There’s this vague vision I’ve had formulating in my head for a few years now. It’s not fully formed, but I want to start communicating it more to suss out whether I’m on to something of full of it.

Photography has been an “ugly stepchild” of the art world for as long as I’ve been a photographer (in part, this is why I’ve largely avoided the art world), but I don’t think it needs to be this way. I continue to think of photography as a wildly under-rated and under-represented form of art. Without getting into why this is or isn’t the case here today, I will instead focus briefly on how we may be able to change this perception a bit.

Do what musicians do (I write this as I passively watch The Grammys)!

Compared to music, photography is a brand spankin’ new art form. The idea is not to compete with music, but instead to take a page from how bands and musicians are able to make their practice work and bring some of these ideas over to the world of photography. Much like releasing LPs and EPs, we can and should put out books and zines. While this is not a new idea in any capacity, we could be taking it a step further by touring — a photographer releases a project and then hits the road; pounds the pavement; communicates to the people directly, in places and spaces not previously familiar. Bring your work to the people. Become a traveling (art) salesman. Everything is sales, after all.

Musicians have had the luxury of mass transmission of their art for for decades now, however, this hasn’t been the case with photography until only recently. The internet and social apps have allowed us lowly photographers to get our work out in front of the world for the first time ever, only recently. You no longer need to be Ansel Adams to have your work seen, you can be Clayton Hauck. Of course, this has created a ton of less desirable side effects in additon to the benefits, but let’s focus on the bright side of things, today!

It makes sense to bet on ourselves, as photographers, and help push our art form forward. Nobody is going to do it for us. The corporations who run the apps sure as hell won’t.