Creative: LACP Talk and Panel

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Yep, I was front and public center yesterday, once again, in my role as Blurb Evangelist. This time at the Los Angeles Center for Photography in Hollywood. I love public speaking. Not entirely sure why, other than I’ve done it enough times now where there is ZERO feeling of nerves, butterflies, fear, panic, illness or even the urge to projectile vomit into the crowd. Nope, none. So don’t worry about sitting in the front row.

My talk was “Self-Publishing for Photographers.” A dazzling display of what is possible, but more importantly, a lecture about DOING something with your creative life. I think most attendees think I’m going to lecture about software, or color, or calibration, or some other painfully boring topic, but I refuse. I don’t really care about those things frankly. I know that makes me a devil, but again, not feeling much remorse.

I talk about doing, about what it means to be creative and how to take that feeling and put it in book/magazine form. Start something, have fun, make test books, utilize all aspects of the platform, build a REAL audience, but PRIOR to doing these things you have to first learn how to be original. Attempting to learn how you are unique, different or original comes with a degree of difficulty of at least “11.” Most of us go our entire lives and never find out.

One of the coolest aspects of yesterday’s event was that there were at least three book publishing companies in attendance. The marriage of photographers and books is as strong as ever.

Two friends were in attendance who I want to bring attention to, among many other talented folks. Mark Edward Harris and Cat Gwynn, both of whom I’m going to interview for the site. They both have books to their name, but they created them for different reasons in very different ways. I think it will be good info for all of you. If you are in Los Angeles and don’t know about LACP you should go check it out.

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