Web exhibitions and ‘zines are another matter. I’m really grateful for those. It is true that if you’re mostly self-taught, if you live some place far from a major city, and if you’re older than 35 (to say nothing of 50), these opportunities can be great, especially when they are not limited by age. (And why should they be?)

People, this is the internet. Understand how it functions, understand its limitations, and move on with your life. This critical urgency that everyone is experiencing is precisely because you put way to much value into the FUCKING INTERNET. Does it really matter how many networking sites and webzines are out there, and what specific group you’re convinced they cater to?

Jake has a great thing going. He wants to start a messageboard where people can talk. No one, and I really mean it, NO ONE should feel threatened by that or like-minded efforts. If you do, or if you’re really convinced the internet world of photographers is a tight circle pushing against each other to let you NOT in, than you have serious illusions of grandeur.

That said, form time to time substantial and active communities do form in one place and evolve into “the” place that everyone ends up. This still doesn’t supersede individual efforts or the possibility of niche communities continuing to thrive.

We’re always going to miss out on something that’s going on. The immediacy of the internet does create a bit of a false pressure to be everywhere and to listen in on as many streams you can stand. What’s often missing is dialogue or even, to get all high toned, discourse. There’s no one answer to that since some people talk best in snippets and some can knockoff mind-blowing forum-post treatises without spiraling into their own navel.

Even in these comments there’s an “advice” versus “opinion” split. And that’s fine too. Some people need tech info, some want theory, some talk composition, and others balk at rules of thirds as old school guff. There’s all sorts and no need really for all of us to gather as a unified photographic world — we are already so much closer to that than we were less than 5 years ago.

So, I say bring it all on. Divide and come together. Lurk and speak volumes. Start blogs and read blogs. Why not?

I like to think of the more successful hubs and blogs that feature photographers or photography related content as filters that I can turn on and off simply by deciding whether or not to check them. Considering that everyone is able to create their own internet photographic representation, there is just too much information to sift through. I used to get my fill by skimming the recent photographs of several contacts on flickr, then I discovered some blogs such as iheartphotograph, or collections like fjord. I’ve found now that so many groups of internet photographer friends have created their own similarly selective clubs that take submissions. This causes other photographers, not part of their own collective already, consciously strive to find one or create one. Since we have so many groups now, I can’t imagine a hierarchy to them except in the eyes of the interested individual who views them day to day. This process can definitely be applied to most things in life. I feel like it is very intensified in photography, particularly when the individual isn’t in a location that provides a fruitful tangible experience with other photography or photographers, and can attain exposure through remote means and has to make friends online.
I think it can be compared to the decentralization of music today, as a result of the internet giving everyone a chance to display and disseminate their work. I feel however, that there are clear leaders on the internet for places to go to where you can find criticism on music. What I don’t like about this is that it can cause laziness, because many individuals will eventually stop searching the internet for new groups, ideas and work, and simply rely on that one central hub for cultural sustenance. I’m not sure I want there to be a centralization of photography on the internet, because I’m afraid that a good portion of people who are forced to find their fill of photographic discourse in several different places, will simply end up going to one.
What I like about the idea of Too Much Chocolate is that the gallery will be taken in a different direction weekly. Many selective photographic groups and clubs are very stagnant, and many blogs seem to run dry because one person only has so much they can share.

I thought up the site while riding back home after meeting with Trevor Graves, who is the first guy I interviewed. He had about 45 minutes worth of invaluable advice about ‘making it’ as a photographer, advice I knew hundreds of other people who are sitting in my same place would like to know, but didn’t.

The rationale behind making this site is primarily this type of information sharing between photographers- of career advice, of inspirators, of discussions like this. Yes, there is Humble, there is We Can’t Paint (which kicks ass, Noel), there is fjord. But none of these sites have an area where photographers can have the ongoing dialogue I was looking to have. Sure Jorg’s got his google site, but as someone said, it’s more for direct commentary on his posts. And, I think they can all coexist. When I said I was looking to make a ‘hub’, I didn’t mean a singular, one-stop-shop, I meant it as a way to centralize a massive blogosphere. The only foreseeable irony will be is tons of these ‘hubs’ open up, and we end up back at square one.

As I said in my intro page, too much chocolate is going to really be there for the photographers that visit it, exclusively. I tried to keep my hand out of it, short of making it an anonymously-run site. I’m open to comments, tweaks, ways to make it work best for its members. A resource, first and foremost. Between the discussion area, the interview section, and the rotating gallery, I’m think it will serve its purpose.

In reference to Noel’s point that we’re (photographers) are not utilizing the internet as much as we could be- it’s totally true. It says something that I’ve been getting about 30 emails an hour to join the forums, and that there are already about 80 posts up, 24 hours after I ‘unveiled’ it. It all speaks to an inherent curiosity, and unsuredness of exactly what is out there. We’re all metaphorically reaching around in the dark, touching peoples faces.

One last point before my fingers fall off and my brain shuts down- TMC isn’t meant to be the end point, just a step forward, in a quest to optimize photographers’ use of the internet, as a medium of broad information sharing and communication. It’s a place where this kind of discussion can live, but it’s also a place to talk about your favorite type of film or a good book you just read. It’s going to stay as inclusive, low-key, and warm of an environment as possible, something I think the online photo community sorely lacks sometimes. Sure, the lack of narrow-scoped, higher-plane discussion might turn some people off, but I gotta say, alot of photographers have been posting and emailing me about how excited they are about the concept. I’d much rather join many and lose some, rather than make it an overly tight collective. Because those already exist.

I’ll leave you guys with an email that made my day yesterday, and solidify the entire purpose of creating the site:

“Hi Jake ,

I am an ‘emerging’ photographer and a lot of what you said on the intro page rings true for me.

I am self taught and only recently started taking photographs, but was lucky enough to be chosen for best of show at the International Photography Awards in October and will also feature in Vice magazine this December.

Unfortunately, I am 39.

I am kind of operating in a bubble with absolutely no one to talk to about ‘starting out’ and no real hope of becoming an assistant at my age but would like to participate .

Would this be possible ?

Good luck with your project either way,

Cheers,

RD”