Yesterday there was this event for photographers organized by photo agency Hollandse Hoogte. It was held at Pakhuis de Zwijger, a nice cultural venue in the city centre of Amsterdam. Although I am not a professional photograpger I submitted my attendance because I thought it was a nice chance to learn about photography. I also got the chance to show some 'masters' my portfolio. So I also subscribed for that on which I felt later very stupid and ashamed.
I listened to five readings and they were all interesting, except for the reading on social media. Most information I already knew, but It was nice to hear it as confirmation and there are some tips I want to implement in my own strategy. After the social media reading I went to a reading about portrait rights, which was very interesting and I think crucial information for a photographer. Then I was surprised by Martijn van de Griendt, a very young and talented photographer. And after that there was a reading by Corb!no, Maarten Corbijn. He really had a good and intelligent story about the combination of writing and photography. The last reading I went to was about the photomanagement of Volkskrant Magazine. I had expected a lot from that but I found it less interesting because they were discussing management topics very long.
At the end of the day we had our portfolio viewing by masters. It was very exciting and I didn't dare to show them my portfolio anymore. But I was dragged by someone of the organization to a photographer for which I didn't even subscribed. Fortunately it turned out very well. He was very nice and gave me some good tips: I had to put more sensuality, nudity and eroticism in my pictures! Haha. All the masters recommended me to do a (technical) photography course/training, which I am really planning to do. The master from Cosmopolitan, the artdirector of Cosmopolitan NL, thought lifestyle photography was something for me because she saw 'people' in my pictures. Overall the masters were very nice and saw good things in my portfolio, but I also think they spare me a little.
To make the day more fun I also met up with an old 'ballet girlfriend', Maxime. She's stuying Journalism and is a very fresh and upcoming photograhper.
