I started a portrait project, seems like someone has beaten me to it - any advice?

Scarlet Siren

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So, like many, I was inspired by Humans of New York and set out to do my own photo project about the people in my hometown (but I didn't want to use a similar project name). I thought I'd done a enough research to determine whether or not I should pursue the idea/concept (stopping strangers in the street for a portrait but I also want to do more in depth environmental type portrait sessions - I did my first in a secondhand record store the other weekend. I want to create street portraits in my hometown and at the same time give each of the 5-6 areas it's on identity). So I set up my website, Facebook page, twitter account, Moo cards made up and more importantly started take pictures. I even got a little article on a local news website due to my relentless tweeting which was great!

However, it turns someone else has started a Humans of [insert name of my hometown]. And their pictures are great, they seem to be doing really well and they're stuck in to their project - I really like it a lot. But it's left me thinking, despite using a different project name (whilst still identifying the city), I'm essentially doing the exact same thing :/ So now I'm trying to think up ways to distinguish my project from the one I've just come across. I guess our style in capturing photos is kind of different, their style is just like HONY (even the questions are the same), mine not so much (I think).

I know taking photos of strangers is NOTHING new (heck, I even did a 100 Strangers project 3 or so years ago). It's not an original idea. There's lots of HONY inspired projects, I totally get it. But I still feel a little disheartened and I'm just getting my project off the ground. you know? I was so excited to pursue my project and I love my hometown so much that I really do want it to be the focus point of the project and portraits is the thing I love doing the most (especially meeting new people and speak to them- I love it!).

Has anyone encountered this before? or perhaps have any advice? I think my biggest worry right now is that it looks like I'm copying :(

(Apologies, but I didn't want to name any names just in case it gets anyone in any bother or annoys anyone).

Happy to PM a link to my website if anyone wants to take a look :)

 
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If the idea has been taken and you don't want to redo it, why not change it a little. Maybe how HONY interact with eachother? Maybe what many like to do in there spare time or places they like to go. You can take the larger idea and refine it.
 
I see nothing wrong with copying an idea started by someone else. I assume it is a different town, and different people, so why not do it?
 
Just shoot more compelling and better images. Done. Orrrrr, if you feel a need to make it different, add a twist: call it ,"Five minutes with a stranger." Shoot each person either within 5 minutes, or for five minutes.
 
If the idea has been taken and you don't want to redo it, why not change it a little. Maybe how HONY interact with eachother? Maybe what many like to do in there spare time or places they like to go. You can take the larger idea and refine it.

Yip, that's exactly what I need to do. I really DO want to move forward with the project - I feel like I've spent time planning it, researched the areas I want to 'showcase'. It's the two things I love the most people and the city I've lived in all my life. I wanted to start it last year but nerves held me back I guess :/ but I don't want to give up on this. I just want to do it differently.
 
Just shoot more compelling and better images. Done. Orrrrr, if you feel a need to make it different, add a twist: call it ,"Five minutes with a stranger." Shoot each person either within 5 minutes, or for five minutes.

This is EXACTLY what I want to do.
 
I see nothing wrong with copying an idea started by someone else. I assume it is a different town, and different people, so why not do it?

We live in the same town.

Their's is Humans of "......." mine is "........" Portraits of a City.

Had it been in a different town I think my attitude would have been quite different.
 
Since you know this idea isn't original with you, you should ALSO know it's not original with this other person whose work you've now seen either. You're both just trying something you've seen somewhere else; nothing wrong with that. Just do it to the best of your ability and have FUN with it. Be creative--to me, that's really the point of using someone else's project as inspiration (okay, copying someone...). It's not just to see if you can duplicate what they created, but more of a "hey, what I do it THIS way..." method of getting the creative juices flowing.

Case in point: This past winter, I saw some photos on FB of frozen bubbles. They were really cool looking and it made me want to try them. So I did. But I aimed to make mine look different by choosing to light them differently.
One of mine ended up getting published in our city's newspaper. I just made sure to be clear that it was NOT an original idea, and give credit to the photos I'd seen on FB.

And here's another thing: Chances are, it's not just the TWO of you doing that kind of project where you live, unless you live in a town with a population of 100 or less. So don't be surprised when you find even more projects like yours being done near you. After I posted MY photos on FB, I saw where at least a dozen others who saw my post tried it for themselves.

Just make yours the ones worth publishing. ;-)
 
Since you know this idea isn't original with you, you should ALSO know it's not original with this other person whose work you've now seen either. You're both just trying something you've seen somewhere else; nothing wrong with that. Just do it to the best of your ability and have FUN with it. Be creative--to me, that's really the point of using someone else's project as inspiration (okay, copying someone...). It's not just to see if you can duplicate what they created, but more of a "hey, what I do it THIS way..." method of getting the creative juices flowing.

Case in point: This past winter, I saw some photos on FB of frozen bubbles. They were really cool looking and it made me want to try them. So I did. But I aimed to make mine look different by choosing to light them differently.
One of mine ended up getting published in our city's newspaper. I just made sure to be clear that it was NOT an original idea, and give credit to the photos I'd seen on FB.

And here's another thing: Chances are, it's not just the TWO of you doing that kind of project where you live, unless you live in a town with a population of 100 or less. So don't be surprised when you find even more projects like yours being done near you. After I posted MY photos on FB, I saw where at least a dozen others who saw my post tried it for themselves.

Just make yours the ones worth publishing. ;-)

Thank you. That's reassuring. Yes, it is meant to be fun as well as creating an opportunity to push myself, that's the main point for me. And also, if I remember the concept isn't a new one but if I can find ways to make it my own, there's no problem. You're absolutely right.

You raise another good point. There's is a project which is focused on a specific area of town (where my flat is) but their portraits of 'locals', they're black and white, and they're portrait orientation. Whereas mine are deliberately landscape to see more of the background ('using the city as a backdrop' is a quote from my website), in colour and processed a certain way, with a text overlay stating name and location.

Congratulations on getting published, that's wonderful!
 
However, it turns someone else has started a Humans of [insert name of my hometown]. And their pictures are great, they seem to be doing really well and they're stuck in to their project - I really like it a lot. But it's left me thinking, despite using a different project name (whilst still identifying the city), I'm essentially doing the exact same thing :/ So now I'm trying to think up ways to distinguish my project from the one I've just come across. I guess our style in capturing photos is kind of different, their style is just like HONY (even the questions are the same), mine not so much (I think).



You could ask them to be naked when you take their photos. Naked is not anything new, but from the sounds of it I bet it would be pretty new and attention getting in [insert name of your hometown]. :mrgreen:
 
However, it turns someone else has started a Humans of [insert name of my hometown]. And their pictures are great, they seem to be doing really well and they're stuck in to their project - I really like it a lot. But it's left me thinking, despite using a different project name (whilst still identifying the city), I'm essentially doing the exact same thing :/ So now I'm trying to think up ways to distinguish my project from the one I've just come across. I guess our style in capturing photos is kind of different, their style is just like HONY (even the questions are the same), mine not so much (I think).



You could ask them to be naked when you take their photos. Naked is not anything new, but from the sounds of it I bet it would be pretty new and attention getting in [insert name of your hometown]. :mrgreen:

Thank you for making me laugh! :p
 
Having had a few hours to ponder over what I'd like to do, I think I'll do the following

- continue with the 'strangers portrait' but not in the same style as HONY
- Strong emphasis on the city architecture, historic buildings landmarks (I live in one of the most touristy cities outside of London, I maybe biased in telling you it's a beautiful place)
- As I mentioned earlier, I had the opportunity to take some photographs in a second hand record store (which was great fun!). I'd quite like to do a detailed 'photo story' say once or twice a month on individuals. I have a bucket list of people I want to contact, a tattoo artist, tailor, barber, ballet dancer etc

I think I'm just getting over the initial 'oh ****!' reaction. Thanks for all your help everyone, I appreciate it.

J
 
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I don't see anything wrong with still pursuing this but I can definitely see why it's a bit discouraging. Any thoughts of collaborating with this other individual?
 
I don't see anything wrong with still pursuing this but I can definitely see why it's a bit discouraging. Any thoughts of collaborating with this other individual?

No not at all! I quite like the idea of collaborating in the future either with this person or a writer for example, I'm open to it. In fact, earlier today it did cross my mind to contact them to tell them how much I liked their work and to just be friendly with them :) What they've managed to do since January is really great. But I'm thinking about contacting them... :)

I caught up with a colleague at work on this 'predicament' earlier and she looked at both our work and said, thing that makes my work different to the other project is mine is coherent and organic in it's framing and processing, that was nice to hear because it's deliberate. And she liked this other project too :)
 
With something like this there could be other people who decided to do something similar to Humans of New York and do just about the same thing you're doing. If you find it interesting or inspiring then you're probably right it's a matter of figuring out how to make it more your own.

You mentioned the used record store, if you had fun photographing that then maybe that's the type thing to pursue doing again. I'm not sure what purpose you have besides doing your own FB page etc. (and you might want to read Terms & Conditions on any sites you're using to see if by using a site you're agreeing to the site using your photos) but you might need to think too about how you plan to use the photos, that might help you figure out what direction to go next. '

If you had to twit a lot to get one of your photos on a website then maybe you need to think about how your photos can stand out and be good enough for someone to want to see your pictures and/or to pay to use your photos - unless your purpose is to post them on your own website for your own personal enjoyment, to share with family and friends, then you could just photograph and post anything you like. Depends on what you want to achieve with this type project.
 

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