I have to admit that I’m feeling a little schizophrenic today.
I spent the last weekend of July donating time and skills working at Cleveland GiveCamp, working in support of non-profit organizations getting some much needed technical assistance. As the Chief Photo Editor and Lead Photographer, my role was to make the official non-profit group portraits and to make artistic and editorial choices for the Cleveland GiveCamp website.
I know that my team and I (Kevin Dutkiewicz, Katrina Blatt, and Kevin F. Smith) knocked the photographic ball out of the park this year with some wonderful and creative images and video. These images along with the working talents of our volunteer web professionals present one of the most dynamic and innovative GiveCamps anywhere in the country.
All of the photographs submitted for use are beautiful, strong, compelling and people enjoy looking at them. This is evident to me because I’m seeing photographs that we created on Facebook, blog posts and cell phones being shared with friends, family and work associates.
Today I also got news that one of my photographs entered into Picture Perfect Weddings Photo Contest on Viewbug.com, is one of the contest finalists.
This is the third time in the last three months that I’ve made it to a major contest award or final. Earlier this summer, I received the Rising Star Award for my first three entries at Pixoto.com and a finalist honorable mention for my entry in the Food Lovers Photo Contest at Viewbug.com.
Here is where the schizophrenia comes in. I good feel about donating my time and creating fantastic images for non-profits doing amazing work, and the fact that my team’s work is being appreciated and shared by lots of people, but it’s all done anonymously, no credit, no acknowledgment of the original creator saddens me. At the same time, I’m on a little bit of a high, because other photographers have voted me to be among the best of the best of thousands of entries. You see, it’s all about getting the deserved credit. Artists create because we feel inspired to make something that is seen and appreciated. Often times for photographers, that appreciation comes in the form of money, almost everytime in the form of credit for their work. The circle is completed when the appreciation itch that we all seek is scratched; we feel good about what we’ve done, and voila inspiration strikes again!
Bottom line: if you enjoy art, show your appreciation, become a client, patron or sponsor. Most importantly give credit some work that you think is good enough to share with others.
