Sunday, May 22, 2011

Why every photography gallery needs coffee

Buy me a coffee and I’ll come to a photography exhibition.
For anyone who likes photography it’s an offer you can’t refuse. For anyone who doesn’t like photography it should also be the offer you can’t refuse.
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The problem is, the people who run photography galleries don’t have a clue about business and marketing.
If they did, the front entrances to their buildings would be full of tables and chairs with a big sign in the window saying ‘coffee.’ These galleries would also be full of people, something that photography galleries try to avoid at all costs.
This is my idea to make photography galleries popular. It is simple so I will reiterate: bring people in by selling tea and coffee.
Imagine two city centre buildings right next to each other. One is a beautifully kept, white-walled photography gallery hosting an exhibition by Sabastiao Salgado. The other is a Starbucks.
From 8am until 6pm one building is packed full of people, the other welcomes just two students and an elderly lady all day. Do you nee me to tell you which is photography gallery?
I’ll give you a clue: the old lady was looking for the coffee shop but walked through the wrong door.
This topic was talked about the other day (May 2011) by important people at the National Photography Symposium in Liverpool.
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The Photographers’ Gallery in London is a case to illustrate my point. When it was housed in two adjacent buildings in Great Newport Street, London, (for 27 years until 2008) it had a marvellous coffee shop.
Despite being fairly narrow it was busy, with images on display around the room. I loved it.
Clare Grafik, The Photographers’ Galley’s current head of exhibitions, mentioned at NPS’s ‘Imagining the photography centre of the future’ panel discussion how she liked this almost accidental coffee shop.
“We tricked them into seeing art – got them in to buy a coffee and see an exhibition for free,” she remarked.
It’s so bloody obvious. The fact that The Photographers’ Galllery coffee shop is hidden on the first floor at its new premises on Ramillies Street, Soho, is a step backwards. But at least they have one.
Impressions in Bradford. No coffee shop. Few visitors. Several cafĂ©’s round the corner are packed all the time. Liverpool’s new Open Eye Gallery does not have a coffee shop, tea bar or drinks machine.
I remember visiting the old Open Eye Gallery on Wood Street. I had to walk past about fifteen bustling coffee shops to get there. The exhibition was by an Eastern European photographer whose name I can’t recall. But I do remember being the only person in the building, apart from the staff.
When you’re the lone person visiting an exhibition and are out-numbered by the staff you sort of feel you’re intruding. I never went back.
Now, I’m not saying that venue was ideal for selling tea, coffee and carrot cake – but their brand new building could’ve been. They’ve missed a trick. You have to go to the Museum of Liverpool next door for a hot drink.
Open Eye didn’t even have anything for sale. At least Newcastle’s Side Gallery were selling a few books the last time I visited. Selling books – that’s another story (something I have to say The Photographers’ Gallery does well).
The National Media Museum in Bradford has a canteen-cum-coffee shop. It’s always far busier than the exhibitions. When will the penny drop?
What are the people running photography institutions actually doing to attract new people to photography?
The answer is: Not enough.
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This is me drinking coffee in Rome.

Monday, May 16, 2011

MAS Museum Antwerp, Belgium

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And you can see more photos of Antwerp and this amazing building on the travel section over at gazcook.com

Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Fetish for used tights, scally and gay interest clothing? Worn photography from ebay

This is one not to be missed. For those of you interested in worn tights, second-hand underpants and dirty scally socks, you about to see the slideshow you have previously only dreamed of.

For the rest of you, non-fetishists and nosey parkers, the slideshow offers a glimpse of people's homes and how they live their lives through a serious examination of how photography is being used to sell to a niche market on ebay.

These images are fascinating on so many levels. Fetishism, voyeurism, nosiness,mild titilation, shock, amusement. You pays your money and you takes your pic.

But the interest here should not be the items for sale but the opportunity to see into people's lives, their homes and decor. Ebay has given a mass audience the opportunity to view the lives of strangers. Without this home selling website and the demand for these worn items this photography would not exist.

Collected over a few days in April 2011 on ebay the images are form listings that target those seeking out worn, dirty or soiled clothing.

You have two choices here: marvel at what other people's homes look like or laugh and gasp at what some are willing to buy. The slideshow: 

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/23238006 w=640&h=424]

Here are a few examples of how the items for sale, most commonly tights but also socks and underpants, are described:

 

Easter Disco Worn Tights Pantyhose, Mine Sister&Pals

These tights were worn for our school easter disco 

I am on the left in the glossy naturals my wee sister in the middle in 60denier opaques and our pal on the right is wearing a 40denier opaque black pair

 

scally gay int black sox 48 hr lads

pair un worn black socks 

clean to ebay standards 

item shown my own

 

My Worn Super Super sexy Black Bra Sexy PRIVATE

HI GUYS AND THANKS FOR LOOKING AT MY SEXY BRA

ITS A 32C, VERY COMFY AND SEXY TO WEAR

IT HAS BEEN WORN BY ME

AND IT NOW NEEDS A NEW HOME

EMAIL ME FOR MORE PICTURES OF MORE INFO

 

2pairs worn/used cabin crew tights genuine flyer xxx

hey boys, selling my used tights again what ive worn to and from work, and in work up in the air! 

grab yourself a treat ,will be at ebay standards, all my pics are of me and showing how these are worn! 

no adult nature in this listing xxxx 

 

Worn Used Glossy Cappuccino Tights Pantyhose PRIVATE

Hi I love these very glossy chocolate colour tights so I wear them as much as I can and will continue to do so until you want them 

 

SEXY fishnet BODYSTOCKING USED WORN 8-14 PRIVATE X

YOU ARE BIDDING ON MY SEXY LACEY BODYSTOCKING 

fishnet DETAIL

THIS HAS BEEN WELL WORN AND FEELS SEXY WHEN ON

IT IS IN GOOD CONDITION DISPITE ALL THE WEAR

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, May 02, 2011

Simon Norfolk versus John Davies versus Garry Cook. Similar

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It was taken in Blackpool. I knew this without reading the caption as I have also taken a photograph of this rock shop. And here it is:





Seeing Davies' photo made me think about another two images I had taken and then seen similar shots in magazines. Like this one by Simon Roberts:
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It's a bit like this one (below) which I took. We both stood on a bridge which is no longer there.

And finally there is this one of a seagull. I took this. Sometime ago I remember seeing a very similar shot in a magazine. It may have been in the British Journal of Photography. I can't remember. If you've got any idea, do let me know.



Sunday, May 01, 2011

Royal Wedding street party in Whalley, Lancashire

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April 29, 2011 - the Royal Wedding. It was a Bank Holiday across Britain. We had street parties to celebrate. Thes two featured here where held in the Ribble Valley town of Whalley.









Royal Wedding street party in Whalley, Lancashire







April 29, 2011 - the Royal Wedding. It was a Bank Holiday across Britain. We had street parties to celebrate. Thes two featured here where held in the Ribble Valley town of Whalley.