Instagram – photographer, editor and publicist
Norwegian Journal of Photography (NJP) and the Fritt Ord Foundation invite the public to a seminar on Friday, 10 October 2014, from 5.00–7.00 pm., at Uranienborgveien 2, Oslo, featuring Stephen Mayes, former managing director of the image bank VII and an expert in communication and the social media, and Magnum photographer Thomas Dworzak. Espen Rasmussen, photographer and NJP editor, will be moderating the seminar. The event is open to the general public.
Instagram has given photographers unique and direct access to an immense audience. Without time-consuming middle men, people are now their own photographers, editors and publicists. They can capture the interest of their followers and get direct feedback, whether they work with current events or more long-term projects. And with simple smart phones, they work in an easier, more direct manner.
Given that nearly 60 million images are shared every single day, one might ask whether Instagram might ultimately become its own worst enemy. Can the public manage to relate to a single photograph when they are drowning in impressions? Do social and political projects get noticed through Instagram? How can one build up and retain an audience? And how can one stand out among millions of users?
Mayes has focused intently on social media and Instagram in particular in recent years, and on Friday, he will give the audience some insight into the opportunities and the challenges inherent in the medium. For more than 25 years, Mayes has been creative leader, managing director and an ambassador for the careers of several of the world’s most prominent photographers and artists in fashion, photojournalism and commercial photography.
Dworzak is a prize-winning photographer in the internationally respected agency Magnum Photos, and has photographed wars and conflicts the world over. His final obsession is, however, to collect images. That has taken him to the inner reaches of Instagram, which he trawlers regularly to curate a number of ingenious photobooks.
