Crowd-funding 10 essentials

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/visualanthropology/the-beauty-and-burden-behind-carnaval-in-pernambuc

By now, we’ve all received email or Facebook requests to help fund an artists project, and many have thought, “What about my project I’ve always wanted to do – I could do that too!” Know that a crowd-funding campaign is a lot of work, not just during the 30 days of constantly asking people for money, but at least 30 days of preparation time beforehand.

Here’s a top 10 list of things to think about when putting together a crowd-funding campaign:

1. Plan ahead
2. Be realistic with your $ goal and your costs
3. Rate your network
4. Communicate with your network often
5. Build a team
6. Identify groups of your contacts
7. Identify affinity groups by subject matter
8. Use Social Media, Email
9. Don’t Forget In-Person Promotion
10. Relax

Looks like I’ll be on an ASMP NY panel about crowd-funding for photographers, in early 2013.

For a good video (I think), and to see my campaign – ends 12/29 – go here:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/visualanthropology/the-beauty-and-burden-behind-carnaval-in-pernambuc

11th and LAST photo preview – “Chewing Cane”

Hope to see everyone there at the opening of the exhibit!

11th photo preview of Brazilian Consulate of San Francisco exhibit:

“Chewing Cane,” Nazaré da Mata, 2005, 13×19

Sugarcane is one of the largest industries in the zona da mata, the home of the caboclo (sugarcane worker) and cutting cane is a way to earn a modest living during most of the year.

10th photo preview – “Smoking in Abreu e Lima”

10th photo preview of Brazilian Consulate of San Francisco exhibit:

“Smoking in Abreu e Lima,” Abreu e Lima, 2010, 13×19

About an hour north of Recife, this participant smokes ritual tobacco as a way of communicating with the orixás and enabling the deities to speak through them to the assembled members.

9th photo preview – “Frevo Umbrella”

9th photo preview of Brazilian Consulate of San Francisco exhibit:

“Frevo Umbrella,” Recife, 2010, 13×19

The music of frevo, created in Pernambuco, permeates the streets of Olinda, as people dance frenetically wielding colorful umbrellas and costumes.

8th photo preview – “Pifano Lineup”

8th photo preview of Brazilian Consulate of San Francisco exhibit:

“Pifano Lineup,” Olinda, 2007, 13×19

At the studio of an artisan, a line of pifanos (wood flutes) waits to be played in Carnaval.

7th photo preview – “Carnaval crowd”

7th photo preview of Brazilian Consulate of San Francisco exhibit:

“Carnaval crowd,” Old Recife, 2006, 13×19

During Carnaval, throngs of people choke the streets at night on Rua de Bom Jesus, in the old city of Recife.