Dear Readers,
I am in the process of launching a page on Patreon, an online platform that brings together creators and communities who wish to support their work. Yes, this is partly a response to the COVID-19 pandemic that has made it impossible to work as a full-time professional photographer for a few months at least. But in general it is an expensive prospect to offer “free” travel photography expertise via a daily blog, this Meetup group, and the other forums in which I create content. Furthermore, I am working on several long-term passion projects, including the ongoing award-winning “Human/Machine Dance Project” (https://www.kadlerphotography.com/Featured-Images/HumanMachine-Dance-Project-with-Carly-Lave/) and two book projects; these longer-term creative projects aim to tell the stories of people, places, and cultures that deserve to be shared and that will use the photographic medium to build connections around the world. But unlike most of my work, these projects are not for specific paying clients and so do not generate short-term revenue. Support from residencies, grants, and platforms like Patreon will help make this work possible.
One of the advantages of supporting an artist on Patreon is the availability of reward levels with certain benefits depending on the level of support. I’m considering offering benefits at various levels that could include some of the following:
1) Access to posts sharing new work, behind-the-scenes info, and insights into how the images are made
2) One-time or occasional mailing of physical prints of selected work
3) Group or 1:1 chats covering various topics of interest
4) High-resolution downloads of selected work
5) Others?
Please let me know what benefits you think would be of most interest. I am eager to tap this community’s insights into what you would find most valuable. Thanks for your help!
Cheers,
Kyle