...with all the notes and comments I get here.
I'm tremendously grateful to all of you who use my art, and share your own, and I wish that there were 3 of me so that I could keep up with the comments. Unfortunately, there aren't. This morning my in-box contained 4,000+ messages and 2,000+ unread notes. If I had a broadband internet connection and keeping up with DA was my full-time job, I still couldn't do it.
Consequently, I've updated my stock usage rules (here: mjranum-stock.deviantart.com/j… ) to remove the part about leaving me a note; I won't be able to review and comment on every art-work. But if you leave a comment on an image, with a link to your work, others will be able to see it. I plan to periodically check and see what's going on, so I will still be +faving works and, of course, my stock crops up in all kinds of weird places on the site, all the time. So I'll still be watching you.
The bottom line, for me, is that doing this on DA has become a whole lot less fun. Between the idiotic "mature content" rules, the sheeplike attitude of the DA staff, and the inane self-congratulating babblings of the site's founders, I've pretty much lost interest in anything to do with the site except the artwork and artistic exchange. To me, that's a shame, because the web already exists as a perfectly good vehicle for that, and I don't need DA; DA's owners and administrators need to remember that the site needs good art and artists - not the other way around. Always remember that the people who have time to run around reporting art-works for "mature content violation" probably have that time because they're not creating anything worthwhile, themselves. For that matter, those who administer - have time to administer because they're not creating anything worthwhile with that time. Think about it. If that sounds like me being contemptuous and elitist - so be it.
What was really eating at me - and still is - was my inability to track everything you guys are/have been doing with my art. I was losing sleep. I was spending time reading my DA notes and +faving images, when I could have spent that time in my own studio, being creative. I was feeling guilty because I could not engage each and every one of you in the respectful, personal, dialogue that you deserve. But - ultimately - I can't. So I'm not going to try, anymore. It's nothing personal, it's just how I choose to spend the limited time that I have available - and I'm going to spend that on my art. I hope you understand.
I'll try to drop in at random in various places and say "hi" and I constantly stumble across art that uses my stock. So I'll be around. Now, stop reading this and get out there and create something beautiful.
mjr.
PS - my birthday is Nov 5. Do you think I'll break 2 million pageviews by then? I'll be 46. I never thought I'd make it past 40!
ShopDreamUp AI ArtDreamUp
HOW TO USE MY STOCK
(Update August 2012)
"I hereby grant all DeviantArtists permission to use my stock in any and all Deviant Prints without restriction."
Since I no longer have time to track and +fav every use of my stock, you are encouraged to post a link to your use of the stock on the comment area of each image, so others can see your work.
Email is the best/only way to reach me. Do not email me unless you are sure it's important! I am mjr@ranum.com
MY RULES ("'Do as thou will't shall be the whole of the law")
You are required to give me appropriate credit as photographer where and however possible. My stock is free; the way you 'pay' to use it is by cr
An FAQ
MY STOCK USAGE RULES
Q: "Why do you mark everything you do as 'mature content'?"
A: Because I do not support censorship or self-censorship in any form. It is, of course, DA's right to require that some images be flagged 'mature' or not, it's their site and they can make the rules for it. In the past, I had problems where people would complain to DA admins that an image was inappropriate -- at one point someone apparently complained about an abstract fiberglass mannequin being "nude":
:thumb56948146:
and it was at that moment that I realized that there is someone out there who will take offense at anything. That was when I decided to flag
9/11
mingled at last
the ashes of faiths
flutter like the feathers
dropped by a concrete
phoenix
How to Shoot Stock
I've replaced this with a linkable version here: :thumb118589322:
The "shoot stock" tutorial has a number of illustrations of the kind of set-ups I use for lighting, as well as pictures of my studio.
Today I posted another tutorial on "photographic lighting". It's a workthrough of experiments with lights ranging my my expensive pro studio flash pack to some $55 light heads I bought on Ebay. In it, I try to demonstrate the way I like to think about photography; a synthesis of intuitive play and methodical trial-and-error by varying a single parameter.
It is here: :thumb118703072:
© 2008 - 2024 mjranum-stock
Comments93
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I just wanted to say, as a digital artist, that your stock is superb, imo the best around. I am sure many like me are eternally grateful for all you have provided us with. We do not expect you to reply to our notes and comments, just know that we are thankful in our hearts, and that you make a difference. Your stock makes us better. Thank you.