can say that one of the best parts of being an “artist” is to have a total stranger see something in what you (the artist) created, that you yourself never could have imagined or thought of yourself when you first engaged in the act of making the piece that they are interpreting. And if that person themselves is not what some would consider to be “an artist” themselves - I’ll admit to finding this entire process even more fascinating… I’m not even sure I’m making any sense but here’s what I do know:
You know what’s better? When that same piece of “art” (a.k.a.: your photograph) can somehow benefit someone else.
In short: please check out the following link: http://issuu.com/resourcemagonline/docs/onecase
Should you ( or anyone you know) purchase a print, I can pretty much guarantee it will make a big difference in someone else’s life.
Literally.
So check it out - and share the link - And help someone else get through a difficult period of their lives.
p.s.: On a totally separate note: I am extremely excited to help launch the Canon & Vimeo film contest in less than 48 hours from now. The intent of this contest was pretty simple: to find a way to let OTHER people partake in this crazy HD DSLR filmmaking thing. I hope that you will appreciate the little video that I shot to launch the contest, and that more importantly: you feel that you can push yourselves to take the contest and the following chapters to new heights. The purpose of this contest is to help spread the excitement amongst all of YOU. To make everyone feel like you/they/we can partake in this technological paradigm shift.
To be clear: I think it’s safe to assume that these relatively new HD DSLRs cameras will likely NOT change Hollywood films overnight - BUT - they might just help make filmmaking more accessible to the future generations of filmmakers. Hopefully we will find that the next generation of filmmakers will no longer be judged by their access to fancy Hollywood filmmaking toys - but instead that they will be judged by their ideas and vision (uninhibited by technological limitations.)
I’ll definitely admit to being a bit of an idealist, but I think that this new technology can help to level the playing field - and enable the yet undiscovered talent to spread their wings - based on their creativity - and not their access to fancy toys…
I guess time will tell…
For now - check this out if you’re interested in any of what I’m sayin’.
8 Comments so far
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I thank you very much for sharing a part of yourself. I sincerely hope that your friend overcomes cancer.
I’ve been following your blog since dec. ‘08 and never really had the guts to comment on anything.
My firts impressions of your photography was that you seem very committed to it.
An with this creativity that you have shared through the HD DSLR short movies my appreciation for your work has grown even bigger.
I think one of the best things about this new technology is that it can reveal so much of the ordinary person with a 9 to 5 job because your camera doesn’t have to be as fancy as a big budget one.
Example, when I saw reverie for the first time it was in a small room in the Karoo in South Africa. And the life I was seeing on screen/Reverie and the one I saw while looking outside my room was very much worlds apart. But therein lies the beauty. The fact that with this technology we can share parts of ourselfs/creativity without necessarily having to go somewhere foreign.
So yeah! to HD DSLR!
Comment by Don 01.06.10 @ 3:17 pmVincent,
Solid! No matter how high you can go in a helicopter, your feet are firmly planted on the ground.
Never loose that gift. I dig it.
‘J-dog
Comment by J-dog 01.06.10 @ 10:46 pmYou really are someone to look up to, both in the business and in life. Don’t change.
Comment by Christian 01.07.10 @ 2:54 pmWell,
Vincent we are ready from India and waiting for your video to appear.
Comment by Balaji 01.07.10 @ 8:18 pmThat’s a great work Vincent. I saw some awesome works on the catalog and hope that you guys sell a lot to help that person.
Greetings.
Giving back is an important part of the creative process. It is equally important to inspire people to give. Thank you Vincent.
Comment by SilberStudios 01.11.10 @ 4:38 pm[...] Laforet recently blogged about how art can be used serve others in ways not originally intended by the artist. He explains that while he’s been skeptical of [...]
Pingback by Vincent Laforet on Helping Others: The One Case Auction for Breast Cancer – Art of Purpose: News 01.25.10 @ 4:42 pmWow.Vincent,i`m moved by your words to your friend.Actually not the words themselves, but to where you say them from,and that place shines in you,and all you do.An inspiration.
Thankyou,for your willing transparency,the real work.
Graham.
Comment by Graham 02.05.10 @ 9:48 pmLeave a comment
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