Strength in numbers: Why collectives matter

In the age of the iPhone and citizen journalism, the careers of professional photographers often stand on shaky ground. But photo collectives around the world are working to preserve the notion of visual literacy and professional practice. Sam Edmonds talks with some of Australia’s best photo collectives to learn how these groups are much more than the sum of their parts.

The notion of a photo collective is by no means a new phenomenon within photography. Some of the world’s biggest and oldest agencies started simply with a group of photographers banding together for inspiration and a free-flow of ideas. But this notion is changing. As professional photographers attempt to weather the ominous cloud of social media and royalty-free stock, photo collectives are becoming a port in the storm; a shelter for aesthetics and professionalism. But how exactly do they provide this? Is it really worth joining a collective? And could the idea really be as simple as the proverbial “strength in numbers”?

A composite image of a lighthouse from Port Melbourne, Victoria. “Photography is whatever you want it to be. There are no rules. No right and wrong.” © Ricardo Da Cunha (The Light Collective).
A composite image of a lighthouse from Port Melbourne, Victoria. “Photography is whatever you want it to be. There are no rules. No right and wrong.” © Ricardo Da Cunha (The Light Collective).

Aristotle was right

For Brian Carr, president of MAP group – one of Australia’s earliest collectives – the idea of working with a group as expounded by Aristotelian thought is both a productive and inspirational exercise. “Photographers are notoriously insular,” he says, “but when unified with other photographers, they can achieve results beyond what would be possible individually”.

MAP group was founded in 1998 and began under the leadership of Andrew Chapman. Now comprised of roughly 30-40 members across a number of genres, MAP are “united by a passion for documentary photography,” says Carr, and in recent years have taken on an impressive list of group projects – the success of which have demonstrated Aristotle’s theory. The Beyond Reasonable Drought project saw the benefits from documentary photography in the form of monetary support for the Australian Women in Agriculture organisation, while Beyond Age looked at elderly survivors of the Black Saturday fires, resulting in a book project and multiple exhibitions.

Vanilla Chocolate. © Paul Hoelen (The Light Collective).
Vanilla Chocolate. © Paul Hoelen (The Light Collective).

As Carr explains, amongst the current industry climate, it’s the power of photo collectives to “re-energise” photographers that makes them valuable: “The purpose of MAP is to provide a vehicle for our members’ passion for documentary. It’s very difficult for a solo photographer to put together a project on the same scale a group like MAP can,” he says.

A guiding light

A visit to the website of The Light Collective affords a brief but ethereal escape from the daily grind. Specialising in landscape imagery, the members of The Light Collective comprise an intrepid group of photographers dedicated to capturing the most pristine corners of the world.

At just over a year old, The Light Collective is one of Australia’s youngest, but the creative quintet’s values concerning conservation and the natural world are proving to be the source of their strength. As group member Ricardo Da Cunha describes it, “the keyword is synergy. The visual landscape of the natural world is at the core of what we are motivated to explore and express our relationship towards. We hope to build upon or inspire such a relationship in others through our imagery”.

And inspire they do. In addition to a long-term series of books themed around Red, Green and Blue, the collective runs landscape workshops for amateur photographers in locations from Chile to Canada and braving Icelandic winter to photograph the aurora borealis, but it’s all in a day’s work for a group that is so inspired by natural light. “You cannot spend quality time out there and create what we do without developing a deep respect, wonder and love for it,” says Da Cunha. “Any collective...will be guided and sustained by their shared values”.

Laurinda, a young Kamilaroi girl, plays with her dress as she waits for the bus that will take her to Sunday school. © Raphaela Rosella (Oculi).
Laurinda, a young Kamilaroi girl, plays with her dress as she waits for the bus that will take her to Sunday school.
© Raphaela Rosella (Oculi).

Under one’s wing

When it comes to contemporary Australian documentary photography, one word has become synonymous with the crème de la crème of storytelling; a Latin word which no good article about collectives can afford to omit: Oculi. Since 2000, Oculi has continued to prove its reputation as a powerhouse in reportage with members’ names from Quilty to Parke punctuating a list of celebrated practitioners.

One of the more recent to join this list is Raphaela Rosella. A graduate of the Queensland College of Art, Rosella joined Oculi in 2012 – an event in her career that was quickly followed by a long string of achievements both locally and internationally, including selection for the exclusive Joop Swart Masterclass and a first prize in the World Press Photo portrait category. While Rosella attributes a small portion of this success to membership with Oculi, she notes her confidence and maturity as a storyteller as the areas most benefited by participation with the collective. “Being part of Oculi gives you access to a close-knit community of influential photographers, and the inspiration and professional knowledge gained during the past three years has been invaluable,” she says.

Blood and Bones. © Paul Hoelen (The Light Collective).
Blood and Bones. © Paul Hoelen (The Light Collective).

But despite the obvious successes, the 27-year-old says she was initially reticent amongst the group’s veterans. “A number of past and present Oculi members had influenced my visual practice so it was quite daunting joining the group. I was young and I’m quite shy around new people so for a while I avoided speaking up during discussions and decision-making,” she says.

However, it was exactly this inexperience that the collective served to rectify as Rosella soon found herself under the wing of previous Oculi member, Lee Grant and an enthusiasm for storytelling continued to blossom. By seeking a group with aligned values and passion for documentary, and thriving under the guidance of experienced practitioners, Rosella appears to have launched her career as one of Australia’s most promising talents. “Each and every one of them [Oculi members] have been extremely generous with their guidance and support,” she says. “...you just need to find a collective with similar goals to yours.”

The right exposure

If collectives are indeed about having the right goals, one could argue a goal that most, if not all, photographers have in common is exposure. While consumer DSLRs saturate the market and photo departments are economised, opportunity is a scarce commodity. This was a realisation made early by the founders of fotostrada – Sydney’s premier collective of photojournalists. At the suggestion of News Corp Australia photographer Renee Nowytarger, with original members Kate Geraghty, Lisa Maree Williams, Jenny Evans and Dean Lewins, fotostrada was formed as a way of disseminating work to a larger audience while maintaining a passion for the medium amongst press photographers. Since 2008, the group has seen a consistent production of unique storytelling around Australia and Asia, culminating in a considerable number of Walkley Awards as well as a World Press Photo judge amongst its constituent – seemingly excelling at the group’s original goal of exposure.

Daintree cattle farmer, Janice (71) and husband, Keith Osborne (84) on the lush plains of their property north of Port Douglas, Queensland. © Brian Cassey (Fotostrada).
Daintree cattle farmer, Janice (71) and husband, Keith Osborne (84) on the lush plains of their property north of Port Douglas, Queensland. © Brian Cassey (Fotostrada).

But does great publicity simply come from joining any collective possible? The short answer, says fotostrada spokesperson Brian Cassey, is no. It’s not about gaining exposure but about gaining the right exposure. “Certainly in the current climate, any avenue to further showcase and promote your work should be grasped,” he says. “Being part of a collective is just one tool in marketing yourself.” But, as he elaborates: “Potential clientele will know each individual collective’s photographic style and talent, and if they require that sort of work your entire membership can benefit.” Perhaps, rather than seeking to have your work seen, one should seek to have it seen by the right people.

Stemming from this however, one of the challenges of maintaining a collective can be managing personal relationships amongst members while catering to individual needs. In the case of fotostrada, a spectrum of professionals from freelancers to photo editors and bureau chiefs means everyone brings a different level of commitment to the table. “Invariably, each member will have their own personal reason for why a collective is good for them and what they want to get out of the membership experience,” says Cassey. “In fotostrada there is no significant pressure to perform and produce work. Some members’ circumstances mean they can be more prolific than others.” And it’s perhaps this flexibility that is the real advantage for fotostrada members. After all, while the goal might be exposure, Cassey advises that nothing should stand in the way of a photographer’s individuality. “A collective is wonderful for the camaraderie and togetherness, for the support and the feeling of purpose,” he says. “But don’t let the collective override your individuality, personal motivation and direction.”

Engaged in business

There are however occasions where the idea of a collective might be less utopian and more pragmatic. As with any competitive endeavour, sometimes an old adage rings very true: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Once industry rivals, wedding photographers Kelly Tunney and Dan O’Day founded All Grown Up Weddings in 2013 after realising each was an asset to the other’s business. The collective is now comprised of the country’s top-notch wedding photographers, shooting an astonishing number of big days around the country every year.

Belinda and Dean. © Dan O’day (All Grown Up Weddings).
Belinda and Dean. © Dan O’day (All Grown Up Weddings).

While O’Day and Tunney’s original idea for the collective rings true more than ever, the duo admit that putting the plan into practice was no easy feat. “Dan and I imagined it would be easy from the beginning – given the success we both had...but you really have to start from scratch, and that ain’t easy!” says Tunney, advising others to think long and hard before taking the plunge into a collective business.

But in an arm of the industry where “Cousin Ted who has a really good camera” is often now the one tasked with capturing your special day, the effort seems worth it to keep your head above water. As Tunney says, the mission at All Grown Up has always been to help the industry, but also to help shape the clientele. “We educate our clients about the advantages of hiring a photographer that is part of a group,” she says. “It’s all about helping each other out and helping to maintain a high standard in the wedding photography industry”.

Sum of the parts

From pragmatic business manoeuvres to pooling of resources and sharing of knowledge, the collective experience seems nothing but profitable to the professional photographer. But when joining a collective, you might like to ask yourself if it’s the right group for you. What can you bring to the collective? What do you want to get out of it? But most importantly, what part will you play? If there is anything to be gleaned from Australia’s best photo collectives, it’s that these groups function not as sets of duplicated, cookie-cut photographers, but collections of diverse and unique individuals forming groups that in turn have inimitable voices. You may want to make your voice heard, but first make sure you can harmonise. 

A young girl plays in Laanecoorie Reservoir near Bendigo. © Rodney Dekker (Map Group).
A young girl plays in Laanecoorie Reservoir near Bendigo. © Rodney Dekker (Map Group).

Contacts

All Grown Up Weddings   allgrownupweddings.com.au

Fotostrada                             fotostrada.com

Map Group                            mapgroup.org.au

Oculi                                        oculi.com.au

The Light Collective           thelightcollective.com.au