If you haven’t read PDN’s article on The Digital Curator, please do me a favor and read it. Then hop over to Flak Photo’s Facebook page to read the ongoing discussion there. Come back here once you’re done for my two cents’ worth.
I find the term digital curator to be very misleading. What I do here cannot compare to what a curator does. A (good) curator is someone who is engaged in the artist and his/her works, providing guidance and helping them to reach new heights. I am a mere aggregator of interesting works that I chance upon. I try to throw in some of my thoughts but it’s too tiring to write critically for every post.
I started the blog because I saw a lack of coverage on photography from this region and frankly, I think I was being too naive and ambitious when I decided that, “Hey, why don’t I start a blog too and see how I can help to promote photographers here?”
Two years later, I find myself losing the initial drive and energy. It’s quite a thankless job sometimes. I continue investing time and money into this “hobby”, without asking for much in return. (A friend scoffs at my altruism.) Most days, I get emails asking me for help or to review their works/websites and I try my best. It does get frustrating and time consuming at times. (So please, appreciate the other photography blogs too. We love the medium too much!)
I’ve been thinking of transforming this blog into something more critical and engaging. However, I find myself struggling to find new content now, much less coming up with interesting topics to talk about. I also wish that more photographers in the region would present their work online, in order to make my job easier.
Despite this, I’m still glad that I went ahead with this project. I’ve made friends that I wouldn’t have been able to (you know who you are!) and I have an excuse to visit more galleries while on holiday. Well, as I begin my next phase in life, I hope that I can still continue this venture and my photography. Hopefully, without anymore commercial intervention.
One Comment
Gosh Yaohong… this was obviously written from the heart and it was really touching to read.
I’ve read your site for quite some time… I was turned on to it by someone who was recently described in the press (and I think here) as “one of Singapore’s top women photographers”.
I understand what you are saying about it being “thankless”, but I’m not sure that is the same as “unappreciated”. We all know that most people interact with things passively. We read but we don’t comment. We look at the surface of things but not below. In that regard it probably feels like talking into a vacuum… but that’s not the case… I’m sure there are just many quiet ears.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’d like to tell you that it would be a little less interesting online if you weren’t doing this.
=) Marc