The People of Brighton – Short Film
The People I know in Brighton, play an important role in the Rollerblading scene within the UK. Everybody knows them for their contribution to Rollerblading however I wanted to share an insight into their lives besides Rollerblading, also showing how diverse Brighton can be.
This 4 minute piece filmed using a Canon 7D was shot 24p during the week on a typical day in their lives.
Lenses:
- Canon 70-200mm Sigma 10mm Canon 18-55mmMusic:
1st: The XX – Intro
2nd: Beirut – Guyamas SonoraHuge thanks to Andrew Pearce for lending me his lenses, helping through-out the day, being patient and giving me mad company. Love.
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
now that’s beautiful (:
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Jake Eley does own a skateshop this is true but Oli Short a musician??? Adam Kola a photographer? I have never seen an Oli Short album in HMV and I have never seen an Adam Kola photo in anything other than a two bit skatemag.
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:43 pm
so what else does kola do if he isnt a photographer, he huge in the uk.. open ur eyes mate.. and i bet theres plenty of musicans whos album isnt in hmv
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Reddesire.
If you played the range of musical instruments that oli plays, for the amount off time he has, I would consider you a musician… Nobody has claimed that he earns a living making music, he doesnt.
Adam Kola for about 6 or more years has kept himself alive taking photos. What I mean, is that it is and was his profession to take photos. Travelling the globe with the worlds top rollerbladers shooting photos. Adding all this up, I came to the conclusion that his job title would be nothing other than a professional photographer. Perhaps he’s a vet?
I hope I was of some help clearing this up for you.
sim
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:49 pm
nice work yet again sim.. never cease to amaze me.
good comment on kola being a vet :p
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
“Reddesire Says:
December 22nd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
I have never seen an Oli Short album in HMV ”
HAHAHHAHAHHAHAH!
hmm, then there are literally millions of musicians who are not musicians if we hold your corporate/commercial criteria that you must have a CD in HMV to be a musician.
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:02 pm
made me go cold,
loved it.
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Beautiful !!!! nice nice nice !
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
et sinon, pour se reproduire Ă brighton entre barbus, spas difficile?
just to know, ins’t it hard to reproduce beetween bearded men?
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:25 pm
brilliant, great works , made me feel good .
and turbo push with the aces if vilain 4Bet :)
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:32 pm
great sim… spot on music choice as well, makes me want to move to brighton…
December 22nd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Really good stuff sim, and great response to reddesire!
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Sorry to sound like an idiot but was this filmed on a dslr? I don’t know what a Canon D7 is.
Also it’s nice to see how many of the Brighton lot have jobs in the media industry.
I couldn’t even get an internship as a lunch runner with my BA in media production, good to see people are doing well.
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:29 pm
BTN!BTN!BTN!BTN!BTN!BTN!BTN!BTN!BTN!BTN!
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Andoryuu
A canon d7 is a DSLR but it also shoots full hd too
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:41 pm
@Andoryuu:
The Canon 7D is a DSLR, but using the lenses used on a DSLR camera, you get the depth of field that is used in film. It’s not ideal for filming skating, video camera remain the better tool for filming skating.
Unfortunately in this industry, qualifications are good, but a portfolio of work and a good showreel screams out more for future jobs.
Sim
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
WHAT THE FUCK
this online edit shit with zero skating needs to end.
and someone needs to kill oli short.
December 22nd, 2009 at 5:12 pm
No women in Brighton I take it?
December 22nd, 2009 at 5:23 pm
Just to reply to the most recent comments here…
Joseph, unfortunately there are no girl skaters down here, no. If your scene is filled with women please could you let me know where this wonderful place is and if possible give me directions. Thanks.
….. You need to post your name up here little hater boy, so i can find out where you live and arrange for someone to kill you. Thanks.
December 22nd, 2009 at 5:47 pm
You couldn’t afford the ticket.
And once again’
Don’t make edits without skating, or with Oli Short, if you don’t want to get hated on.
December 22nd, 2009 at 5:52 pm
dont make “edits” without skating, i agree 100%. this isn’t videographer/editor/whatever news.
but please, do post more oli short, he is fun to watch… SKATING
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:04 pm
This edit clearly isnt about showing skating. Its about people who skate and their lives. The aim of this edit is blatently not about showing their skating. If your to stupid to notice that then i suggest you find a place called a school. They will educate you there.
And whoever things Kola is not a professional photographer needs to do some research before they splurge shit out of their mouths. He’s quite clearly one of the most talented photgraphers in the industry.
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
carlos and Sean P, Rollernews picked this up and added it to their site. It was not produced for bladers, it was made for fun. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. also, lick my dick..
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Sim that was fucking sweet!
To redeye81 or whatever your screen name is – Kola gets paid for the photos he takes; therefore by definition he is a professional photographer.
And to …… It’s not meant to be a ’skate edit’ you dumb piece of shit.
That was great, thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:23 pm
i was a bit disappointed by the lack of rolling otherwise it ws cool though the first 3 minutes of the song were sick…
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:31 pm
kept watching because i thought there would be one rolling clip, still kinda interesting though, that mini was minttttttt
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Great edit, very well filmed and put together. Would’ve loved to have seen some rollerbooting in there somewhere though.
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:45 pm
ok i rephrase, rollernews: don’t POST non skating things here, like kendama videos for example.
anyway, i could hardly see how this was a video about people and their lives, instead it was about your new cool camera and artsy composition and editing skills… if this was about their lives it would be much better to include an interview or some practical thing like that which would be far more interesting and more people would be willing to watch it. this video is an experiment. this is just my opinion, but since there are so many bladers who care more about getting filmed and photographed than actually skating, then i suppose this is just perfect. in that case change “rollernews” to “videoandphotographyforrolling news”. and save your insults, if you got so offended by what i said it just shows you are quite a sensible stupid little cunt. stop crying.
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:03 pm
If Adam Kola is a photographer could someone please tell me of any work he has done that hasn’t been given to him by friends or by skate magazines of which he is an owner/founder? Anything will do, maybe a local newspaper, maybe an advertising campaign or maybe some commercial stuff.
Oli Short is no more a musician than he is a rollerblader anymore. He is a fraud who has cashed in on the stupid image of being English.
They all belong in the gay capital of the UK !!!
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:09 pm
there is some really dumb people that post comments on here, but like i said before this is a pretty beautiful piece, great camera work and pieced together right really brought out the feel of city and people which i always think blading needs more of instead of just skating skating skating. It brings out the personality part in it .
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:11 pm
We do need less skating Alf. Especially your shit full cab alley oop mizous and general thinking you are Colin Kelso nonsense
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Kola has shot for all kinds of books/fashion campaigns/websites.
Does he own BeMag? no
Does he own ONE? no
Did he own Unity? no
you see my point.
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:17 pm
i really liked the music in this video, it really gave me this positive vibe, the video seemed so natural
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:19 pm
@reddesire.
I told myself I wasn’t going to get involved, however your comments seem like your upset by all of this? Is everything ok? Post your name next time so we can help you.
@carlos
Your right. Rollernews decided to post this video up. I made this film because I can, and for my friends. My target audience is not a group of 1080 topsouls.
This has nothing to do with skating, the people in it, happen to rollerblade. You can make a film about peoples lives in lots of different ways, I chose to make my film, my way.
Have a merry xmas..
Sim
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:25 pm
like sim said, grades dont mean much these days, a good portfolio on the other hand does. this is something he could show to the agencies to show what he can do. so ’showing off’ his new camera and keeping his show reel up to date is whats needed to get by and get jobs. this wasnt posted up by sim so dont bitch at him.
this has already been said but kola gets by being a photographer, which is more than can be said about most ‘pro’ rollerbladers. keep your mouths shut unless youve got something to show.
sick work sim. the pics kola took in the snow are nuts.
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Carlos.
If you had stopped at your first sentence that would have been a fair point man. Fine man. In a way I agree with you but dude… It’s a news blog. Hence the name, Rollernews, not rolleredit. It’s fair enough, you only want to watch skating but there is no need to hate. The way you find out if there is skating in the edit is: you read what it says about it first. You can clearly read so I don’t get why you’re being so shitty about it? Lots of edits on here don’t have skating in. Like interviews. Or reviews. I suppose they shouldn’t be on here either? No? Then what is your point? You really don’t seem to have one other than hating on Rollernews and lots of perfectly cool UK skaters for what appears to be no good reason other than someone made something you didn’t like. Chill maybe?
….Sean P
I get that you didn’t like the edit man but wishing death on my friends is not fucking cool man. Your surname is P is it? No i don’t think so. You don’t even have the balls to man up and tell everyone who you are after I called you out. You know my name, where I live and what I do for a job, so please feel free to come down here and start beef in person or shut the fuck up.
Or at least man up on here and post a link to an edit of you skating that’s better than any of Oli’s? Or a really made well film you’ve done? Unless you’re a total faggot who has nothing to back up his pathetic opinions?
Post a link man…. No? Thought not. Prick.
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:46 pm
that was really professional and well done. my hat goes off to anyone that can produce images like that from a video camera.
also, I am so glad they referred to oli as a “professional rollerblader” and not a professional skater.
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:56 pm
all you haters are cunts. i thought that was one of the most engrossing, compelling piece of media ive seen on here and it didnt even have any skating but in saying that im from hove and i spend pretty much all my time in brighton including my skating, so its slightly biased .
December 22nd, 2009 at 7:59 pm
“Kola has shot for all kinds of books/fashion campaigns/websites.
Does he own BeMag? no
Does he own ONE? no
Did he own Unity? no
you see my point.”
Does he fuck take photos for fashion campaigns. If you read my original post i did state that he only works for companies in which he has friends. He has friends at all of the afore mentioned magazines.
I will class him as a proper photographer the second he does a photo for a magazine that isn’t run by some has been rollerblader running a shitty little mag that will be bust in a years time from now
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
This was a very well made edit. It’s always great to know what it is that people do other than skate. And from this edit, the brighton scene looks amazing. If you did not already know that there was not going to be any actual skating before watching the video, then you are 1) Some kind of idiot, and 2) a fiend for anything rollernews. Go to school for number 1 and get some counseling for number 2. I loved the edit Sim and hope to see more.
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:09 pm
Seriously, you guys hating are so insular it baffles me. What this film highlights is the wealth of great characters that are brought together through blading, each talented in other activities and professions.
I suppose yours would read “Mr Seantoopussytotyperealnameoninternet P- part time shit talker/full time faggot”
…’red desire’ is that your internet dating alias?
GET OUT MORE, YOUR THE ONES THAT MAKE BLADING LOOK SHIT.
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Sim is the man , all the people in this production are good at what they do and to Reddesire kola is a professional photographer in the extreme sport industry, shooting chris farmer or tony hawk is all the same medium. This was a nice watch and very good of Sim and the lads to take time out to produce it.
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Thought the edit was well composed, insightful (obviously with no interviews), and “beautiful”. You (the viewer) and I couldn’t ask for anything more out of it. (It is what it is and if it were something else then it’d be “something else”.) Keep up the good work guys.
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:20 pm
will the guardian do? not a magazine but quite a broad UK newspaper?
ads kola
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:44 pm
What’s the point posting a reply to argue / explain stuff on here .
Quality of the edit is next. If you can’t even appreciate that because there’s no rollerblading in it sort yourself out.
As for gettin so vex over stated professions in the edit, what the fuck is wrong with you.
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:49 pm
having friends publish your work does not mean you are less qualified as a professional. The real world of creative profession is just about as much as networking and contacts as it is credentials.
The edit was sick.
December 22nd, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Last 2 comments are correct, the people in this edit don’t need to explain there professions to anyone.
Negativity will produce negativity in your life please stop
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:14 pm
The XX, good choice!
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Fecking Beautiful
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:24 pm
If they dont need to explain their professions then dont fuckin state them.
If he has indeed done work for the Guardian he should probably stop writing it “guardian”
Adam”Henry Winter”Kola
The Guardian hahaha yeh of course he has.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:24 pm
ENGLAND WORST CONTRY IN USA
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Reddesire I’m calling you out, facebook address please.
I run the conference distribution in the UK i’m sorry I write for the ‘Guardian’ No I took a photo.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Living in Brighton I would imagine you are the one who needs to be called out.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Real sick, Sim. I really enjoyed it.
Reddesire, I’m confused to why this film upset you so much. It seems as if you are just trying to antagonize these people to get a rise out of them.
Please stop mocking these men and their professions.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Portfolio Battle Royale! Kola’s photos are great.
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:03 pm
pretty sweet.. was it all really shot in one day? shit would be hella work
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Sorry about my outbursts. i Havent had any big black dick i quite a while, which was stressing me out, but luckly someone has just jizzed down my throat and i released my juice all down his face.
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Thanks for all the positive comments from people. Negative comments are also welcome, nobody likes everything, just make sense when you share your opinion.
@Reddesire
Regarding your comment about stating professions. Seeing as your were the first person to question peoples professions within this film, I think it’s important I explain some of the basic rules in making a film with a little story.
The entire film is about their professions, not rollerblading. (Profession means your full time occupation incase you didn’t know) Therefore being the editor (that’s the person who uses a computer to organise video clips with music) I decided it would be VITAL to include some text letting the viewer know who these people are and what they were doing. This also helps people like yourself, who are a little bit slow in working out the concept of simple things such as what is a musician. (You unfortunately thought you have to have a CD in HMV to qualify as a musician – Are you ok with this now?)
I’m always happy to help.
Oh by the way, you missed two full stops from your second to last message. Easily done isn’t it.
Sim Warren
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Reddesire…………….and you are?
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:02 am
Good bit of filming and editing Sim I enjoyed it shows a different side to what these guys do and its great as I know some of them personally and have met all of them.
And this video and the people in it probably have a bigger impact on rollerblading than Reddesire will ever have…honestly Mr.Red got under the kitchen and grab some bleach shot it on the rocks preferably do us all a favour.
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:46 am
hey Reddesire, give us a town name at least, where you from?
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:51 am
I thought that there where some nice pictures in the edit but the whole thing felt quite pointless since nothing really happened in what we just saw, perhaps a sunset beach intro but nothing else? More like a showoff “we’re cool” kinda thing…
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:15 am
nice way to show your filming andf editing skills there class A but this is a rollberblading forum and as you can tell people are more intrested in rollerskating not a nice clear edit slow mo of them doing there normal day things. if this was a into to a Brighton skate scene then things would be diffrent. peace
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:36 am
i thought it was bang on trend darling
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:40 am
Beautiful work
Im sorry guys, and this is not aimed at you, more hate at rollernews.
I have alot of respect for the people behind this edit, but maybe the forums is a more relevant place?
Placing this on the front is like your trying to give them some rock star ego boost campaign.
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:55 am
Sim Warren… rules.
Adam Kola… rules.
Jake Eley… rules. (especially for making me laugh all week at Slamm Jamm by saying “Hello David” in a ridiculously posh English accent whenever I saw him).
Oli Short… up for debate by most but… rules (the fact that you give him so much abuse shows that he clearly gets under your skin. If you tear him apart on message boards you are only keeping his name alove. Haters lose. Oli wins).
Jobey Dick… will hurt you if you try to damage him or anyone he cares about. Just ask the guy who nicked his friend’s scooter.
End.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:39 am
“Reddesire…………….and you are?”
a cunt
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:42 am
is this really happening? people need to chill out.
rollerblading isnt just about grinds and jumps, theres a whole lifestyle behind what we do, from art, to music to fashion, friends, cities, places, trips, after-shred. whats so wrong about putting this on rollernews?
no one is forcing you to watch it, or does it need to have a big red label that says “WARNING NO ROLLERBLADING IS BEING PERFORMED IN THIS VIDEO, WATCH AT OWN RISk”
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:12 am
OH yaeh adam u think ur so tough, why dont u bring it!
u fake photographer bitch….
im way more cooler than u are, ever done a 720 disaster topsoul.
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:29 am
that was dope. people hating are idiots. there’s more to life than rollerblading.
however, it’s also very fitting for a rollerblading site to show a quality snapshot into the lives of rollerbladers.
10000000x better than someone’s low production quality, shitty prail edit/switchup porn.
rollerblading sucks sooo much sometimes. fuck
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:58 am
That was awesome Sim. Really looking forward to seeing some more new stuff from you, its great to see the production value of your edits/filming getting exponentially better. I think this sort of thing definately has a place on rollernews for what its worth.
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:05 am
“there is more to life than rolling”
This statement is the problem. Back around 1999-2003 skating was life and almost all rollerbladers had the same daily routine: wake up at 12, smoke, eat, skate for a few hours, smoke, eat, skate some more, go home, order some food, smoke, eat watch videos, drink, maybe skate drunk at 2am, sleep. Some days you would replace the first skate session with work or the 2am session with a party. Rolling was raw back then and the average skater was way better than the kids today. Then the faggot hipsters came along and tried to make rolling artsy as a half assed attempt to cover their lack of skills/balls.
So what if you went to film school and own a shit load of expensive film equipment. People want to see skaters killing shit. This would have been good as a intro to a video but you wasted it trying to show off.
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:13 am
Amazing. Loved every second of it.
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:29 am
Well i used to live in the UK so i am glad that people out there are still involved in the rolling scene. I really liked the edit i cant lie i was waiting for a skate clip…but in the end i didnt really miss it. I absoutely love mike welland’s skating and i hope i can see some of it soon. He has been killing since the usd grycon days.
And adam kola you dont need to waste your time on people that have nothing better to do than hate
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:04 am
@ old.
your post was entirely contradicting and proved the sentence “there is more to life than rolling”
smoke? order some food? smoke? watch video? drink? all these things have nothing to do with rolling.
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:27 am
i love filmnews.com!
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:28 am
oh shoot this is rollernews.com, darn it, I instantly agree with everyone saying bad things about this edit and instantly think anyone saying good things are faggot cock cooks! Go eat your dicks!
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 am
Wow. Great edit. Great music. very nicely put together.
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:38 am
good stuff oli. top notch
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:42 am
Redesire is the 720 disaster topsoul kid from unit 1? As if it matters about disguting 720 topsouls.
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:48 am
That was awesome! Great Work. It really shows the diverseness of rollerbladers, and how they have extraordinary talents besides blading!
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:50 am
Haha this is brilliant.
@old.
I never went to film school.
The 7d is one of the cheapest cameras on the Market.
Rollernews put this video here, not me.
Skaters killing shit was never meant for this short film about Brighton and occupations.
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:51 am
@jon Fromm
you are spot on!
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:19 am
Its almost as if I have logged onto Mass Crew
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
yo fuckin hell sim you are sitting on a goldmine, is this perhaps the full length show reel for an ad you could pitch to south east england tourist board, do it!
great work bro!
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:55 am
Reddesire isn’t getting anything for christmas…. naughty boy.
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:41 am
“Jimjim Says:
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:42 am
Redesire is the 720 disaster topsoul kid from unit 1? As if it matters about disguting 720 topsouls. ”
I doubt it was aaron, he uses his name for screen name because he isnt a bitch like most of the haters on this, but he can do 720 top souls pretty smooth
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=339647495370
well as smooth as 720 top souls go anyway…
I liked this mini [:
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:10 pm
old that sounds like a fun life for a 12 year old.
maybe all skaters should quit when they reach their 20s like our early pros? that would be fucking cool! then we could have a bunch of 15 year old pros representing us.
… what has happened is that rollerblading has matured and you haven’t.
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
@rllcm
Hahaha… True say.
December 23rd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Richie has it spot on, real men aspire to be more than a minimum wage work horse all their lives just so they can go skate nearly everyday. It’s called ambition and responsibilty and real men push for success in all apsects of their lives, not just rollerblading.
All these people are really successful considering the extremely competetive proffesions they have chosen for themselves and people that bitch them out clearly have never seen true success and so fail to appreciate and congratulate it.
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
When i saw that this was going to be a video on the Brighton ’scene’, i was expecting to see a bunch of AIDS ridden blokes, dancing to Eurotrash with their shirts off. Unfortunately, what i was presented with was far worse.
It seems to me that you’re all professional at doing nothing. I mean, come on, Kola a professional photographer? I suppose it’s his outstanding work ethic that’s made him the great photographer he is today. The guy’s lived off scraps thrown to him by friends in the skating world for too long. Hardly constitutes being a professional.
As for Oli Short, i don’t blame the guy for strumming a way at a guitar with the rhythm of someone who has cerebal palsy. This is a guy who can barely read, let alone write, his own name. He’s a joke.
Keep leading your deluded lives, thinking that you’re somehow special and that you’re in fact winners. Maybe to some of the 12yr olds on here you are. Personally, i think you’re some of the most pathetic people i’ve ever seen and that video is not only what’s wrong with skating but what’s wrong with society, grow up and stop wasting everyone’s time with this pompous shit.
Davidian.
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Just so you know what I look like, here is a photo.
http://americansfortruth.com/uploads/2009/10/gay_sex_2.JPG
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:48 pm
When you say we’re all professional at doing nothing it’s quite insulting. Every one of the people in this video work very hard at what they do which just so happens to be in various creative industries.
Can you explain why we are pathetic? Is it because we have careers we actually enjoy and get paid for doing it?
Can I take a stab in the dark and guess that if you’re even old enough to have a job, that it’s in a call centre or taking it in the ass from the man?
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
I’m a 26 year old English teacher and I think they’re successful.
What’s your job Davidian? It must be incredibly impressive to think that a production manager is nothing or that a man can survive by taking photographs is somehow unimpressive. Do you actually realise how ridiculously hard it is to live off of photography, if you really want I can trawl the internet for figures because it’s staggering.
Media-related jobs are not only the most sought after jobs in the UK but have the largest qualified applicant-to-insufficient positions ratio of any profession I know.
The fact that some of these guys are getting paid at all is a fucking miracle, I doubt you’d be able to get an unpaid job scrubbing toilets at your local rag with your cv, then again I could be wrong but I doubt it very much.
And not only do you not speak for rollerbladers as a whole but you most definitely don’t speak for society, I know for a fact this short would place in an indie film competition, do you speak for those people aswell?
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:55 pm
In-fact if I were to ask the people watching this discussion I’m sure they’d be far more likely to say that negative, jealous, whiny little bitches incapable of constructive criticism like you are what’s wrong with the world AND rollerblading.
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:58 pm
And when the fuck is rollernews going to get some moderation so stupid arguments like this are avoided, I don’t even want to be doing this, I just got in from work and want to play COD but irritating little shits are distracting me.
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Davidian, what the fuck do you know about anyone featured in the edit. You literally don’t have a clue, have you actually met any of us? Or is you’re little rant just based on shit you’ve read on the internet whilst simultaneously browsing ’spankme.com’?
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Davidian,
Your obviously a troubled person, with some very serious life issues..
Would you like a tissue?
This is just a film, it isn’t the bible.
Could you link us to, or share with us how you contribute to the world?
So far, your best quality, is finding negativity in very small things. Shame.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Davidian.
THIS GUY IS BANG ON, GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR ARSES, KOLA IS A 2 BIT PHOTOGRAPHER. HAVING YOUR WORK SHOWN AT SLAMM JAMM IN NOT AN EXHIBITION YOU WHERE AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME TO MEET THE NEEDED PEOPLE TO SHOOT. OLI SHORT WELL YOU DO PLAY MUSIC BUT TILL I HEAR YOU PLAY YOUR OWN TRACK I’LLL KEEP THINKING YOU NEED TO GROW UP AND STOP BEING SILLY. JAKE ELEY WELL IS A WANKER BUT ALSO HE DOES RUN A SHOP SO WELL DONE TO HIM. JOBY IS A PRICK ALWAYS BEING A DICKHEAD UNLESS YOU ARE IN HIS CLICK. SO BASICALLY YOU ARE ALL SILLY CHILDREN WHO NEED TO LOOK OUT SIDE ROLLING AND SEE YOU ARE NOT ANYONES AND STOP THINKING THAT YOU ARE CELEBS AND BULL SHIT DAVIDIAN IS RITE U HAVE SHOWN WHAT IS WRONG WITH ROLLING AND SOCIETY,
ITS NOT ALL ABOUT A SOCIAL TAG TO FEEL IMPORTANT
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:09 pm
what’s your last name Steve?
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Judging by his grammar, O.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Steve, be a grown up and share your surname.
All of your ignorance is the problem.
Everybody take a step back…. What is the WORST thing about exhibiting some rollerblading photos at a rollerblading competition? Would it be better if nobody made an effort?
Steve, you obviously have ALL the answers, so in a sensible way, tell us what you do for a living, tell us how you’ve helped rollerblading, and tell us your surname.
Rollerblading lacks people who actually contribute to it, its a shame, but your only seem to stur negativity.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Pollard
I use to skate, havnt for a few years i just rem how these people made me feel about skating and that was out of place in something for the normal out cast.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
So steve,
Do you know Kola, Jake, Oli or Joby??
If I asked them, would they know your name?
Its a good thing you left rollerblading.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:18 pm
People are free to choose their friends in life, maybe you should just let go of that bitterness and move on. After all, it’s Christmas.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
you used to skate? why did you stop?
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:20 pm
@Steve
I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say, a cool person would say they don’t like the edit but a twat would get personal about people he hardly knows.
So looking at this in a calm manner (I know that may be hard for you) it is possible that Joby, and the UK scene in general, isn’t cool with you, not because you’re not in the ‘click’, but because you’re actually a twat.
Poof? Your first comment will do fine.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:47 pm
These whiney bitches (davidian etc) don’t know shit. what the fuck do you know about photography eh cunt? Go on please tell be what grounding you have to claim ‘2 bit photographer’ ? I’d love to know your expertise on the profession! What was the last thing you contributed to blading or even society?You obviously possess so much jealousy towards these people… are you gutted about your life or something? fucking maggots fucking oxygen thieves.
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
I like the atmosphere very much…
good job keep it up dude!
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Fact: If you are not selling shots to reputable news sources or national geographic you are not a professional photographer.
What sets a pro apart from an amateur in the photography world is weather or not you will dump the cash on equipment to make you more efficient. This means you own five D3x cameras all with different 5,000 pound lenses so that you can shoot footy matches and not waste time changing lenses.
Fact: Oli fell off as soon as he began wearing tight pants.
Fact: a “short film” is at least 20 mintes long
Fact: rolling has become as gay as the rest of the world thinks it is because of the newest trends and influx of useless people.
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
@Sean Motherfucker Prize Bitch
You don’t seem to understand the definition of Fact or indeed professional. Let me help you.
“pro?fes?sion?al
–adjective
1. following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain: a professional builder.”
So, if you get paid to do it, you are professional. And this is the Collins English Dictionary speaking, not me. It means you do it for money. Adam gets paid for his very well taken photos, so… He is a professional.
I can tell from your detailed and powerful understanding of photography equipment that you know nothing about photography. Why are you trying to pretend you do? Weird. Now you look dumb.
You are welcome think what you like about Oli, but unless you can post a link to you skating better than him… I believe that makes you a bitch? Doesn’t it?
I work in film and television and so does Sim. My clients include, Disney, Microsoft and LOVEFILM. As a result of this I have helped make a number of three minuet short films which have gone on to compete at different festivals. Hahaha. Has to be 20mins? hahaha. Dude. You’re making yourself look stupid now.
Now you are calling rollerblading gay? Hahaha. I’ve been skating for 20 years man so frankly, to me, you are part of the influx of useless people. FUCK YOU.
Dude. Do us all a favor and fade the fuck out please. Buy a skateboard man. Your attitude will fit right in with those guys.
Fact. None of those things were facts…
Gutted.
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Sim thats amazing, Loving your edits keep it up! x
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Sean Price – please tell me where you’ve found these INCORRECT facts?
Fact = source from wikipedia and online dictionary. “The term professional is used more generally to denote a white collar working person, or a person who performs commercially in a field typically reserved for hobbyists or amateurs.”
Anybody who specialises in a field and earns their living by it, is a professional.
My dad is an artist, he has worked as an artist for 40 years. He has never had any other job. Never had training in art. He doesn’t sell his work in galleries. He sells it privately to WHO ever he likes.
He is called by Craft magazine and Driftwood Magazine a professional craftsman. Do you think these magazines are lying because he hasn’t had his work featured in particular places?
OOOh hang on, im learning something from you now. you have to have 5 cameras to become a professional? give me a break dude. fuck off.
David beckham isn’t a professional footballer, he doesn’t have enough tatooes? STUPID PRICK
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Haha, if you were ever ‘on’ Sean, you’ve just fallen off HARD.
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Ed is correct, I work in the same industry as him and Sim, from TV to film to what ever needs shooting. I don’t wanna get into some bullshit about this production that Sim has made as I think it is a great bit of work. Just stop the hate and look upon where rollerblading took these people and how it has influenced there lives to become who they are today. With out rollerblading I’d be in some office doing something I hate and would never had got into what I love. This SHORT shows how rollerblading is a positive to a person as it takes you down a great path, I wouldn’t change anything and I’m sure these lads wouldn’t ether.
This is NOT a Fact: a “short film” is at least 20 mintes long
December 23rd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Professional Photography
Would you like to photograph anything you want, anywhere you want, anytime you want, any way you want, with a great professional camera system? Would you love to travel to luxury destinations and photograph whatever, whenever you want?
The only way to do this is to keep your real job and do photography on your own time.
If you want to photograph professionally you’ll make less money, have to shoot the boring stuff in crappy locations for which you’re hired, shoot it the way the client wants, and probably have to shoot everything as if it’s some big emergency every time. You’ll probably only be able to afford beat up old gear that’s “good enough.”
Making a buck in photography is a lot tougher than keeping a real job. The photo jobs and locations that pay the most are the most boring. Think you’re going to have people hiring you as a travel photographer? Guess again.
It’s exactly like golf or surfing. Golf is fun, and it’s almost impossible to get people to pay you to do it. Only one guy in ten million makes lots of money in surfing, photography or acting. Everyone else who makes the money does it in something allied to the field, like making or selling product or the dream.
We all know the few actors who pull in $20 million per movie. Did you know the average annual income of the many SAG (Screen Actors’ Guild) members, the majority of whom we’ve never heard, is something more like $20,000? The SAG website’s FAQ page offers this advice on how to become a performer: “Develop another career to supplement your income.” People pay photographers less than actors.
A person who studied stage lighting in college and worked in Hollywood discovered that almost no one makes it in the fun job of lighting. The people who make more money more regularly are those who become lighting salesmen.
Who makes more: an actor, or an agent who earns 10% from each of the 20 clients they represent?
If you want to make money in photography, it’s probably not by doing photography.
You can become a super star photographer, but it’s all in your self-promotion and luck. If you want it hard enough you can do it. In America you can do anything you can imagine, however if you want to make money and have fun making photos there are easier ways to live.
Professional Cameras
Everyone thinks selling photos gives them the green light to buy a fancy new camera.
NO.
If you’ re doing this for money you can’t afford expensive equipment unless it makes business sense. See What Makes a Professional Camera.
Better cameras only make it easier for you to produce results. They don’t make photos any different from the camera you already own. See Why Your Camera Doesn’t Matter.
Jobs in Photography
There are very few full time jobs in photography. The few out there are working at a photo lab or running the portrait booth at Wal-Mart.
Your local paper might have one spot for a photo editor. Everyone else are stringers. Big city papers may have a couple of photographers on staff. Great; that’s five jobs in a city of a million. Most newspapers get much of their photos from people paid by the shoot or the shot, typically $100 to $150 per. Newspaper work is fun, but pays poorly.
Why Jobs in Photography Pay Poorly
According to Education Portal in 2002, the average annual salary of people employed as photographers was $24,040.
Photography is not a profession. Anyone can call themselves a professional photographer. There are no licenses and not even a college degree required. See my page on Why Photography is Not a Profession.
More people do photography for fun than do it for money. Because it’s fun, people looking to hire photographers can always find someone to do it for less.
Jobs pay based on how badly the jobs are needed and how many qualified people are available to fill them. If a job makes the employer money, he’s going to pay more to fill the spot.
There aren’t millions of experienced, successful mutual fund managers out there. The few that are out there can make hundreds of millions of dollars each year for the financial houses which employ them. This is why the decent ones earn seven to eight figure incomes annually.
There are tens of millions of photographers. Photographs don’t usually earn a business much money. Therefore there isn’t much money there to employ photographers, and when there is, there are so many photographers who often will work for free that employers don’t need to pay very much to fill the spot.
So much for getting a job making big bucks as a photographer. The positions may be out there, but there are easier ways to earn a living.
Education
Photography is self-taught. Ansel Adams’ only formal education came from working one summer in a San Francisco photo lab. I and everyone I know who does this for a living taught themselves. I read books and practiced.
It’s nice to have a degree from a photo school, but costs more in money and lost career time than it’s worth. If you have what it takes you can teach yourself faster. If you don’t have the eye, no schooling will teach it to you.
Far more important than learning photography, which is self-taught and not particularly difficult, is to learn what you really need to know, which is to learn how to run your own business in a very competitive world.
If you’re serious about working as a photographer and attending NYIP or Brooks, I’d suggest some serious guidance counseling. Don’t listen to the school’s admissions (sales) people. These schools have lots of history, but it’s a tough way to make a living and the schools aren’t much help careerwise.
Brooks Institute
I love Brooks Institute. It’s the best school of which I know to learn everything about photography. All of Santa Barbara is picturesque and has an infrastructure of labs and pro camera stores to support the students, instructors and local professionals. The people who work at Brooks form an incredible network of people who know and share everything about photography. Because of Brooks there is more photography infrastructure and support in the tiny resort town of Santa Barbara than there is in the metropolis of San Diego.
I’ve wanted to move to Santa Barbara since the 1980s. I still intend to wind up there. I’d love to teach at Brooks and be associated with them in any way possible.
The dirty secret is that a degree from Brooks usually only gets you huge student loan debts. It’s not likely to land you a job, and certainly not one that can make enough money to pay the bills you’ll ring up.
Brooks has always struck me as a comfy place for the rich to send their kids to learn a vanity hobby and get them out of the house. People who can afford Brooks can afford not to work.
It’s very sad that Brooks has been busted for misrepresenting photography employment opportunities. Brooks is not a public school like UCLA. Brooks is a part of a private company run to make money off of students and their parents. Brooks was busted in a NY Times article “The School That Skipped Ethics Class” on Sunday, July 24, 2005.
The Times reported that the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary & Vocational Education sent an investigator to pose as a prospective student. She was told to expect a starting salary of $50,000 to $150,000, or more, in the first year after graduation.
An examination of Brooks’s records showed not a single 2003 graduate had even $50,000 of earning potential. Brooks reported that 45 graduates employed full time earned an average income of about $26,000. Let’s see: average photographer earns $24,040, Brooks grad earns $26,000. You can make $1,960 more a year if you go to Brooks. Of course the average debt level of the people who got jobs and went to Brooks was $74,000 each. That means you might break even in 40 years. But wait – there were only 45 grads employed full-time, and Brooks runs about 300 students at a time and growing. Good luck!
See more about Brooks here.
I’m bummed by this. It’s Brooks that makes Santa Barbara so desirable. If Brooks shrinks as a result of penalties from this, that shoots a big hole in my genius future plans.
Hallmark
Hallmark seems to be a different sort of school. From what little I’ve heard from graduates, the school and its instructors are quite honest about career and income prospects in photography, and Hallmark also teaches the importance of, and how to run, your own business.
The best thing you can do to research Hallmark is to ask its graduates. They have their own superb alumni website, HallmarkHipsters.net, done by a successful graduate living in Las Vegas.. By comparison, Brooks’ Alumni site is a part of Brooks’ main site and appears to be PR for the sales department.
Your Own Small Business
Sorry folks, but here’s the important reality: to make it as a photographer you must become your own small business. You don’t have the luxury of working for someone else: there are almost no jobs in photography. As a small business you’re in charge, which is great, but you have almost no one to whom you can go for advice or direction. You’re on your own in the jungle.
You will have no employer and no job. You, at best, are an independent contractor. You have to provide your own health insurance, fund your own retirement and have no paid vacation or sick leave. I don’t even know what a weekend is! You have to find every one of your own photo gigs. Most critically, you need to market and sell yourself. No one is looking for you. Your skills at self-promotion are critical.
Your success depends almost entirely on your ability to run a successful small business. Almost nothing depends on the quality of your photography.
It’s sad to see people get laid off from an office job and think that they can just wander into creating a small business. Some can, but only if they develop competitive survival and differentiation skills. If they had those instincts they’d be the ones still working, not the ones let go.
Eat or be eaten, although actually it’s more like promote effectively or be forgotten. Effective promotion is more different than simple promotion. Real estate people are in a tough field, but at least they need licenses which photographers don’t. All of us laugh at the ridiculous attempts at self-promotion thrown on our lawns and in our mailboxes. Many of those attempts make those people look stupid. Don’t let it happen to you. Promotion is a difficult skill. Real estate is a sales job, so those people already have the sales background that photographers don’t. Every photographer mails out promotional cards and emails every month. How can you stand out as the go-to-guy for serious photography?
Haven’t we all seen photos in magazines, posters and advertisements we could have done better? Of course! Some other guy won the job because he had the promotional skill you lacked. Photography skills are a very, very small part of the business. If you think they are you’ll probably fail.
Most small businesses spend only 15% of their time on the core of why they got into business, and the other 85% of their time on critical side issues like marketing and bookkeeping. You’ll be too busy to spend much time on photography. You have to crank out the results, not spend time experimenting.
You need to be able to keep books, figure out how to provide for your own retirement and medical benefits, calculate taxes, and most importantly, be able to promote, market and sell yourself.
You and I appreciate fine photography. That’s why we photograph. The people who pay us don’t. That’s why they are out buying photography. As a business you need to put your efforts into things appreciated by the people paying you. Learn to create great work, but not on client’s time.
You must be skilled at dealing with people and selling and promoting yourself. You need to be able to differentiate yourself from the millions of other photographers also trying to make a buck.
The Key to Business Success: SCORE.ORG
SCORE is the golden key to everything. My background was technical. I have a degree in engineering. Luckily 10 – 15 years ago I veered off to the marketing and then the sales side of the digital imaging industry, so I gained experience in both.
Marketing and sales are completely different. Marketing is promoting yourself to everyone and determining what products and services to offer. Sales is finding and closing individual deals.
I got good in these areas, but still had zero knowledge of everything else involved in running a business. 15 years ago I took a class from the IRS about it, and it was so complicated I never tried again.
I never took any business classes in college. I took classes in economics, but not business.
Then I recalled some public service ads about SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives. Supposedly they were retired guys who loved what they did in business so much that they volunteered seasoned business advice free for the listening. A fast internet search uncovered SCORE.org. They work throughout the USA. I’m unfamiliar with the rest of the world.
SCORE is your key to success! They are the real thing. They are incredible. If you ask via their website, they will find someone experienced in any field and get you a real answer from someone who knows. I was able to get advice from someone experienced in publishing when I was contemplating writing a book.
I got real answers from people who had been there and done it, not from academics. God bless teachers, but if they could cut it in the competitive business world they probably would be doing it, instead of analyzing it in class for much, much less pay.
I took a one-day class taught by folks from my local SCORE chapter. In a one-day’s overview it covered what makes a successful business and what makes it fail. It laid out exactly what you need to know, like business plans, taxation, getting loans, bookkeeping, marketing, promotion, competitive analysis and, well, everything I had always needed to know. This one class had many students realize if their business ideas were doomed, or if they should move ahead. That’s what business plans do.
They stressed the old wives tale about “99% of new businesses failing in the first year” was baloney. They pointed out that if you consider every half-baked attempt at business, like people giving money to casual acquaintances to start weak partnerships in undefined business ideas you might see 99% fail. They explained that people who did their research (the sort of people smart enough to attend that class) almost always succeeded if they chose to move ahead. This is because something as simple as making a business plan, which is writing down what you’re going to do, makes one look at all the pitfalls and makes very clear which businesses are likely to succeed. People who do their diligence and realize an idea isn’t likely to succeed don’t do it, so they don’t fail.
I was expecting a bunch of dull old farts teaching. Retired doesn’t mean old. These guys had been so successful that they had retired young. Talking with them at the end of class as we walked out to the parking lot we noticed that these weren’t business teachers driving clapped-out old Volvos. These dudes were driving new Mercedes S-classes. These guys were winners, and loved what they did so much that they couldn’t keep out of it after they retired. These are the guys from whom you couldn’t afford advice, yet they offer it for free!
The class for the day cost about $60, which paid for the room. They even threw in free lunch! The teachers, and there were many of them, all volunteered their time. Unlike most things, I got far more than I paid for.
Take the classes you need at SCORE and you’ll have what you need to plan if your idea to start a photography business makes sense. Ask and you can get real advice from people who know.
Some Tidbits I Learned from SCORE:
1.) Forget Partnerships. These almost always fail. It seems like a great idea for two friends to team up if one has the photo skills and the other has the business skills. The problem is that as things develop they both want to be in charge. You can’t have an animal with two heads. Eventually they each want to go in a different direction, and the business falls apart. The really bad thing is that it’s not pretty, and they lose each other as friends, too.
2.) Keep your day job and take your time planning your business. The longer you plan, the more likely you are to succeed. You won’t be making money for some time and you’ll need your day job. Six months of planning is a minimum, two years is better. Don’t just quit and say “Bingo, I’m now a pro photographer, yeah!” Plan for some time and know exactly what you’re going to do.
3.) Business is competitive. It’s a jungle. People win and people lose. It’s not like a job working for someone else. You have to plan to win, otherwise you will die.
4.) Do it! Most encouraging was the sentiment that anyone can do it. This is America and anyone can become anything they like. Your only limitation is your imagination. Plan it of course, but think big. When I was setting my goals one instructor was taken aback at my low figures. He said “What, that’s your goal? Why bother? Set something worth achieving!”
5.) Don’t worry. The worst that can happen is you have to get a job again, which is exactly where you started. I’ve met several people who lost everything in attempts at their own business and were still glad they did it. They were happily working regular jobs again.
Other Observations
Weddings
This is the easiest way to make money on weekends.
You’ll pull in a few hundred dollars to start, and today decent guys pull in at least a few thousand just to give a CD with photos to the bride. That saves them from having to deal with prints later.
Old timers still try to charge for shooting and then to take print orders for profit. People hate that.
Sell them the CD, let them print their own, and get on to the next job.
Of course this is also dangerous. A guy in my family had his lab lose his film. Today one computer glitch could lose your whole job. He had to fly almost everyone in the wedding party back to the USA to redo the photos. They had to come from Brazil! The photographer had to pay all this, since he was liable. He lost so much money he gave up.
You only get one chance to photograph a once-in-a-lifetime event. That’s why it can pay well, and why you’ll be in deep trouble if you screw up.
I don’t do weddings. The one I have done have been for fun for friends. When they’ve wanted to pay me in advance I’ve been very clear that their rate is as low as it is because I’m accepting no liability for anything.
Other friends do weddings and already have $60,000 in bookings for the next few months after only being at it half a year. They key is marketing, promotion and sales. They hump themselves and get out to every bridal event and ask for the business. They invite prospective couples over to their home gallery, show them walls loaded with great wedding shots and get top dollar.
It’s not the photo quality – look at any wedding photos and you’ll see. It’s all in how well you can run your own small business.
Health Insurance
This was my biggest worry, but easy. I called Blue Cross and got a plan for $94 a month. Easy! It even covered annual exams and drugs.
Be certain not to quit your day job before you arrange to get health insurance. In my case it was easy to get new coverage because I had coverage from my day job. If you currently have no coverage it’s much more difficult to start new independent coverage.
You save money with a large deductible. You save so much each month that even if you have medical expenses you’ve still saved money at the end of the year.
My plan had a $5,000 deductible, which of course you need to have in the bank when starting a business anyway. If I wanted a smaller deductible it would have cost maybe $250 a month. At the end of the year that’s $2,000 in extra premiums. If you don’t get sick, that’s $2,000 in your pocket. If you do, you’re probably even.
Insurance is to cover you in case of a dire emergency that would wipe out your finances. It’s wasteful to expect it to pay your month-to-month medical bills. If you’re an employee that’s fine, but not if you’re self-employed. A friend had an infection and spent a month in the intensive care unit. The bill was over one million dollars! They paid nothing since they had insurance. You need coverage for emergencies, not for expected bills.
Equipment Insurance
This is the tough part. Your homeowners’ insurance probably excludes any items used in business. Once you do photography for money you’re probably not covered.
If you’re a new business no one wants to write you business insurance. You typically need to have been around for two years.
I got lucky. Farmer’s, for about $50 extra a year, sells a business pursuits rider on homeowners’ policies.
I’m in California where the Farmers’ guy explained that my problem finding insurance was tough because most or all of the other popular insurance companies no longer offered that kind of coverage.
Of course homeowners insurance only covers some kinds of losses, like theft. It doesn’t cover my stupidity, like dropping it. Thankfully homeowners insurance covers everything up to my limit. I don’t have to provide a list and add to it everytime I get something new.
I avoided paying about two cents per hundred dollars per year for most other equipment policies. Those policies cover any sort of loss, but only apply to the list you provide and pay for. If you buy new gear you have to add to the list, and it gets cumbersome if you want to include straps and filters and etc.
The Client is Always Right
Always do what the client wants, even if he is an idiot. He may be stupid, but that’s too bad. I’ve heard stories about photographers who thought they were right and the customer was wrong. They lost the jobs. Duh. This isn’t about art. It’s about commerce. Do the art on your own time.
I warn people obsessing about cameras that photography depends on imagination, not equipment. Success in photography for money depends on your business savvy, not the quality of your photos. Worse, very little depends on your ability to make a photo that you think looks good. It’s your ability to get the client what he thinks he wants.
Only after you’ve earned a clients’ respect might he start paying attention to your suggestions. Be careful.
Trade Associations
When I’ve attended meetings of professional photography groups I was saddened by the overall crummy attitude. Everyone whines about how they are beaten down to bottom dollar by all the new people coming in and every other whine imaginable. Regardless of organization, no one seems to have a confident handle on running their business. Everyone is too busy complaining about why it’s not their fault. Tough, it’s a competitive business, and to succeed one needs to rise above the whining and differentiate one’s self in the eyes of the people who hire you. If you can’t make clear why you are different from everyone else, you’ll always get bottom dollar.
When I shopped for things like insurance I didn’t see any great deals offered compared to what I found on my own.
I don’t belong to any of APA or PPA or ASMP or any of that. People should join, as it’s the best way to meet others doing the same thing and to learn from the camaraderie. I didn’t find any of them that encouraging from a business standpoint.
I’d suggest joining these groups to learn specifics about pro photo issues, but stick with SCORE to learn about how to be successful.
Professional photography is about running a business. It’s not about creating art. Sadly the folks I often met at trade association meetings seemed too concerned with being victims and not enough about confidently taking charge of their futures. Don’t let these guys wear you down.
It’s like learning about photography. I suggest people wanting to improve their photography hang out with painters and other artists, and not hang around camera hobbyists or photographers. Likewise, I suggest people looking to become professional hang around successful small businesspeople.
Know When to Call it Quits
Small businesspeople are great. Ask them about their baby (their business) and they’ll talk you ear off with free advice.
One pearl I learned was to know when to give up. Set a time table before you start. If you’re not profitable within that time, give it up before you lose everything.
One person told me how sad it was that they saw friends finally get into the businesses of their lifelong dreams, and they didn’t know when it was time to give up. They threw everything they had at the dying dream and lost everything.
I picked two years. I was lucky; things worked great.
I picked two years because I had enough cash to live on for two years when I quit my real job.
What If You Have to Get a Real Job Again?
I was worried what would happen if I took off for two years to do my own thing, gave up, and had a huge hole in my resume. You have to have a job to get one, and having a two-year period of unemployment didn’t seem like a good idea.
I was told no problem! Every decent employer would look at someone who made a real attempt at their own business very positively. Most employers dream of doing it themselves. You will be seen as more of a self-motivated go-getter than any of the other dull employees applying.
Independent businessmen have completely different mindsets from anyone who’s an employee. It’s the difference between being caged in a zoo with free food, no fighting allowed and HMO-grade medical care for life, or being on your own in a jungle. In the jungle we have to make do for ourselves. 80% of being an employee is just showing up.
Even the smallest of businessmen has a mindset a few steps above any employee, even if that employee’s title is Vice President. As employees, even the most hard-working lust for approved ways to screw off or take more. Raise? Excellent! Extra vacation day? Yes!!! Christmas week off? BULLSEYE!!!!! Life is completely different when you pay yourself. I don’t even know what a weekend is! I get no vacation. Any time I’m not working, it’s costing me. I pay myself; there is no such thing as a raise or time off. If I ditch an afternoon it costs me forever.
If you’ve made a valid attempt at running your own business it’s better than having worked for someone else the past year.
Put your business and title on your resume. You are the Owner, Big Kahuna, or CEO or whatever you call yourself. It’s OK to give up and go back to work. It’s better to try and lose than be a wimp who never tried.
A caveat is that I haven’t looked for a job personally in years. I asked a headhunter when I was considering quitting and was told employers welcome business owners back into employment.
I have personally experienced the complete change in mindset from employee to working for myself. It’s interesting, because my wife is an employee of someone else. Things we each consider absolute, like the value of a day off, are opposites! She loves days off, and I want to keep working. You never get a day off in the jungle, unless you want to be eaten.
Share Everything You Know (separate article, click)
The Salesman and the Polaroid
I knew of one guy who had great people and sales skills, borrowed a Polaroid camera, went to a tourist area here in San Diego one night, and made hundreds of dollars selling couples photos of themselves on vacation. He wouldn’t take no for an answer!
Photography isn’t nuclear weapons design. This guy had never held a camera in his life.
Success comes to those who can sell and promote.
Differentiation
All salespeople learn to differentiate their product or service from their competitors. Your success is critically dependant on your ability to educate others why your photographs or photography services are superior. If you can’t you’re going to get bottom dollar every time.
If you can differentiate yourself, you’ll be the one pulling in $10,000 for a few hours shooting a wedding on Saturday. I know of one guy who was so good at this he kept raising his wedding rate trying to get out of the business. At $85,000 a shoot he kept getting calls. Only when he raised his rate for a few hours of shooting over $100,000 did people stop asking him to shoot weddings.
Unless you can differentiate yourself, there are hundreds of others hungrier than you hoping for the same job. If you won’t take their lowball offer, the next guy will.
Negotiation
Negotiation isn’t about price. If you’re stuck on negotiating price, you lose.
Everyone wins in a good negotiation. Good negotiation is learning what the other side really wants. Negotiation isn’t about one side wining and the other losing. It’s not a competition. It’s a constructive collaboration.
If you can’t differentiate yourself you’ll only be able to negotiate pricing and payments. If you’re only negotiating pricing, you’ll always lose to someone newer and hungrier.
The best way to learn to negotiate is to read Herb Cohen’s You Can Negotiate Anything. Back when I was a senior manager at a multi-billion dollar company we took many courses on negotiation. Nothing ever taught us anything that wasn’t already covered in this book.
People who buy photographs know how to wrap photographers around their fingers. The standard line used against photographers for probably over 100 years is “We only budgeted this much for the job today, but if we like your work we have another project coming soon for which we can pay you much more.” If you fall for this one you deserve bottom dollar.
When people try that line on me (they do all the time) I either ignore it and keep on with the discussion, or say “sure” with an intonation that lets them know I’m calling their bluff. Also I’d realize that they intend to get someone at bottom dollar. I’d either walk away, or apologize that I was unclear in explaining that I’m a guy who is paid a premium because those who use my products do so precisely because it sets them apart from their competition. Since standing out is the purchaser’s whole point in buying, I have to get them to see that they can’t afford not to pay top dollar!
You have to differentiate yourself. If you can’t show why your work is better than everyone else’s, you’re only worth bottom dollar. If the only way you can win a job is on price, it’s time to get a real job again.
Retail
We all admire the few photographers who have glorious retail stores selling their work.
These photographers are successful because of their skill at retail. These guys could have opened successful chains of stores selling anything else instead.
You can do it, too, but it requires retail skill. Photo quality alone gets you nowhere.
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Sean Price Top 5 FACTs
1.) David beckham isn’t a professional footballer, he doesn’t have enough tatooes?
2.) Titanic isn’t a “film”, it’s a “really really long film”
3.) You spelt Muther with a U.
4.) Jenson Button isn’t a professional formula 1 driver. He only has 4 cars of his own.
5.) You wish Kola took photo’s of “footy matches” you, baz and trev can steal his expensive lenses?
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:03 pm
Sean, Sean Sean…. your age shines through your messages…
Your facts have turned into somebodies blog entry?
If that essay above was from a dictionary or reputable source that you can prove, then Brad Pitt is not a professional actor.
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
@SEAN
Okay man… Look. We’re not all as retarded as you. We all realize that you couldn’t possibly have written your last post. It’s thousands of words long… And if you actually read it, it proves what an amazing person Adam is.
Did you just copy paste from somewhere to make yourself look clever or what?
Are you 12?
hahahaha
Oops, that’s backfired hasn’t it. Now, incredibly, you look even stupider… To be fair I’m actually impressed you managed it.
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:11 pm
*copy and pastes “information” from wikipedia*
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Sean continues to dig. . . . .
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Kola is one of the best rollerblading photographers that is all
December 23rd, 2009 at 4:41 pm
exactly what I was thinking sim.
Nice copy and paste skills there Sean. Seems like a good state education went far there at US the tax payers expense
Sean, Davidan and who ever else it may concern.
This is my one and only post on this. If anyone has any beef/issues with me or the great friends that surround me. Please I beg of you to contact me and we can have it out. Now I’m not threating violence of any sort. I just believe a man/kid with such high opinon’s would stand up and be counted. Not hide behind his 2 bit piece of shit computer . Whats your real name, Where are you from. Let’s meet up and talk like grown ups…….. oh wait your twelve
My name is James deans I have my own opinon’s and I will back them all the way
My e-mail is jd@gdbtv.com (please e-mail me and I will be more then happy to pass you my number)
I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE FROM…you on the other hand
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:04 pm
when videos live up to brain fear gone, rolling will be “cool” again. Until then this artsy, wana be professional, over edited, failed use of equipment, MTV wana-be shit will only hurt us.
December 23rd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Congratulations Sean. Every word that comes out of your mouth, just fails to make any sense.
We seem to have taken a large diversion from London to Manchester via Israel on this topic.
Just like your backwards lesson in ” how to copy and paste an opinion from a random guys blog to prove a fact” we seem to now be talking about Music TeleVision and an old mindgame video that has nothing to do with either the content or the finished production?
Sean… go away before you hurt yourself.
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:21 pm
sean price you DICKHEAD! did your mum not hug you anuff as a kid? or are you just stupid! you yank’s only got yourself’s to blame for the way skating has gone! all your so call’d pro’s with there silly hair cut’s and silly stlye choice! you mug!
December 23rd, 2009 at 6:51 pm
Sim Warren sounds like a sad prick sticking up for his edit with such venom on here. I have never seen Farmer or Aragon on here defending their edits when kids talk shit.
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:01 pm
that’s because little bum licker’s like you do it for them!
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:14 pm
and they don’t make the edit’s some1 else has that job! and we an’t talking about sim’s skating here! it’s a edit he made cause he can! was not ment for this site as he has said many times already! or can’t you read? do your self a favor go set up your skates and go skate cause no1 cares! NO1!
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:50 pm
I think these guys who are moaning are Mini owning, guitar playing, photograph taking, media industry working roller bladers who live in Brighton and are feeling rather sour about not being featured in this short.
Sean MUTHERFUCKING Price BITCH! Says:
when videos live up to brain fear gone, rolling will be “cool” again. Until then this artsy, wana be professional, over edited, failed use of equipment, MTV wana-be shit will only hurt us.
On the contrary, all those thing you mentioned will not hurt us, its the bitter comments that people like you make that will.
Brain_Fear_Gone was great flick, it came out at the end of 2001, long time ago now. Are you still living in the past? The video, regardless of how great some of it was, ruined rollerblading! It made it o.k to not grab tricks, creating a newer lazier generation of kids, this generation are the “more artsy” ones. Actually speaking about the artsy side of things, didn’t DL skate around a school preaching some shit about how great rollerblading is. bollox
and
The comments about Kola are outrageous!
For the past 10 years or so I’ve seen Adams Photography go from strength to strength. He’s hardly doing favors for friends, or getting hand outs, now a days his pictures are in high demand I’d say more so than any other photographer in rollerblading and he makes bank off it.
That being said he is still the most humble of people dedicated to his 2 passions, regardless of being paid or not. His professionalism at a shoot is second to none, which is inspiring, I guess thats the reason he works with such a high calibre of talent within the industry and is the go-to guy!
If Adam wasn’t taking pictures of blading then he would be shooting skateboarding, fashion, sporting events, maybe even wank mag’s, It wouldn’t matter, he would be as highly praised in what ever industry he was in because he is a highly talented individual.
Maybe if he was involved in another field of photography he would live up your definition of professional wearing his cameras around his neck, but he’s not.
He is however the most powerful man in rollerblading without a doubt and you are definitely the minority when it comes to dis-liking him.
and Steve,
If you don’t rollerblade then why check rollerblading websites? Why comment on them as well? Is life that boring?
Reddesire sounds like mills and boon novel, its it easier to 720 topsoul with a rigid member?
“please tell me of any work he has done that hasn’t been given to him by friends or by skate magazines of which he is an owner/founder? Anything will do, maybe a local newspaper, maybe an advertising campaign or maybe some commercial stuff.”
I could really enlighten you, Adam actually shot an entire book which you could pick up at any good waterstones or w.h.smiths. A book which he is nor the founder or been given to by a friend. He has also had work published in The Guardian but I think thats been made clear already.
Oh well.
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:13 pm
this is a joke….. the film was cool i enjoyed it… the people in this do a lot for british skating no doubt.. but do you all need to come on here and defend yourselves against small kids wanking on the net???
I would say no.. but you are clearly taking yourselves to seriously if you do..
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:20 pm
HOOOOOOLY SHIT
This has to be the pinnacle example of why i hate skating now! Apart from with friends.
This is actually unbelievable.
Now Sean Prick, is that how you spell it?, Kola is a personal friend so im bound to stick up for him, im biased, what can i say. But heres something i like to call ‘a fact’
Adam Kola gets payed..thats right payed to take photos for magazines! You can talk aaaaall day long about business and how hard it is to be a pro photographer out of millions of people in one industry. But Kola is one out of A LOT of good photographers that i know about in ‘the skating industry’ which lets not forget is a business, that gets payed for his snaps. How can you argue with that!?
Also, i don’t know who you are! This means two things.
1. You are no-one!
2. You have to come on these sorts of places to think you are someone by spreading disease comments about the few people that i actually respect in skating, which isn’t many, to feel like someone.
People are going to find who you are now because you are somebody! But you are somebody because you are despised!
Are you not wondering to yourself ‘Shit, this is just a forum. I can say what i want on here. Once people find out who i am (which now, i GUARENTEE you they will) i am goina have to be looking over my back.
This, my closed minded little internet nibbler IS A FACT and congratulations you are the first rollernews kiln to take it too far!
YOU AND ROLLERNEWS ARE THE REASON WHY SKATING IS GAY!
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:23 pm
Oh and Sim you should not listen or even have to comment to any of this. Probably the most relevant edit made on this piece of shit website in months!
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:53 pm
I never post on RN but I feel the need considering that im on the verge of being a full time Brightonian and because all of the people in this short are some of the most charismatic people ive ever meet with personalities that go well beyond rollerblading.
There are two types of people that skate:
Those who strap on rollerblades and those who are attached to rollerblading.
Every single person in this short (including Sim) are attached to rollerblading and their names are out there even if you have never had the opportunity to meet them personally. They give back to the community and if you ever go to an English event, are the guys who are behind the scenes in some way making it all happen. This piece simply puts them on a more personal level and it does so elegantly. You may be able to do a 720 disaster topsoul but without a face and friends, those props you get fade out pretty fast. So Sean and Red, the next time you go strap on your rollerblades, understand that when you take them off, you are who you are and rollerblading DOESNT know who that is.
These one dimensional negative comments are shameless. Sim, this short is EXCEPTIONAL. I know you never had intentions for it to be on here but if this kind of quality is any indication of what is to come, rollerblading has a Bright(on) future and I cant wait to see more my friend.
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Haha I am far from offended. It’s healthy that not everybody likes everything. I’ve been laughing my head off at this thread since the begining, wondering what bullshit is gunna come next. I’ve quite enjoyed picking these stupid comments to shreads. Reddesire even admits himself above he has been talking shit the whole time. Merry Xmas.
December 23rd, 2009 at 9:36 pm
wow i really liked this!
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Hi everyone;
I have read everything, including the pedantic post by this Sean (boy you need a psychollogist!), all the hatred, love and I can only say one thing.
The ones who do not appreciate an insight into what rollerbladers do to keep them going apart from rollerblading itself have a lot to learn about life.
These people almost certainly still live at their parents house and never cook or even do their own laundry. Spoiled brats!
This video is not only RELEVANT to the rollerblading audiences, it is an essential piece that fits in this moment of the rollerblading history. We are transitioning gentlemen. And those who are dedicated enough to keep going while they have full time jobs and extremely time consuming duties are heroes, and these Brighton heroes are such nice people too.
Most haters have never hang out with them, and stare from a distance at competitions without daring to even say “hello”. But hey, change your mind about them and talk to them, you may even find out you were wrong and confess yout name was “spoiled brat on rollernews 246″ and that you said a lot of stuff you dont even think any more.
Hey Sim, I loved this piece of work, I watched it several times and enjoyed it PLENTY.
Thank you for your work, its very much appreciated.
Good day gentlemen.
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:39 pm
bullshit
if you have eyes and money to get your shit, you a photographer.
Simple is that
December 23rd, 2009 at 10:40 pm
plus this kind of edit have nothing to do with rollerblading
December 23rd, 2009 at 11:40 pm
the song is “GUAYMAS sonora” not guyamas. i remember there being a skatecomp over there in 06 but i didnt get to go :(
December 24th, 2009 at 1:32 am
that mini cooper.
December 24th, 2009 at 2:07 am
cool video, but i dont know why i feel like ive seen it on tv many times… too artsy fartsy
December 24th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Holy Fuck…over 100 posts…The Majority of them hate. Grow the fuck up rollernews.
December 24th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
AMAZING SO GOOD,
nice short edit. wish it went on longer. nice clips with the dolly as well. i want to see more of this didnt want it to stop. cool bit with the snow and graffiti.
This is hilarious the amount of jealous people hatting over people making a living and having a fun time.these guys are clearly the winners over moaning internet haters.
good job, keep doing what you do
December 24th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Kola , connected to rollerblading?????? I have never seen him with a pair on his feet. He is a worse version of Adam Johnson, Davee Blair or even Beau Cottington
December 24th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
that because your a mug! and you probly got 1 eye and no teeth that is y you just sit in front of your computer and talk shit on stuff you no nuffing about you are a waste of your own time let alone any1 else’s! and you pick’d the worst 3 people to compare him to! you can tell your just some wash’d up never was never will be. you mite as well start skateboarding you’d fit in lovely!!!!!
December 25th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Where the fuck is the skating? All good with the camera skills but who gives a fuck when there is no skating. Send that boring shit to the bbc or summat wasted 4 mins of my life. Drab tunes to peoples faces, fucking gay.
December 25th, 2009 at 2:38 am
I hope you all die, fuck you all, you make me hate rollerblading.
December 25th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Wow, ok… Having read the comments from start to finish I feel compelled to add my own.
First of all, Reddesire and Sean Price are clearly just trolls who have nothing better to do with their lives than incite hatred and hide behind the anonymity that the internet provides. Please stop feeding the flames and hopefully they will get bored and leave.
Secondly, it makes me sad to see people cussing my incredibly talented and motivated friends. Obviously not everything is to everyone’s taste – that we all have different opinions is one of the things that makes this world the incredible place it is – but to confuse legitimate criticism with venemous, unsubstantiated and personal attacks is surely a sign of a weak and uneducated mind.
@ Steve: Joby can, of course, be a massive prick. As can we all. He is also an incredibly good judge of character. If he is a prick to you, that says more about you than it does about him.
@ Reddesire, Sean and all the other haters: I truly pity you because your view of the world must be greatly sullied by your negativity.
@ Everyone else: keep up the good work!
Much love and Merry Christmas to all x
December 26th, 2009 at 4:17 am
wow, this is fuckin balls deep.
December 26th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Blake , Nuffin????
Hooi, your shit
December 26th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
hahahahahahahaha anytime!
December 26th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Did you guys add some sort of glow filter or was that the raw image? I couldn’t help but notice some washed out colors and it concerns me as a possible future 7D owner. Thanks.
December 27th, 2009 at 12:04 am
Hmmm I for one have to say that these arty pieces are starting to get on my nerves. What are you rollerbladers or pretentious modern artists?
If somethings good and you know it you don’t need to defend it, doing so so vigourously makes shows you have your own doubt. Yeah fair enough you guys are good bladers among the best in the uk, but to be honest the guys who run this site shouldn’t put edits like this up because it encourages this whole rollerblading hipster look which is beginning to detract from actual skating, get a grip you are bladers not film stars.
December 27th, 2009 at 1:59 am
Ok, I’m bored and ill and have nothing better to do. Sorry. Hopefully this post will provide entertainment to some and insight to others.
Below, I will attempt to construct an original and coherent discourse, drawing on reputable sources. This is something I have been professionally trained to do for the past decade or so. But then again, by what I can extrapolate from Sean Price’s definition of the word “professional” in the context of photography, I’m not sure if I would be able to class myself as a “professional” in my field either.
Unless otherwise stated, all definitions are from the Oxford English Dictionary.
@ Reddesire
Is everything ok with you? You seem to be exhibiting some rather unhealthy narcissistic personality traits. Maybe you want to work on that, to prevent problems for yourself later in life. Don’t worry, you are a unique and special person, and perfectly ok. Just like everyone else on this planet.
Why do I think this? Here are Hotchkiss’ “seven deadly sins of narcissism” (from Wikipedia):
1. Shamelessness – Shame is the feeling that lurks beneath all unhealthy narcissism, and the inability to process shame in healthy ways.
- I can obviously not feel what you are feeling. However, the overwhelming evidence from the tone and content of your posts indicates that you are unable to process “the painful emotion arising from the consciousness of something dishonouring, ridiculous, or indecorous in one’s own conduct or circumstances” in a healthy way. For example by expressing it.
Instead, you show no shame about your behaviour here, despite chastisement from your peers. Thus we must conclude that you are either a complete buffoon, who fails to realise how ridiculous you look and therefore does not experience shame, or that you are in fact repressing your sense of shame in an unhealthy manner.
2. Magical thinking – Narcissists see themselves as perfect using distortion and illusion known as magical thinking. They also use projection to dump shame onto others.
- Magical thinking is defined as “the belief (specially characteristic of early childhood and of many mental illnesses) that thoughts, wishes, or special but causally irrelevant actions can cause or influence external events. You clearly see yourself as “perfect”, or at least superior to several extremely competent people in a variety of fields. While you do not categorically state “I am better than X, Y or Z”, it is implied by your abasement of their achievements. Unfortunately for you, simply thinking this does not make it so.
You are clearly also trying to project feelings of shame onto others, for example by statements like this:
“Sim Warren sounds like a sad prick sticking up for his edit with such venom on here.”
This might be a valid point, if your statement were correct. However, I have reread all of Sim’s posts, and I can’t seem to see where he has been “sticking up for his edit with such venom”. All of his posts seem perfectly benign.
3. Arrogance – If a narcissist is feeling deflated, s/he can reinflate him/herself by diminishing, debasing or degrading somebody else.
- “We do need less skating Alf. Especially your shit full cab alley oop mizous and general thinking you are Colin Kelso nonsense.”
Poor Alf. I don’t know Alf. Maybe he can’t disaster 720 topsoul. But he’s probably quite happy doing his full cab alley oop mizous. You just called them shit to make yourself feel better.
4. Envy – If the narcissist’s need to secure a sense of superiority meets an obstacle because of somebody else, s/he neutralises it using contempt to minimise the other person’s ability
- See above.
5. Entitlement – Narcissists hold unreasonable expectations of particularly favorable treatment and automatic compliance because they consider themselves uniquely special. Any failure to comply will be considered an attack on their superiority and the perpetrator is considered to be an “awkward” or “difficult” person. Defiance of their will is a narcissistic injury that can trigger narcissistic rage.
- See pretty much any of your posts for examples of how you use rage to counter people who do not comply with your world view.
6. Exploitation – can take many forms but always involves the using of others without regards for their feelings or interests. Often the other is in a subservient position where resistance would be difficult or even impossible. Sometimes the subservience is not so much real as assumed.
- See the bit about Alf above. You completely hijacked his comment for your own purposes. And then metaphorically shat all over him. If that’s not exploitation, then I don’t know what is. If you need a definition, look it up. By the way, the OED isn’t available online unless you have an institutional or personal subscription, which I highly doubt. Maybe a trip to your local library would do you good.
7. Bad Boundaries – narcissists do not recognize that they have boundaries and that others are separate and are not extensions of themselves. Others either exist to meet their needs or may as well not exist at all. Those who provide narcissistic supply to the narcissist will be treated as if they are part of the narcissist and be expected to live up to those expectations. In the mind of a narcissist, there is no boundary between self and other.
- Without having had any sort of extended contact with you, it’s difficult to judge this last one. However, 6/7 is not a bad score. Congratulations, you also seem to have passed the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder. Like I said, you might want to get some help with this.
Reading through your posts, I’ve also noticed your rhetorical and deductive reasoning skills seem to be somewhat lacking. If you really want to convince people of your point of view then you might want to brush up on those as well. Below are a few pointers. I’ve taken the liberty of arranging your posts by argument, rather than by chronological order.
“Jake Eley does own a skateshop this is true but Oli Short a musician??? Adam Kola a photographer? I have never seen an Oli Short album in HMV and I have never seen an Adam Kola photo in anything other than a two bit skatemag.”
- I’m not sure if any of Oli’s music has ever made it into HMV, so for the sake of accuracy let’s stick to deconstructing your reasoning on Kola’s photography credentials. Your argument seems to hinge on the notion that you have “never seen an Adam Kola photo in anything other than a two bit skatemag”, and that this causes you to doubt whether he is, in fact, a photographer. I’m going to be nice here, and assume what you mean is “professional photographer”, otherwise you are more intellectually challenged than I thought. While it is immediately obvious that part of the problem may be your limited range of reading materials, I would like to be a bit more thorough in my treatment.
A guy called Karl Popper came up with a clever example of what is known as “inductive categorical inference”. This example is now commonly known as “one black swan”. I quote from Wikipedia:
“One notices a white swan. From this one can conclude:
At least one swan is white.
From this, one may wish to conjecture:
All swans are white.
It is impractical to observe all the swans in the world to verify that they are all white.
Even so, the statement all swans are white is testable by being falsifiable. For, if in testing many swans, the researcher finds a single black swan, then the statement all swans are white would be falsified by the counterexample of the single black swan.”
Your original argument is something along the lines of:
Adam Kola is not a photographer, since I have never seen an Adam Kola photo in anything other than a two bit skatemag.
Now, this argument is neither valid, nor sound. Leaving aside the whole question of what constitutes a “professional photographer”, let me show you where the rest of your argument falls apart. Let’s frame it in a similar way to the example above, for ease of comparison. Please note that while I may have rephrased your argument, your “logic” remains intact.
One notices a photograph by Adam Kola in a two bit skatemag. From this one can conclude:
At least one of Adam Kola’s photographs appears in a two bit skatemag.
From this, one may wish to conjecture:
All of Adam Kola’s photographs appear in two bit skatemags.
Just as it is impractical to observe all the swans in the world, it is impractical for you to read every publication ever published (or at least those published within the period of time that Kola has been, ahem, “professionally” active). Yet just a single occurrence of Kola’s work in anything that “hasn’t been given to him by friends or by skate magazines of which he is an owner/founder” would falsify the statement all of Adam Kola’s photographs appear in two bit skatemags. And this would invalidate your statement that Adam Kola is not a photographer, since it is directly inferred in your original argument.
Oh wait… didn’t he have something in the guardian? Sorry, the Guardian?
“If he has indeed done work for the Guardian he should probably stop writing it ‘guardian’.”
- I’m pretty sure this is an example of what is known as a non-sequitur. I’ll let you look it up.
“The Guardian hahaha yeh of course he has.”
- I’m pretty certain that this is an independently verifiable fact. Again, your local library might be able to help you out, and I’m sure Adam will be happy to provide you with the date his work was published.
Right, enough with the serious.
“OH yaeh adam u think ur so tough, why dont u bring it!
u fake photographer bitch….
im way more cooler than u are, ever done a 720 disaster topsoul.”
- omgwtfbbq clearly you are way most the coolest person ever ftw for being able to 720 disaster topsoul.
We obviously all missed the memo on the new ISO standard for coolness. They must have also changed the dictionary definition of cool, because I can’t see how either of the following definitions (of which I assume one at least is the one you are referring to) are in any way descriptive of you.
cool, adj., adv., and int.
2. a. Of a person or a personal attribute, quality, etc.: not affected by passion or emotion, dispassionate; controlled, deliberate, not hasty; calm, composed.
or
8. colloq. (orig. U.S.).
a. Attractively shrewd or clever; sophisticated, stylish, classy; fashionable, up to date; sexually attractive.
Of course, I like to take everything on the internet with a pinch of salt. You should too.
P.S.
“Sorry about my outbursts. i Havent had any big black dick i quite a while, which was stressing me out, but luckly someone has just jizzed down my throat and i released my juice all down his face.”
Oh good, sexual frustration be tough. Have you thought about finding yourself a boyfriend? Maybe try having a wank once in a while too. Here, this might help http://www.monstercock.com/
With love x
December 28th, 2009 at 12:11 am
it was crap because it didnt have any gothics in.
December 28th, 2009 at 3:41 am
sim that was fucking smashing
December 28th, 2009 at 11:00 am
it’s all about me… ;)
youtube.com/watch?v=gUeeIjyI7QQ&feature=related
January 1st, 2010 at 11:31 pm
Joby you are the worst cunt ever. what kind of fucking name is that anyway joby dick ur a prick. If anycunt wants to sort beef…. with joby heres his number 07738543254
January 18th, 2010 at 6:25 pm
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January 19th, 2010 at 6:29 pm
after a month on reading, there is a few points i have with this whole topic,
This is a wicked film
Sim did not post it here, RN did! (so why hate sim)
pro = profession (sorry cant spell and cant be arsed to look up)
if you dont like whats on the telly change the channel
oh yea and props on the front page of vimeo