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On a Kickstarter... Expanding to New Horizons
10 years ago
I posted a journal awhile back on how I wanted to get my butt in gear and do things while I was unemployed and just in general. I have done a few of them, but I've fell short on others. I've done my best to TRY to change my attitude about things (I admit, I'm a pessimist) and while I did the one rant a few journals back feel I've made some progress on that. I know, that is not going to be an overnight thing however.
But what I've fell short on is the longer term projects. I wanted to do more with my Photography blog; I wrote one article that no one really read and even myself looking back its maybe a bit TOO technical and rather boring for most; even me to an extent.
There are two things that can motivate people to do something which requires a lot of work: One is enjoying doing it and the other is well the obvious one: Money.
On the photography blog, while I had some fun with playing with gear, Shooting in a test environment with static things isn't really all that fun for me in the end, so I lost interest in it. It felt like a chore looking at photos which were very Meh.
Something I do enjoy doing is day trips for traveling, seeing new places even if most of those are within the same state I'm living in. As much as I make fun of Minnesota for being Boring, and while some Minnesotans are fairly cookie-cutter in personality one thing I will say is I've seen a lot around the state and there are some really COOL little things around when you take Minnesota as a whole. I do have the advantage of living in a state that has a large variety of scenic outdoor landmarks, a decent amount of history when you look outside of just one region (IE not just the Twin Cities) but the entire state as a whole there is quite a bit going on even if to the average person it is very very subtitle. What I find interesting a local of said town may think "You're crazy, right?".
Last night out of Bordem I poked at Kickstarter.org. I found out that they have a section devoted to Photography and Photo Travel projects. This is something I can do and not stretch the bounds of what the site is actually for. What I want to do falls in line with one of their major projects they aspire to help fund.
I also browsed the photography projects. A lot of them are "i visited Nepal or India in a sacred place where only 10 outsiders were allowed to go in the last decade!" or "Here is my photo project of the Slums of Detroit to prove that its not a horrible place to live and that people here are really nice and friendly!" While I can understand the merit of trying to be unique in showing photos of a place that normally no one else sees or trying to change perception: A I don't have Thousands of Dollars to go on Exotic trips and B for the other one I value my safety and I'm sorry... just NO.
I just found it interesting that the flood of books there was all trying to be Exotic and Unique or trying to paint a better light on poverty; they are admirable goals and I'm sure those books have their own market but...
For kicks I did a search for Minnesota. There were NO current projects in Photography nor in the recent past about our state. This surprised the hell out of me. I know you can find books about it in tourist spots or at Barnes and Noble but apparently here, of all places the concept of looking at the Mundane and finding those gems in the rough which make someplace close to home more worthy of visiting are just not, there.
And on the money side of things; Most people who were doing photography books on Kickstarter are expecting to make anywheres between $10,000 and $100,000 on their book. No one is really being realistic. A lot of them are like half funded because their goals are just so ridiculously high. I snorted at that. Hell if I could make a few hundred dollars to pay off some local travel "I need to get away and out for a day" expenses and help with bills for another month I'd be HAPPY.
So I think I might have found a project that would be a worthy cause for my time in the fact that it would be a lot of fun, for me personally to do. There are still so many places even in Minnesota I have yet to explore. Plus the potential for the project to pay for itself plus maybe a little more. I'm not expecting to make a living off these as clearly most people who do are.
But if it can help a little with the fact I'm unemployed; or maybe even if I find a job help with cutting down some of my debt or allowing me to go explore more places I think it could be worth it. Far better then sitting on my ass doing nothing.
I know its not a Furry thing, and as tempting as it would be to do a Kickstarter for a book about Fursuiting and the Furry fandom that opens a whole nother can of worms. IE splitting the profits among people; and for the fact that its not a project I could ask my family and friends outside of the Fandom to help out.
But for those who do read this - what do you think? Do you think there is merit in doing a photography book on a small scale about the state I live in? Some of it would be very touristy while others would be places people had forgotten or didn't even realize were there. Would anyone who watch me even be potentially interested in funding to get a book if this does indeed become a thing?
But what I've fell short on is the longer term projects. I wanted to do more with my Photography blog; I wrote one article that no one really read and even myself looking back its maybe a bit TOO technical and rather boring for most; even me to an extent.
There are two things that can motivate people to do something which requires a lot of work: One is enjoying doing it and the other is well the obvious one: Money.
On the photography blog, while I had some fun with playing with gear, Shooting in a test environment with static things isn't really all that fun for me in the end, so I lost interest in it. It felt like a chore looking at photos which were very Meh.
Something I do enjoy doing is day trips for traveling, seeing new places even if most of those are within the same state I'm living in. As much as I make fun of Minnesota for being Boring, and while some Minnesotans are fairly cookie-cutter in personality one thing I will say is I've seen a lot around the state and there are some really COOL little things around when you take Minnesota as a whole. I do have the advantage of living in a state that has a large variety of scenic outdoor landmarks, a decent amount of history when you look outside of just one region (IE not just the Twin Cities) but the entire state as a whole there is quite a bit going on even if to the average person it is very very subtitle. What I find interesting a local of said town may think "You're crazy, right?".
Last night out of Bordem I poked at Kickstarter.org. I found out that they have a section devoted to Photography and Photo Travel projects. This is something I can do and not stretch the bounds of what the site is actually for. What I want to do falls in line with one of their major projects they aspire to help fund.
I also browsed the photography projects. A lot of them are "i visited Nepal or India in a sacred place where only 10 outsiders were allowed to go in the last decade!" or "Here is my photo project of the Slums of Detroit to prove that its not a horrible place to live and that people here are really nice and friendly!" While I can understand the merit of trying to be unique in showing photos of a place that normally no one else sees or trying to change perception: A I don't have Thousands of Dollars to go on Exotic trips and B for the other one I value my safety and I'm sorry... just NO.
I just found it interesting that the flood of books there was all trying to be Exotic and Unique or trying to paint a better light on poverty; they are admirable goals and I'm sure those books have their own market but...
For kicks I did a search for Minnesota. There were NO current projects in Photography nor in the recent past about our state. This surprised the hell out of me. I know you can find books about it in tourist spots or at Barnes and Noble but apparently here, of all places the concept of looking at the Mundane and finding those gems in the rough which make someplace close to home more worthy of visiting are just not, there.
And on the money side of things; Most people who were doing photography books on Kickstarter are expecting to make anywheres between $10,000 and $100,000 on their book. No one is really being realistic. A lot of them are like half funded because their goals are just so ridiculously high. I snorted at that. Hell if I could make a few hundred dollars to pay off some local travel "I need to get away and out for a day" expenses and help with bills for another month I'd be HAPPY.
So I think I might have found a project that would be a worthy cause for my time in the fact that it would be a lot of fun, for me personally to do. There are still so many places even in Minnesota I have yet to explore. Plus the potential for the project to pay for itself plus maybe a little more. I'm not expecting to make a living off these as clearly most people who do are.
But if it can help a little with the fact I'm unemployed; or maybe even if I find a job help with cutting down some of my debt or allowing me to go explore more places I think it could be worth it. Far better then sitting on my ass doing nothing.
I know its not a Furry thing, and as tempting as it would be to do a Kickstarter for a book about Fursuiting and the Furry fandom that opens a whole nother can of worms. IE splitting the profits among people; and for the fact that its not a project I could ask my family and friends outside of the Fandom to help out.
But for those who do read this - what do you think? Do you think there is merit in doing a photography book on a small scale about the state I live in? Some of it would be very touristy while others would be places people had forgotten or didn't even realize were there. Would anyone who watch me even be potentially interested in funding to get a book if this does indeed become a thing?
MiketheFoxMN
~mikethefoxmn
I really like the idea, there is so much of this state that many never see. there are reasons for that life, technology, taking the time and others. I would go for it i think if you get the idea out publicly some it may get backing and even if not a lot of it would be a great personal project. You brought up the point that many of these projects a across the world and as i have seen many cross country adventure type projects while these are good they skim the surface were as focused attention of an area/state can tell more of a story. i have seen some of your photography and enjoy it i think this would be very cool. now the funding i personalty can not at this time or in near future fund it, i believe that with a little public awareness that this could be funded, it can be seen on the news every once and a while a Minnesotan kick starter get shown off and do very well. while there are travel books and guides on Minnesota i think this could really show off the forgotten parts. there all around you just go to start looking and some of the are very pretty. i just started looking and have been finding some cool stuff just around my house and city. i know this is a little jumpy and you probably know most of it but i hope it get my point across. this is my thoughts others may think differently.
