Gallery: 7 Budding Photo Collectives You Need to Know
Kendrick Brinson01luceo
In recent years, the photo collective has emerged as a clear and strategic response by photographers who've reasoned that – in uncertain times – there is strength in numbers. "In an industry that has become increasingly disjointed and often predatory upon its contributors, the collective has become a final refuge and place of community," reasons Justin Maxon, founding member of Razón collective. "The collective provides not only creative inspiration, but also a sense of support that can be lacking in this field." Photo collectives differ in organization and intent, but tend to sprout from existing friendships. Some are little more than loose affiliations, other collectives are full-on business enterprises. On any given day, members of a collective may be brainstorming story ideas, editing others' images, marketing, developing the brand, cranking social media or helping partners draft contracts and model releases. It is not uncommon for photographers in a collective to be geographically dispersed, some internationally. From serious discussions on branding and distribution to just chatting and catching up, regular video chats are the standard. Of course, photographers rallying together is not a new thing. Magnum Photos, founded in 1947, along with large, contemporary groups such as VII and Noor Images, operate along the cooperative/agency model. These three groups license images and employ administrative staff in central offices whereas the smaller collectives -- featured here -- tend to work with lower overheads. We contacted members of various emergent collectives to find out what they've learned during their infant years. In a collective of four, is the workload quartered or quadrupled? What sort of assistance do members provide one another? Do collectives advance careers and opportunities? What are the downsides? What are the tangible benefits of collectivism? __Above:__ __Collective:__ [LUCEO](http://luceoimages.com/) __Established__: December, 2007 __Members__: Matt Slaby, Daryl Peveto, David Walter Banks, Kendrick Brinson, Matt Eich, Kevin German. __The Name__: *Luceo* is Latin for "sparkle; shine; become light; become visible." Hotshots of collaboration, LUCEO have hustled a rock-solid brand in a relatively short time frame. Networking and community building can go hand-in-hand; members host workshops, guest lecture at colleges and run their own student photography award. They don't, however, refer to themselves as a collective. They feel their personal financial investment situates them differently to other photo cabals. "We go beyond gathering our work in a common space and that is why we identify as a cooperative, in the most traditional sense," says member Kendrick Brinson. "We are a business that is run by our photographers who do work for the group as marketers, accountants, PR directors, designers, managers. Each of us focuses on our strengths.... Each of us does work for the others every day." Luceo's approach has been identified as pioneering. For the New York Times, James Estrin wrote, "the success of Luceo is a very good rebuttal to those who believe photojournalism is dead." Luceo are proving that self-starter groups of photographers can partially replace the age-old newsroom. "I joined Luceo while I was on staff at a newspaper but looking for an out," says Brinson. "I loved shooting daily for one community but in terms of my bank account and my happiness, I had to move on. Luceo offered a creative way of being and creating something bigger than anything I could have done on my own." Out of dozens of submitted portfolios to Luceo, only that of newest member, Daryl Peveto, has ever secured an invite to join. "We take adding members very seriously. Luceo is built upon our members’ photos as well as the work each of us puts in to run the business," says Brinson. Luceo has twice-annual business meetings in person and weekly hour-long business-planning meetings every week online. Members are expected to be present at every meeting. "I didn't enter the life of a freelancer with a lot of business and marketing knowledge and have learned so much from Luceo in terms of running a business," says Brinson. "I have a group of strong photographers who offer me help with ideas on photo projects, edit new and old work, read through a contract I don't understand, and market my work. I can't sit back and take a passive role in the business because if we all don't fulfill our roles then the company can't function properly. I have five people counting on me and holding me accountable." *__Above photo:__ The Sun City Aqua Suns, a synchronized swim team made up of retirees, walk a red carpet at the Lakeview Recreation Center in Sun City, AZ, December 10, 2010. Sun City, America's first and largest retirement city, with more than 40,000 residents 55 and older, marked its 50th anniversary in 2010. By Kendrick Brinson.*
02razon
__Collective__: [Razón](http://www.razoncollective.com/) __Established__: Spring, 2009 __Members__: Sarah Elliott, Brian L. Frank, Justin Maxon, Jared Moossy. __The Name__: *Razón* is Spanish for "reason." "We believe that the underlying reasons for making documentary work are equally important to the work itself," says member Justin Maxon. The four Razónites each push out confident and distinctive imagery. Elliott's dispatches from Africa focus on women's lives, successes and plight; Frank has operated throughout the greater Southern California/Mexico region challenging definitions of environmental and social borders; Moossy can often be found in conflict zones; and with his more recent lyrical work, Maxon is all over the place in a good way. Razón consciously pursues a "common visual voice" within the "exploration of social issues in a new age of visual storytelling." For Maxon, the collective is a proactive response to pressures in the industry; it is a lifeline. "As photojournalists we work within a business model that is struggling through an extreme re-birthing," he says. "Unfortunately, media outlets have been historically exploitative not only in their coverage, but also to their employees. The corporations who own these media outlets are exploitative by design, preying on the members of a society that we often choose to cover with our projects. The contradiction that exists in this equation creates a working environment ripe with difficulties. We’re caught between a rock and a hard place. The \[photojournalist\] path alone can be lonesome and fraught with countless obstacles to the longevity of ones career. A collective is a makeshift safety net, a support system and a group of friends we can always turn to in this hostile industry." Razón meet monthly to critique ongoing projects and hash out and refine ideas for future ones. Over the next twelve months Razón members will be collaborating on a group project and publishing a collective body of work. "As we grow and collaborate, we begin to see that working with others allows us to be something we could never be alone," says Maxon. *__Above photo:__ A dust storm rises up as refugees wait for food distribution in Bald Hawa, Somalia (Sept. 2009). By Jared Moossy.*
Elyse Butler03aevum
__Collective:__ [Aevum](http://www.aevumphoto.com/) __Established__: 2006 __Members__: Elyse Butler, Yoon S. Byun, Chris Capozziello, Matt Mallams. __The Name__: *Aevum* is Latin for "life; time; age." "We want to document and be a voice for this generation, to share how we see the world, witness and give a voice to others," says member Elyse Butler. As young photojournalism students, Aevum came together to "expand the potential of each individual member." Peppering their freelance documentary and newspaper staff work with commercial gigs, they pursue their own styles. Matt Mallams manipulates texture and layers of light; Butler enters the worlds of strippers, debutantes and prison wives; Byun's work centers on friends and families; Capozziello, with dramatic black-and-white images, has made long-form documentary observations of cancer treatment patients, the Ku Klux Klan and his twin brother who has cerebral palsy. "We believe in photography as a powerful form of communication, to express ideas and emotions in creating art, and to promote change," says Butler. When you're trying to change the world, time and money are precious commodities in the photo industry. An informed and invested friend close by to tell you which avenues are gold and which are duds can be essential. "We learn from one another's experiences in the field," says Butler. "We share and critique each others work, we use each-other as a sounding board for stories. We discuss ethical dilemmas while shooting stories, we brainstorm." To stay connected, Aevum members meet in-person annually and have weekly video chat meetings. "Trying to accomplish things in a group when we each have our own freelance jobs, schedules and live in different time zones can be tricky," says Butler. "Aevum more than anything now is a close-knit photo family," says Butler. "We inspire one another to be better photographers and better human beings." *__Above photo:__ A snorkeler floats in the water at Waimea Bay, Hawaii while people stand on the rock above, anticipating jumping off. By Elyse Butler.*
Brendan Hoffman04prime
__Collective:__ [Prime](http://www.primecollective.com/) __Established__: January, 2011 __Members__: Dominic Bracco II, Melanie Burford, Brendan Hoffman, Charlie Mahoney, Lance Rosenfield, Max Whittaker. __The Name__: "We spent months making lists of names and 'Prime' was in everyone's top two or three," says Brendan Hoffman. "It's short and sweet, easy to say and spell, easy to find online without being easily confused. It's perhaps photography related but without pigeon-holing ourselves, confident but not cocky." Prime is the newcomer on the collective scene, but that doesn't mean to say they are young and inexperienced. "Members were selected based on the general criteria of choosing people who were a few years into their careers as freelancers and wanted to take their documentary work to the next level," says Hoffman. Whittaker follows the rich, the poor and the politicians in California. With calculated and personal risk, Bracco will [not relent](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/rawfile/2012/02/photographing-life-and-death-in-juarez/) in photographing struggle and violence in the cartel-dominated north of Mexico. When Rosenfield isn't assisting David Alan Harvey in Rio, he's filing stories from Texas. Burford is an [exquisitely refined storyteller](http://www.primecollective.com/the-monster-under-the-water/). Hoffman stalks electioneering politicians and spent a lot of time this year on the GOP primary circuit. Mahoney, based in Barcelona, distinguishes Prime from other collectives with a touch of European verve. "Being part of Prime has certainly helped me with name recognition and helped me to be taken seriously by editors," says Hoffman. "More importantly, it's also allowed – or perhaps forced – me to make hard decisions about priorities for my career, and encouraged me to think big, take bigger risks, and venture into unfamiliar territory with confidence." Prime members are actively pursuing solutions to sustainability in the photography business. "Our shared goals are laid out on a time-frame longer than 12 months - we all want to be here in 25 years, so we're thinking more like 3-5 years out," says Hoffman. "I think our main priority for the next year is for everyone to be well into their part of a new group project and to have the groundwork laid for some alternative revenue streams that will form a part of our long-term business model." In a short space of time, close friendships have formed. "We really are brothers and sisters with all the benefits and drawbacks of family. We are honest with each other, and in a world of big egos that's really important. We keep each other grounded, learn from each other's successes and mistakes, and keep no secrets," says Hoffman. *__Above photo:__ Mike Johnson hunts for deer on Sunday, December 4, 2011 in Webster City, IA. By Brendan Hoffman/Prime.*
05mjr
__Collective:__ [MJR](http://wearemjr.com/) __Established__: 2007 __Members:__ Mustafah Abdulaziz, Ying Ang, Matthew Craig, Julius Metoyer, Gareth Phillips, Brandon Thibodeaux. __The Name__: Initials of the three founding members – Matthew, Julius and Robert August (August is no longer a member). MJR are the cools kids at the party. You can get a glimpse into their travels and soirees on their regularly updated [blog](http://wearemjr.com/news/). True or not, these kids look like they're living the dream. If you want to join them you've got have the right chemistry. "Members are selected on mostly personal rapport, creative vision and how prolific they are," says member Ying Ang. "It begins as a discussion with potential members and ideally a trip somewhere so that we can live under the same roof for a few days. We discuss the collective, assess the group dynamic and see if the new addition introduces a dynamic and positive direction for us to move in. Then we ask if they are interested, discuss the commitment involved and what they would want out of us. They send a selection of work that they are most proud of that shows a direction that they are moving in and we make a final vote. Acceptance must be unanimous. Then we have a party." Ang signed up to tap the knowledge of networks. "I was living in Australia and did not have a single friend in my city who was also a photographer or artist," she says "I needed the creative connection." In search of camaraderie and mentorship, MJR member Brandon Thibodeaux had always envisioned joining a hectic news team. "Within a year of graduation, the newspaper model had already begun its decline with the demise of dailies across the country," says Thibodeaux. "Joining MJR gave me the creative environment that I once would have found in a newsroom." MJR members still take on the many business tasks of the freelancer. They forge their own business models, find their own clientele and generate income individually. "Our focus is less about creating a homogenous business plan that sells a homogenized product, and more about an open dialogue with crossovers into documentary, video, fashion, design, news, history and art," says Ang. "By keeping the focus on creation and less about money-making, we have less rules and are flexible to do as we wish with whomever we wish, without the pressure of always having to produce what we think is expected of us. The stakes are less financial and more creative." The intense, personal process of recruitment into MJR makes sense when one considers the success of MJR rests on the strength of its brand. "You have the personal responsibility of maintaining and furthering that brand," says Thibodeuax. Much of the time members are working independently; the brand must embedded in their approach to photography and within their images. Ang describes MJR – which has one in-person meeting per year – as being decentralized. "The organizational model of MJR is designed to function without requiring the whole group to be involved and behind every process at the same time," she says. Except for team Skype meetings, communication happens in small clusters as needed. "We see ourselves as more of a community nexus and meeting place, as opposed to a baby agency in the making," says Thibodeaux. *__Above photo:__ MJR & friends at Visa Pour L'Image 2010, Perpignan, France. By Ying Ang.*
06boreal
__Collective:__ [Boreal](http://www.borealcollective.com/) __Established__: Fall, 2010 __Members__: Rafal Gerszak, Brett Gundlock, Jonathan Taggart, Aaron Vincent Elkaim, Ian Willms. __The Name__: All Boreal members are Canadian; they wanted to reference that fact without mentioning the maple leaf. "We are not dedicated solely to projects revolving around the environment, but the Boreal Forest covers 60% of Canada and symbolically represents a beautiful, mysterious part of the world we live in," says founding member, Brett Gundlock. "We fight evil," says Gundlock when asked to describe Boreal in one sentence. Boreal members teamed up after noting the small size of the Canadian photography community. "We were basically the only people at our age, level and style working in Canada," says Gundlock. "I signed up because this is something we were missing in Canada; community that supports documentary photography as a whole," says Rafal Gerszak, who admits members butt heads, but the usual outcome is the birth of yet more ideas. After being friends for some time, Gundlock says forming the collective "just made sense." "I had been working on edits with Ian and Aaron for a year prior, Rafal was sleeping on my couch and Jonathan was a hotshot," says Gundlock. "Right now we are all moving forward with our practices, seeing one of us do something great and then talking to them on Skype during one of our meetings is really motivating. Right now, Boreal doesn’t need a lot of collective attention. It is running well, so sometimes we cyber chat just to catch up." Currently, all five members are working on a project about the Alberta Oil Sands, the world’s second largest oil reserve. "This is an important moment in Canadian history and decisions made today about oil extraction will have a long lasting effect on our international relations, as well as how our Canadian society operates and moves forward." Without knowing the exact motives, Gundlock is appreciative of people's backing of Boreal. "The response from the public has been more than we ever expected. For some reason people want to support Boreal, which creates a lot of opportunities," he says. As for Gerszak, the collective's impact is not just about the work of Boreal's contributors, but also what it allows them to do as an organization. "\[For\] the Occupy Boreal project ([here](http://blog.borealcollective.com/post/13307778414), [here](http://blog.borealcollective.com/post/15606604528) and [here](http://blog.borealcollective.com/post/19516288904)) we reached out to the community and photographers sent submissions from all over North America. Important work that otherwise would not get seen and we found a home for it," he says. *__Above photo:__ Pairings of collected family photos with portraits inside the subject's living space, examine the process of balancing a new culture and lifestyle with a traditional style of life. By Brett Gundlock.*
07metro
__Collective:__ [METRO](http://www.metrocollective.org/) __Established__: 2004 __Members__: Michael Bonfigli, Gabriela Bulisova, Michael Robinson Chavez, Daniel Cima, Bill Crandall, Karel Cudlin, Scott Dalton, Hector Emanuel, Bevis Fusha, Eros Hoagland, Robert Knoth, Jens Olof Lasthein. __The Name:__ "It's a no-frills, non-fancy-pants name. Metaphorically, the metro is a place to get on board with others, to go somewhere together," says METRO co-founder Bill Crandall. A touch more senior in age and describing themselves as "independent together," METRO members have been around the photography block a few times. With 12 members, METRO is larger, longer-established and more widely dispersed than other collectives. "We've actually never had an in-person meeting with all our members at the same time," says Crandall. "We're too far-flung. Five of us are in D.C. and meet regularly. Sometimes others will be visiting." Founded in the cafes and bars of D.C.'s Adams Morgan neighbourhood, METRO has recruited among its friends and reached out to photographers they knew and liked. "We'd get together, put our Leicas on the table, talk about upcoming trips, and look at each others' work. We look at general submissions but have never ended up choosing anyone that way." says Crandall. METRO has organized exhibitions and special events, including [*Outernational*](http://www.metrocollective.org/#/Outernational/), a cinematic projection exhibit at Fotoweek DC. With the recent appointment of their friend Andre Kravchenko as director, Crandall says METRO is enjoying new focus brought by Kravchenko's "own vision and energy." "In a collective there's always a ton of good discussions to take you out of your own little bubble," says Crandall. But as these relate to photography, juggling twelve points-of-view the discussion can get loud and testy. "Often it's like being in a band, dealing with the crazy mix of personalities in pursuit of somewhat idealistic goals, even when the business-model doesn't always make sense. An agency is a business, a collective is a band of brothers (and one sister in our case)," he says. "And you know how it is with siblings sometimes!" "A single photographer, even a good one, may have more trouble attracting attention than twelve good ones." *__Above photo:__ Israel. By Karel Cudlin.*
