A Portfolio Series for Your Consideration: An invited Series A Kickstarter Project

[Terry Lee]

Hi everyone,

This started as a discussion over coffee, I was given a challenge and has now become full on event. I created a Kickstarter project as a goal to provide an overview and learning opportunity for people interested in both Large Format, photography in general, folio creation, and just general light hearted fun. It has morphed into more of a teaching/learning opportunity, will be providing prints and such as rewards for contributions. Please feel free to pass it along, share with friends. If successful this avenue may open up to much more serious types of work in the future:

Hog Heaven Kickstarter Folio Project

Thanks and enjoy!

 

[Asher Kelman]

Terry,

just the short video on the project is already a great reward. I like the rock falling away from the wall to reveal the text. where do get those video effects? Your idea of enthusing folks in LF and MF photography to yield a folio of collectable prints is a worthy project that I'm happy to support.

Good luck!

Keep us updated here too!

Asher

 

[Terry Lee]

Thanks man!

I'm really excited about the concept, and I hope people can learn and also get enthused with their own ideas for other projects! The project is really turned into an opportunity for folks to learn, ask questions, etc. Where else can you get something for just a dollar!

I learned a TON of stuff about After Effects from Andrew Kramer over at http://www.videocopilot.net/,the crumbling wall is one of his tutorials, as well as the flying text. I may have to include some tutorials on the video side as well!

Thanks again!

 

[Chris Calohan]

Are these only your images or are you inviting members to contribute as well?

And, must they be film images only?

 

[Terry Lee]

Folio Project

Well, now that is an idea too!

This project will be me making the images. I've started the (photo portion of the) project already, and was introduced to Kickstarter by my cousin and realized the blog and such could make an interesting avenue to offer a "behind the scenes" look into the big cameras in the field. AND it offers folks who collect and like my work a view into the studio, a reality show if you will.

I will ultimately host all the blog/videos/etc on my website (or maybe a DVD?) after the project is over, and I'll post some blogs(expect them here!) as well but the backers will be basically taking a class or workshop...The funding portion is there to basically MAKE me get off my lazy butt and do the extra work of the behind the scenes stuff.

Backers will get access to the blogs/video etc as it happens. And I am sure I'll look for backer feedback/comments maybe votes on images, etc. So this one will be all me on the creative side.

BUT I have been toying already with the idea of other types of projects that could be hosted/funded thru Kickstarter, which is why I really like your idea. And don't let me hold that idea back ;-) Anyone that gets a spurt of creativity please jump on it! I'll b happy to join in as well....

That is exactly why I started the project, to toss a spark into what I hope is a big ole can of gasoline!


Thanks!

 

[Chris Calohan]

Only asked because I shot these at my favorite BBQ place, Austin's Smokin' Butt Hut:

 

[Terry Lee]

Wow!!!!

What a smoking great place! Pun intended....

Exactly what I am going out hunting!!

I'm still exploring the Kickstarter interface, but I imagine we can create some way for backers to share with the group and each other too.... I do plan to do a PDF version of the folio, I could include backer photos in there for sure (with permission of course) that could be fun! A go out and shoot your local bbq joint backer challenge could be fun too...

I do plan to point backers here too...lots of great learning and resources here.

I even posted on a bbq forum looking for suggestions of places to visit on the quest...plan to run north of I20 thu GA, AL, an MS to the river and north state lines....any suggestions? No chains allowed no matter how good they are (I partake of my local Sonny's and love it, just no smoking piggie out front)

Any and all feedback or ideas are welcome!

The project continues to evolve!

 

[Alain Briot]

Hi Terry,

This is a great project - congratulation on taking this step. I took a look at your Kickstarter page and noticed something I find disturbing: nobody as of today (2-24-13) has chosen the Folio option (the $85 + $30 shipping pledge level) when backing your project. Isn't that counter-productive since the project is about creating a folio? Have you considered ways to change that? After all, what is the point of creating a folio is nobody pledges to get it?

Or maybe I don't understand your project properly?

Alain

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Terry,

This is a great project - congratulation on taking this step. I took a look at your Kickstarter page and noticed something I find disturbing: nobody as of today (2-24-13) has chosen the Folio option (the $85 + $30 shipping pledge level) when backing your project. Isn't that counter-productive since the project is about creating a folio? Have you considered ways to change that? After all, what is the point of creating a folio is nobody pledges to get it?

Or maybe I don't understand your project properly?

Alain

People can contribute according to their means and interest.

 

[Alain Briot]

People can contribute according to their means and interest.

Certainly and I understand that of course. However, the goal is to have a successful pledge. Not having people pledge for the folio is a drawback that may lead to an unsuccessful pledge. Time will tell of course if this is the case or not.

Here is another Kickstarter pledge with a successful outcome:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/petercoxphoto/the-irish-light-a-book-of-landscape-photographs

This pledge is for a book. Of 341 backers 336 pledged for the book: 12 in pdf format and 324 in physical format.

 

[Terry Lee]

Certainly and I understand that of course. However, the goal is to have a successful pledge. Not having people pledge for the folio is a drawback that may lead to an unsuccessful pledge. Time will tell of course if this is the case or not.

Here is another Kickstarter pledge with a successful outcome:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/petercoxphoto/the-irish-light-a-book-of-landscape-photographs

This pledge is for a book. Of 341 backers 336 pledged for the book: 12 in pdf format and 324 in physical format.

Hi Alan,

Thanks for checking in on it! Appreciate everyone's comments and feedback. This has been a big experiment to date, so who knows? Honestly I'm shocked I've gotten the traffic I have so far! lol I was just hoping I'd have a few dollars, ecstatic to hit 10%!!!

A couple of things I've learned so far about Kickstarter that I do like:

-backers: Now that I've gotten 9 backers I can communicate directly with them, send them a survey (if funded) to collect information, post updates only they can see (video, text, photos) which is how I plan to make it into a "mini workshop". So kind of like a funded workshop/blog, but I don't have to host it. That was my mini goal in doing this.

-Status: They have a pretty good status page for the project owner. It does tell me how many times the video has played, the links the funding is coming from (email, facebook, etc) it does not tell me how many hits the page has! That is kind of irritating...I would love to see hits like I can see on my web hosting site. It would be nice to track traffic after a tweet goes out.

Coupled of peevs about KS:

-Amazon payment only. Really? no Paypal? Maybe KS was founded by an ex Amazon person? I have a friend on there who backed me, her hubby didn't know it saw the amazon alert and canceled it by mistake! lol. It is still on KS, and I think the re entered it....still kind of a weird thing.

-No way (that I can find) to "follow" a project. So for example, you've watched it, like it but are waiting until next payday or whatever to back it, lets say I post an update that all can see (you have a choice, either all or just backers can see updates) I think it is crucial for folks to "follow" something even in the funding, or even after funding, steps are complete. Even if it is just text. I see a "remind me" button, but I have several friends who are watching this evolve, would be great if they could plug in....

Also as with any artist en devour, we have to sell our souls to marketing! Be it a gallery opening, a workshop, or this KS project, people have to find it first! So far there is one backer for every 9 video views. Not too bad, especially since I only have 2 people I know right now as backers. Based on the traffic (video views so far) and this stat I need another 500 views over the next 26 days. That will be a marketing push.

Anyway, regarding the lack of high dollar rollers ;-) I know there are several who are going to...so that is good. I think that as with all artwork it helps to have a "feel" for the artist, to know his work. I have several more marketing ideas, I do have a show in Atlanta (Buford actually) on March 10th, that should help as well. A lot of my old buyers are watching and will probably kick in , and old students who have taken workshops in the past. Or maybe the folio is too foreign a concept? Or maybe I scared them off when I popped out from behind that big ol camera?

It is all very interesting to me, glad you guys are enjoying watching it. I hope these statuses and updates are interesting and folks can pick up some ideas. I plan to post a new video in a couple days, will keep you posted! I appreciate the support, feel free to share with the world (marketing again!)

Oh, and I would be remiss to not mention I did back this guy....AMAZING what I've seen from him so far! I thought I was old school!!! WOW He has been posting updates from his shoots, worth backing just for those updates for behind the scenes!

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1729597128/silver-souls-a-wet-plate-project

FYI going out scouting for locations the next two days, I may be offline ;-) Will be full of BBQ however!

 

[Alain Briot]

Hi Terry,

Thank you for the detailed information.

One question: can you add or change the pledge levels once the pledge process has started?

 

[Terry Lee]

Hi Terry,

Thank you for the detailed information.

One question: can you add or change the pledge levels once the pledge process has started?

I just checked the system, it tell me items like duration, goals, rewards "Can not be changed once the project has started" Some of the text appears to be editable however.

There is a button to cancel, I guess that is the red button to kill the project before funding is completed.

As a backer, you can up your pledge amount. So a $5 pledge can return before the process is over and up it to $20....or whatever.

 

[Terry Lee]

Certainly and I understand that of course. However, the goal is to have a successful pledge. Not having people pledge for the folio is a drawback that may lead to an unsuccessful pledge. Time will tell of course if this is the case or not.

Here is another Kickstarter pledge with a successful outcome:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/petercoxphoto/the-irish-light-a-book-of-landscape-photographs

This pledge is for a book. Of 341 backers 336 pledged for the book: 12 in pdf format and 324 in physical format.

Hi Alan,

Finally landed a high roller ;-)

Just posted an update on Kickstarter, will follow more here once our scouting is done this week. Horrid day for shooting but snagged a few, hopefully good ones.....

 

[Terry Lee]

Updates

Some quick updates, just spent a few days roaming around in the field looking for subjects, had to haul out the 8x10 and the Mamiya. Just some snaps from the field:

A cute pig smoker, at Ground Zero an awesome BBQ&Blues joint right next to the Blues Museum in Clarksdale, MS. I'll be going back in a couple of weeks no matter what, that town has amazing photographic possibilities!

 

[Asher Kelman]

Some quick updates, just spent a few days roaming around in the field looking for subjects, had to haul out the 8x10 and the Mamiya. Just some snaps from the field:

A cute pig smoker, at Ground Zero an awesome BBQ&Blues joint right next to the Blues Museum in Clarksdale, MS. I'll be going back in a couple of weeks no matter what, that town has amazing photographic possibilities!

Terry,

You had your 8x10 on timer?

Asher

 

[Terry Lee]

Terry,

You had your 8x10 on timer?

Asher

Just a air bulb release. That shot was at 1/8 of a second. Developing it tonight if I can remember what order it is in the box!

 

[Terry Lee]

Hi everyone,

Just posted a quick update on Kickstarter:

http://kck.st/VLrQjr

First images from the scouting trip!

 

[Asher Kelman]

Terry,

Thanks for the update and congratulations on your progress! Am delighted to join the project! Looking forward to the folio arriving at my doorstep!

Asher

 

[Terry Lee]

Terry,

Thanks for the update and congratulations on your progress! Am delighted to join the project! Looking forward to the folio arriving at my doorstep!

Asher

Asher!

Thanks for joining in! Really appreciate it!

I found the coolest looking smoker in north GA this weekend, going up next week to shoot it...PUN INTENDED as you will see soon enough!



Thanks again!

 

[Terry Lee]

Shooting fun

INTENSE & INSANE BBQ PHOTOGRAPHY!

This much fun should be, and probably is, illegal in most states....

 

[Terry Lee]

Hi folks,

The project is going into its final week or funding, doing great so far and I have some great support. Good news is regardless I plan to make the folio, already have plenty of places to revisit and some fun things to check out.

Bad news is if it isn't funded you won't get to see my ugly mug on videos such as this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDbhb9m2-XI

Maybe I should do a funding project to keep me off the web?

Appreciate any sharing or publicity! The Youtube is out in the wild, feel free to post, mention, email, or make fun of.

Thanks,
Terry

 

[Terry Lee]

Hi folks,

Well, my guess is we probably won't hit the funding target on this Kickstarter. It seems at least the fat lady is warming up! BUT the good news is I have plenty of material to press forward, and will self fund the folio anyway as there are some good images, so stay tuned.

So what have I learned from all this? The whole reason for trying it was to learn, so here it goes:

Up to this point I've been a bit of a lone wolf, doing simple print sales, an occasional art showing, a post or two on a blog/forum, teaching a workshop here and there, shooting a few portraits every now and then, a few ads, a few contests on occasion, but never any focused ongoing attempts at promotion. Everything I did was self funded, because I could. Problem is if you really want folks to see, and enjoy, your work you have to promote.

This Kickstarter project taught me that promotion is key. Most of us photographers I think are a bit introverted (I am, which is why I prefer to be behind the lens, makes sense to me at least) so promotion isn't in our normal makeup.

As soon as you show your work, you are probably going to get criticized. No one likes rejection!

Just putting yourself out there isn't enough. These days no one is going to stumble on a web page, much less your funding project.

So, I would have:

-Had all my social media outlets pointed the same direction WAY before starting the Kickstarter. All with the same name too. I have done that now and it has helped these last couple of weeks, as now everything points to TerryLeePhotos (twitter, FB, tumblr and my website/email addresses). I didn't even have a twitter account when the project started. Not fond of it or FB really, but they are valid messaging tools, cheap too.

-Pre advertising, at least 30 days worth. With spots on the bolg, website, twitter, forums etc, to pre-build some excitement.

-Seriously look at your traffic, be realistic about the goals. How many hits does your website get a week? Not counting bots and spiders...How many Facebook friends do you have? How many are family?

-Consider what you are doing. Be 100% clear in what the project is. I have spoken with a lot of people who "didn't get" what I was doing. Others got it instantly. Is it because few outside of photogs don't get the folio concept, maybe never seen one? The teaching part that I planned to use didn't seem to sink in with the non photog crowd either. I was cramming two things into one project. But I had backers from out of nowhere that jumped on, so maybe that wasn't the issue? Either way KISS always applies.

-Consider my market better. Maybe consider advertisements. Maybe set an advertisement budget as part of the funding project. WHO was going to buy into the project? Where do those folks hang out at? I was trying to see how far I could get on zero dollars, friends of friends networking. I got a LOT further than I thought so that was good.

Open to any thoughts, comments, critiques, about this particular project, and also crowdfunding in general. For the artists out there I think it is a wonderful platform to build a large amount of interest very quickly. I'll do another soon, with these thoughts applied I'm sure it will do even better!


Hope this helps or at least entertains!

 

[Alain Briot]

I can tell you learned a lot from doing this Kickstarter project, even if it does not get funded. Your remarks as to what you can do better are spot on. However, there is one thing missing from these remarks, this 'to do' list, and that is the necessity to study marketing. You can do all that you say and still fall short of the goal, or reach a goal far lower than what you can achieve. Marketing has fundamental rules. They are not necessarily intuitive and they are certainly not part of our DNA. We were not born knowing these rules anymore than we were born knowing medicine, legal practice, engineering, etc. We can 'guess' some of them and we can 'copy' what others do. We can also 'follow' the guidelines set by others such as the ones on Kickstarter. However, while better than doing things blindly, this approach still falls short. Doing marketing that way is comparable to diagnosing ourselves using 'WebMD' or the Mayo Clinic website. While this does offer answers, they are for the most part unreliable because we don't know what we are doing. I once mentioned to one of my students, who is a physician, that whenever I use websites to diagnose an illness I end up having the symptoms for just about every illness out there. His answer was that in med school this is called 'first year syndrome'. In other words, enough knowledge to look things up, but not enough knowledge to differentiate between one illness and another and, more importantly, between serious and benign illnesses.

The same is true with marketing. There's many different types of marketing just like there's many different types of illnesses and while they have common 'symptoms' or in our case 'characteristics' they are not the same and they do not require the same 'treatment' or in our case 'approach.' Using a marketing approach blindly, just because we have seen others use it or because we think it will work, is similar to using the wrong medication to treat an illness. The results are simply not there and the process is disappointing. Just like diagnosing and treating illnesses has to be learned, practiced and used appropriately, the rules of marketing have to be learned, practiced and used appropriately in the context of a specific project in order to achieve the goals you set to reach.

 

[Terry Lee]

I can tell you learned a lot from doing this Kickstarter project, even if it does not get funded. Your remarks as to what you can do better are spot on. However, there is one thing missing from these remarks, this 'to do' list, and that is the necessity to study marketing. You can do all that you say and still fall short of the goal, or reach a goal far lower than what you can achieve. Marketing has fundamental rules. They are not necessarily intuitive and they are certainly not part of our DNA. We were not born knowing these rules anymore than we were born knowing medicine, legal practice, engineering, etc. We can 'guess' some of them and we can 'copy' what others do. We can also 'follow' the guidelines set by others such as the ones on Kickstarter. However, while better than doing things blindly, this approach still falls short. Doing marketing that way is comparable to diagnosing ourselves using 'WebMD' or the Mayo Clinic website. While this does offer answers, they are for the most part unreliable because we don't know what we are doing. I once mentioned to one of my students, who is a physician, that whenever I use websites to diagnose an illness I end up having the symptoms for just about every illness out there. His answer was that in med school this is called 'first year syndrome'. In other words, enough knowledge to look things up, but not enough knowledge to differentiate between one illness and another and, more importantly, between serious and benign illnesses.

The same is true with marketing. There's many different types of marketing just like there's many different types of illnesses and while they have common 'symptoms' or in our case 'characteristics' they are not the same and they do not require the same 'treatment' or in our case 'approach.' Using a marketing approach blindly, just because we have seen others use it or because we think it will work, is similar to using the wrong medication to treat an illness. The results are simply not there and the process is disappointing. Just like diagnosing and treating illnesses has to be learned, practiced and used appropriately, the rules of marketing have to be learned, practiced and used appropriately in the context of a specific project in order to achieve the goals you set to reach.

Dead on correct. Marketing is just as magical an art form as Silver Nitrate... I've seen many startups with great ideas fail because of lousy marketing. So to many a great artist has gone un-noticed...

I hope an up and coming artist can learn from all this, that was my ultimate goal at least... I know I have learned from such sources in the past, without the generous passing on of knowledge we would still be drawing figures on cave walls.....

 

[Asher Kelman]

Terry,

Your promotion was excellent! How are the time limits decided? Is this fixed by kickstarter? Is one allowed to start the same project a second time?

Asher

 

[Alain Briot]

Asher,

From what I understand, a project deadline cannot be changed. If it does not get funded, that's it. The only option is to start a new project.

Also, non-funded projects continue to be visible to Kickstarter visitors. They stay there 'forever' apparently, making sucessful and unsucessful projects available to all.

AB

 

[Terry Lee]

Asher,

From what I understand, a project deadline cannot be changed. If it does not get funded, that's it. The only option is to start a new project.

Also, non-funded projects continue to be visible to Kickstarter visitors. They stay there 'forever' apparently, making sucessful and unsucessful projects available to all.

AB

That is correct Alain,

I set the 30 days originally, and once you hit "start" the clock starts ticking!

I learned a LOT about the marketing side of the project. Such as having all your links point to the same spot! Also having one name across all media outlets helps.

I will try another one soon. Meanwhile I'll still try to do the videos and such, may just host them on my website and blog instead of on the kickstarter....

 

[Alain Briot]

That is correct Alain,

I set the 30 days originally, and once you hit "start" the clock starts ticking!

I learned a LOT about the marketing side of the project. Such as having all your links point to the same spot! Also having one name across all media outlets helps.

I will try another one soon. Meanwhile I'll still try to do the videos and such, may just host them on my website and blog instead of on the kickstarter....

Terry,

When you set your next project, I recommend two things:

1-set the lowest level slightly higher, say $10 or $20
2-set the highest level significantly higher, say $250 or $500

and of course adjust what funders get for these levels. The reasoning is that you will get the most funding in the middle levels. Looking back at your project, the mid level -- $25 in this instance -- is what got the most backers. The lowest and highest level got far less. So if you raise the lowest level and increase the top level you will by the same token increase the middle level. This almost guarantees that your project will be funded if you keep the same amount ($1500). If you increase that amount you would have to increase the bottom and top levels further.

 

[Terry Lee]

That is a very good idea! Thanks for that.

I've been out shooting, not online much, still going to finish this folio in the next few weeks (at least the capture part of it).

I've been debating on doing another KS project, same content but now with an "almost" finished product instead of a "in production" project. I think the "production" part attracted photographers, but tnot the average consumer. Also not sure if the "folio" concept really sells if you haven't been around Lenswork or another photographer and have seen one up close. Folks that have touched and seen mine end up buying usually, then they get it. But only after being hands on.....

Also thought about a Blurb type book from it instead/in addition too, maybe another mid point number, or maybe on the higher side the book along with the Folio, or book and a print. Lots of combinations options, you've got me thinking! I ran a sample on a Blurb hardcover a few years back and it wasn't bad looking, nothing like a real print or even close to Lenswork printing, but still wasn't bad at all. Might be a better sell.

Any other thoughts? Eager to get Hog Heaven at least the next chapter closed...lol

Of course a KS project with hot naked women will probably get full funding in 20 min...