I am also a full time museum photographer following this thread. I'm relatively new to this field (3 months!) and appreciate the resources you have listed, especially since I usually resort to instructional Youtube videos or spend hours pouring over operating manuals trying to troubleshoot technical problems. I also appreciate Kevin's sentiment that museum photographers are made, not found.
Original Message:
Sent: 07-24-2015 10:42 AM
From: Walter Silver
Subject: Professional development for museum photographers
Hi All,
FYI a terrific, friendly resource for museum photographers already exists!
There's a Yahoo group called Imagemuse, subscribed to by 200 or so museum, library & archive photographers from the US & around the world. I stumbled upon it after my first few years of isolation and it's been extremely helpful. Many of its members also belong to an organization that has a wider focused listserve, MCN.com, the Museum Computer Network, holds yearly conferences on a wide range of technology topics including some digital imaging related sessions. It's a great opportunity to network with some incredible & knowledgeable photographers.
Here are the links:
Home - imagemuse.org
MCN-L Email List - MCN
I hope this helps,
Walter
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Walter Silver
Senior Photographer
Peabody Essex Museum
Salem MA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-23-2015 04:48 PM
From: Kevin Candland
Subject: Professional development for museum photographers
Hello,
Yes this is a small group. However I believe there are more out there (maybe not full time) than at first guess. Not the most public crowd. As for studies, practice or knowledge, I think it is photography first followed by interest in objects or culture and followed by curiosity.
When I was hired within the last year (after years as a commercial shooter, (with a fine art schooling)) I was told that Museum photographers are made not found.
As for the group, It would be great to bounce ideas and questions in an environment that understands the high technical and physical constraints that this unique position provides.
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Kevin Candland
Museum Photographer
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco
San Francisco CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-09-2015 02:28 PM
From: Kristen Grace
Subject: Professional development for museum photographers
This is an interesting topic as I think about this often. I am a photographer at the Florida Museum of Natural History. There are two photographers here at the museum. The natural history is a part of the University of Florida, so we photographers are a member of a group called UPAA (University Photographers Association of America). This is a unique group of university photographers, though Jeff and I are in a very small niche within this group. We don't know if any other photographers within this group that shoot only for a museum.
I ponder almost every day how many other museum photogs exist out there. It would be totally awesome to create a group for us all to get together and creatively support each other.
Rob, I began following you on Instagram, I assume as the photog there you manage your Instagram page? I manage ours - our handle is floridamuseum
Any other museum photographer out there following this thread?
Kristen
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Kristen Grace
Photographer
Florida Museum of Natural History University of Florida
Gainesville FL
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-05-2015 11:39 AM
From: Matthew Wooten
Subject: Professional development for museum photographers
Is there such a thing as museum specific photography, or would it be categorized in a broader field of archival/studio type photography? I guess it depends on what your specific job is.
I met with a fellow a few days ago who was raving about this online mentor program for photography: http://www.thearcanum.com/ He was very excited about it. Stated that he had learned more in 4 months than the previous 10 years.
I will be looking into it myself once my production schedule eases up a bit.
MATT
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Matthew Wooten
Planetarium Producer
Milwaukee Public Museum
Milwaukee WI
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