Hi Oregon photo friends, I hope you’re hanging in there! I just took a few months off for paternity leave, and upon coming back, things in our industry look a little different…
Many of us photographers are facing brutal income hits under quarantine. Here are some financial resources that might help:
The CARES Act and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance from the State of Oregon: https://govstatus.egov.com/ui-benefits/CARES. And here’s a simple flow chart breakdown on what steps to take: https://www.oregon.gov/employ/Documents/CARES_OnePager.pdf
ASMP has a great info hub on COVID-19 in relation to photographers: https://www.asmp.org/asmp-covid-19-info-hub/ And here’s their guide on keeping yourself, your crew and those in front of the camera safe when getting back to work: https://www.asmp.org/covid-19/safety-while-shooting/ They even have a grant set up for affected photographers: https://www.asmp.org/asmp-foundation-asmp-donors-circle/
OMPA also has an info hub and suggested safety protocols: https://ompa.org/overview-of-oregon-production-protocols/
Prosper Portland has a bunch of business resources and shared a great primer on PPP and its loan forgiveness requirements: https://www.rippling.com/blog/covid-19/ppp-loan-forgiveness-in-plain-english/
Vox has a rundown on applying for financial assistance: https://www.vox.com/2020/4/3/21199689/how-to-get-coronavirus-unemployment-insurance-furlough
Please send other resources my way or add as a comment, thanks. We can get through this!
One of Oregon’s most enjoyable annual photography events is PDX Squared, and I was excited to serve it last year as a photo editor and pod leader while photographers roamed the city. Some of the best resulting images will be on display next week at Pro Photo Supply’s Wide Format Gallery, with snacks and beverages provided. Here are the details:
THE PORTLAND SQUARED GALLERY SHOW: AN ASMP OREGON EVENT
WHEN: March 12, 2020 WHERE: Pro Photo Supply, 1112 NW 19th Avenue, Portland TIME: 6pm to 8pm, free admission
In May of each year, 100 photographers converged on Portland for a 24 hour period to document a randomly assigned square block of area around Portland to capture our city from every possible angle. This gallery show displays the work and creativity that went into documenting the people, architecture and landscape of urban Portland on that day last year.
All photography enthusiasts are invited to an opening reception to launch this years PDX Squared 2020, which will be held in the Wide Format Gallery at Pro Photo Supply on Wednesday, March 12th, from 6pm-8pm. Snacks and beverages will be provided!
This event will be hosted by the Oregon Chapter of ASMP, the American Society of Media Photographers. For more information about the event, visit www.pdxsquared.com for details.
Grants Pass is cooler than you think… I narrowly avoided a fight one crazy night at the Wonder Bur, and the drunken fellow who tried to start one was literally tossed onto the pavement by the burly lumberjack-esque barkeep. So there are lots of stories to be told down there! Here’s the opening:
The Grants Pass Daily Courier is hiring a full-time staff photojournalist to create compelling news, features and sports images for our print edition.
Yes, you read that right — our print edition. It is well-read and well-respected, and that’s where we focus our energy. The editor of the Daily Courier, a POY winner for picture editing, champions visual journalism and is dedicated to highlighting great photography. This is not your typical small-town newspaper being hollowed out by a corporate owner.
Our 17-person newsroom is a healthy mix of young journalists and longtime veterans. No other media source — print, online or broadcast — comes close to covering our local market at the level we do, and our readers respond with loyalty to our newspaper.
Our circulation is 10,000, we publish five days a week, and we punch above our weight. Last year, the Daily Courier won Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association first-place awards for news photo, feature photo and photo essay, along with the Baker Family Public Service Award for our coverage of wildfires. There are days when we have five staff-bylined stories on our front page. Our website has a hard paywall — zero free stories a month. We’re not particularly concerned about social media, podcasts or video. You won’t have to meet Twitter quotas, and you won’t have to stress over Chartbeat metrics. We want you to devote your energy toward visual storytelling.
We are better positioned than most of our peers. Our company is debt-free and has been owned by the same local family since 1897. Our company pays 100% of employees’ health insurance premiums. We outsource nothing to other states or countries. No faraway design centers, no editing hubs, no remote printing sites. Humans pick up the phone here when a customer service call comes in. It’s all done in-house.
The New York Times’ Travel section named the Rogue River, which is the lifeblood of our circulation area and fuels the local tourism industry during the summer months, as one of its 52 Places to Visit in 2018. Outdoor recreation opportunities abound here in uncrowded settings. We have a thriving downtown and are less than an hour from world-class theater in Ashland.
Applicants should have photojournalism experience, either collegiate or professional, and be well-versed in AP style. To apply, send a resume, a cover letter and links to your tightly edited online portfolio to sstoddard@thedailycourier.com. Very important: Use “Photojournalist” as your email subject. Please email any questions you may have to the same address.
Deadline to apply is Feb. 14.
Also, the wonderful crew in Seattle has a full-time opening. The details:
VIDEO EDITOR – CASCADE PUBLIC MEDIA – SEATTLE, WA.
The Video Editor is a multimedia professional with significant experience in broadcast and digital video production workflows. They are passionate about story structure and creative execution while also being diligent about project management and meeting deadlines. Working in the post-production department, the video editor is responsible for working closely with producers, with oversight by the Executive Producer and Senior Video Editor, to craft award-winning stories, both short and long-form. Qualified candidates should be comfortable working in an established post-production workflow and be able to take an edit from a raw assembly cut to final delivery efficiently. They understand that critique is always part of the process and should consider themselves someone who can receive feedback, work collaboratively to solve problems and deliver a story the whole team can be proud of.
KEY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES I. Video Editing and Media Management 1. Use Premiere Pro and AVID Media Composer to organize and edit journalistic, documentary-style videos for distribution across all platforms 2. Use After Effects and Photoshop to create and apply motion graphics to video stories 3. File organization, including cloud, drive and tape backups as needed per project 4. Produce and edit additional video and audio assets for social media distribution as well as the broadcast interstitial space 5. Work with Senior Video Editor to assist in media management and maintaining media asset archives
II. Quality Control 1. Color correct to broadcast specs to create consistency of videos across all platforms (broadcast, online and social media) 2. Mix audio to broadcast specs to create consistency of all videos across all platforms (broadcast, online and social media) 3. Export final videos using correct codecs for their output destination (Broadcast, online, social media or events)
III. Support Production 1. Assist the Senior Video Editor with the technical evaluation and implementation of live or recorded studio and remote/field productions 2. Advise Producers on uses and limitations of equipment 3. Notify Senior Video Editor of equipment malfunctions 4. Give input toward improving production strategies and timelines 5. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 1. BA/BS Degree in Communications or related field or equivalent experience required 2. Minimum of eight years experience editing video and mixing audio 3. Two years experience in motion graphic design 4. Advanced knowledge of professional non-linear editing software required, AVID Media Composer and Adobe Premiere Pro 5. Proficient in Adobe After Effects, Photoshop and Illustrator CC 6. Strong skills with color grading and audio mastering 7. Knowledge of and ability to operate and interpret output of waveform monitors and vector scopes required 8. Experience with managing asset delivery for video content 9. Ability to work independently, while keeping management informed 10. Highly detail oriented with ability to manage multiple work streams with tight deadlines
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 1. Ability to view data on a computer screen for long periods of time 2. Ability to type on a keyboard for long periods of time 3. Ability to see and distinguish colors required 4. Ability to sit or stand for extended periods 5. Ability to work some evenings, weekends and holidays as needed Cascade Public Media is committed to building a team that represents a diversity of thought, experience and personal background.
An important new documentary on a WWII internment camp for Japanese-Americans was produced by Cristin Norine of North Shore Productions, a friend of Oregon Focus. A special screening at fundraiser will be at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland on Sunday. I’ll see you there!
From Cristin: “We have a screening coming up of a 30-minute film we produced for the National Park Service, Minidoka: An American Concentration Camp. The screening is Sunday, December 8th starting at 5:30 pm at the Hollywood Theatre. Our film tells the story of the unconstitutional incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII, through the voices of survivors of the experience. It’s a Northwest story, featuring residents of Portland and Seattle, who were forcibly removed from their homes and shipped to a concentration camp in Idaho without charge or trial; the film also examines the significance of this story for our current times. The screening is a fundraiser for a longer documentary we are producing, and will include a scene from the forthcoming longer film, and a Q&A with survivors of the camps. “
You can find out more information about the independent documentary and the educational project on the website here: www.minidokafilm.com
I’ve worked with Mary Virginia Swanson in different capacities over the past couple years and have always been impressed by her devotion to photographers and our relationship to the industry as a whole — from art to editorial to everywhere in between. Swanee volunteers on behalf of Blue Earth Alliance and other organizations, offering a unique perspective and a lifetime of wisdom on how to survive and thrive as a photographer. And she’s in Portland today!
“From Concept to Audience: The Life of a Photographic Project Artists take on a journey unlike any other when they crystalize an idea for a project. The passion to produce new work consumes us, but understanding your desired audience and the potential impact of your work is critical to getting the results you desire. Internationally acclaimed photography consultant, Mary Virginia Swanson (MVS), will lead us through the life of a photography project, with a focus on sponsorship, exhibition and publication. October 15, 5:30 – 7:30pm Portland Art Museum – Whitsell Auditorium $20 ASMP, OPPA and Blue Sky Gallery members, $50 general public
MARY VIRGINIA SWANSON is an educator, author and entrepreneur in the field of photography, and a respected advisor to artists and arts organizations. Unique in our field, her broad background includes exhibiting, collecting, licensing and marketing photographs and affords her a range of perspectives on making and marketing art. Ms. Swanson counts among her consulting clients a range of internationally respected artists and institutions.“
From Pro Photo Supply in Portland: “Join us for a panel discussion with The Portland Darkroom, FREE FILM : USA, and Portland based photographer Robbie McClaran. They will be discussing different film topics such as: the current state of analog photography across the US, the influence of digital photo sharing platforms on the photography medium, what it is like to begin a career as an artist/photographer, darkroom techniques and processes.”
“Hey, Have you signed up for Print and Pint? It’s on September 4th which is almost here!
Here are the details: We’re excited to invite you to our 3rd time doing this fantastic event sponsored by Camera Bits, Inc, makers of Photo Mechanic, Pro Photo Supply and Lagunitas Brewing Co.
All working photographers are invited to come and share their workprints with other pros.
We’ll be featuring the work of one of our members, Mark Fitzgerald!
For those new to this event, our featured speaker will be showing a slideshow of 20 images and giving us some insight into his process and artistic vision.
What do we mean by “WORKPRINTS“? These are not precious, matted, framed, bagged or collectible. These are prints you can spill beer on, or trade with other Photographers at the end of the night. They are work-in-progress quality, not fine art.
Our Theme this time is Land(scape)
Bring 2 of your images of the Land(scape) to share! What’s a Land(scape) you ask? Well, it could be the milky waters of a long exposure waterfall. It could be the rusty hulk of an abandoned mine head. It could be the city at night. It could be a dangerous commentary on mankind’s inevitable collapse into a primitive cave-person like culture brought on by our addictions to selfies.It’s about exploring the LAND around you, where the subject is the LAND itself.
This is a FREE event if you bring 2 8×10 work prints on the THEME. If you don’t, it’s $10 (hint: bring 2 prints).
That entry will get you Free beer (21+, 1 per) and Pizza!
ASMP’s goal is to strengthen our community by building camaraderie around the thing that connects us all: photographs! All you need to do is:
Step 1: Show up with 2 printed photographs* on the subject of the night. Step 2: Get a Beer (or Wine, or Soft Drink) Step 3: Find another Photographer (there should be plenty of them) and look at THEIR PHOTOGRAPHS. Ask questions. In turn, they will ask about YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS. Step 4: Repeat until you are kicked out at the end of the night.
*iPads, phones, etc. don’t count! We want to see actual prints!
RSVP: Yes! You need a ticket to attend this event.
Come learn about and make photography for local Oregon non-profits! I’m joining Pulitzer Prize winner Preston Gannaway and Momenta co-founders Chris Anderson and Jamie Rose in gearing up for this year’s Momenta Workshop in Portland, and tomorrow is the deadline to apply for scholarships. $1000 in scholarships available! Deadline: Friday June 28 @ 9 pm PST. Full details at https://mmnta.com/Scholarships2019 https://mmnta.com/PDX19
An important position in the Oregon photography world has opened up, as Lisa DeGrace is leaving Portland’s influential Blue Sky Gallery. Mac’s List has the job opening.
From Therese Gietler in ASMP Oregon Photo Chat: This poster says it all! Come buy our stuff so we don’t have to move it! PROPS? Yup. GEAR? Yup. OFFICE STUFF? Yup. BACKGROUNDS? Yup. FLATS? Yup. Carpet? Yup.
