PHOTO COLLECTIVES
Share the burden by joining a photographic collective
Join a group of like-minded shooters and share the photographic burden
Being a lone photographer isn’t easy at the best of times – and solo projects or business ideas are hard to make progress with alone. Photography has never been as accessible as it is now, so the market is saturated with budding professionals trying to make a living. This has driven groups of photographers to band together to create a collective in order to increase their visibility and community.
Some join collectives for the social dynamics and for creative connections with other photographers, while others join because it is an effective and economical way to develop projects in a constantly evolving market. Members will generally contribute to the website and marketing costs, as well as expenses for collective projects and events.
Photographers that join collectives are essentially joining a brand, and this brand unity provides increased visibility and opportunities. Technology and social media means that collectives no longer have to share the same geolocation, meaning it is easier for them to be formed and grow.
Being a lone photographer can be incredibly draining and requires a lot of discipline, but in collectives, the members share everything, which puts less strain on each individual. It takes the pressure off and distributes the risks and the successes among the collective. Collectives provide members with the creative support to attempt projects an individual might not have been able to do alone and also give members the opportunity to take part in exhibitions.
Collectives are not for everyone, however. A member will be expected to commit a certain amount of their time to the cause, and there is the risk of others not carrying their share of the workload. There can often be complex group dynamics, which might make decision-making a slow process. Priorities and needs might differ within the collective, and everyone has to take responsibility for all of the members and share in failure and in success, which won’t suit everyone.
Samuel Fradley is the founder and director of the South West Collective
(THESOUTHWESTCOLLECTIVE.CO.UK) and notes that the first challenge he faced when setting it up was financial – with start-up costs, insurance, equipment, expenses, websites and rent. “It is no secret that I do not pay
myself from the collective,” he says. “I’m pleased to say that it is at a point where it is self-sufficient, but we’re still not at a point to wage myself.”
This wasn’t the only problem he faced: “Perhaps the hardest part of all was the fact that there are few arts-based organisations in the southwest. It was a challenge proving to people that it’s not just another collective, not just another short-term thing. It’s been tough trying to prove that I’m serious about making this collective the biggest and best in not only the country, but the world.
“The third and final challenge, which I am still struggling to overcome, is funding. I have big ideas, goals, ideas that can not only put The South West Collective on the map, but ideas that could help to improve the wellbeing within our local communities. I want to use art, photography and creative culture as a way of improving society and raising issues that need to be spoken about, such as knife crime and mental health.”
Samuel encourages photographers to join a collective, “but if you can’t join one, support one. I cannot stress how much it means to me to get positive comments, how much purchasing a zine or camera strap helps the collective. 99 per cent of the profit goes straight back into the collective.
“Whether it’s liking our posts or sharing our content, you have no idea how far that support actually goes! The digital world is all about engagement and views – we need people to share our content to help it reach more people than ever before.”