7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hang It!, May 20, 2008
This review is from: Exhibiting Photography: A Practical Guide to Choosing a Space, Displaying Your Work, and Everything in Between (Paperback)
Here's a book aimed at serious photographers. In case you might have made a mistake and thought this book would show you how to display a photograph on your living room wall, it is instead for folks who want to display their photographs in a public venue.
After a general introduction to the subject, the book discusses finding an exhibition space, including a few that might not come readily to mind; planning and research for the exhibition; publicity; preparation for installation; and the actual hanging of the work.
The book is about the logistics of exhibiting and not much about the art, although Read makes suggestions relating to both the preparatory phases and the actual installation that will help in a more artful presentation. My first thought, as I opened the book, was that this was just common sense. However, I've lived long enough to have made a lot of mistakes and as I read along I kept encountering advice that I wished I had had before making some of those mistakes. For example, Read tells you that when it comes to the actual hanging, lay out the installation on the walls completely with pencil, ruler and level before you drive a nail. If I had done that on a particular occasion, I probably wouldn't have ended up taking down a bunch of pictures because my last frame was butted up against a corner. Emphasizing the importance of backwards scheduling in detail might have prevented the pile of advance brochures that arrived the day before the event. It's this kind of nitty-gritty detail that can keep one out of trouble. And of course the advice that, if you cut yourself on the glass for a frame, you should walk away from the framing area immediately to avoid bleeding on the work is a good reminder.
Throughout the book there are a number of case studies written by guest authors. Although the authors might have felt they were telling a story of success, many impressed me with what could go wrong.
There were a few points that I thought the author scanted. She made it seem as if it might be easy to get exhibition space. But venues are not quick to allow photographers without a demonstrated market to use their space. Nor do artists want to exhibit just for the sake of hanging stuff on a wall somewhere. There are economic aspects, aside from the costs, of the show, that govern exhibiting. Before blithely deciding "Let's put on a show!" one would do well to read a book like "
Taking the Leap: Building a Career as a Visual Artist" by Kay Lang, where she describes in much greater detail the hard work of getting a place to exhibit.
I felt that the author could have been more concise in her writing. That might have led to a book twenty to forty percent shorter. I disagreed with a few of her conclusions. For example she suggests that in pricing a work, overhead should not be included. That's might be a model for a low price, but it is also the road to bankruptcy.
If you are a photographer who wants to exhibit and you have no experience exhibiting, reading this book may save you a lot of anguish.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
4.0 out of 5 stars
Want to exhibit your photography? Read this book!, September 19, 2010
This review is from: Exhibiting Photography: A Practical Guide to Choosing a Space, Displaying Your Work, and Everything in Between (Paperback)
The author eases you into the world of exhibiting photography.
His language is using words that speak to me and make it easy to follow his thoughts. Step by step he explains what a photographer should do and what not to do during the period of planning and executing. Everything is very detailed from thinking about the exhibition space to creating a web gallery/exhibition during or after the show. That is the part I enjoy. The book does not talk about the actual exhibition, but starts with the pre production and ends up with following up on the gallery as well as other exhibition possibilities. Is that not something how every photographer works? Great handouts! Easy to use as I can just check them one by one if I want to start my own exhibition! In the book there is also a few case studies, to give you a few examples about different exhibitions already planned and executed. Sometimes it feels like there is too much information, too much to read, but it is very helpful. Reading a list might help you, explaining the list is even more helpful. It is definitely worth while to not just copy the handouts out, make a note of the check lists and off you go. No!
This book guides you through the stages of presenting your work. Many of the ideas are common knowledge, but for me and my next exhibition, it is something to keep in mind and remind myself!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very well written and useful text, April 25, 2010
This review is from: Exhibiting Photography: A Practical Guide to Choosing a Space, Displaying Your Work, and Everything in Between (Paperback)
It is not simple to find a book that explain clearly the techniques about organizing an exhibition: this text is well written, clear, and very useful both for photographers, artists and, well, exhibition curators. Worth every dollar you pay, if you are a Fine Art photographer who wants to know how, when and where exhibiting your precious images!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
