COLLECTIVES A TALE OF TWO CITIES : FREDERICTON V. TORONTO BY J. BROWN
AT A TIME WHEN the commercial photographic industry is being disrupted by technology, photographers have risen to the challenge, redefining a creative-based movement. If you thought photography was an individual pursuit, think again. The Internet and its various platforms have fired up photography groups, playing an important role in pushing the medium in new directions.
Traditional photography collectives are unique associations that promote professional photographic practice. Here are a couple of behind-the-scenes stories about how two different established Canadian collectives strive to keep fine art photography in public view by working as groups to achieve their goals as individual creators. The f8 Photography Collective hails from Toronto, Ontario. Natalia Shields initiated the group with fellow local photographers to participate in a group 20 photo ED
exhibition. While meeting to discuss the plans for the show, the participants came to the realization that by working together as an established collective, they could take their craft to a whole new level. A brainstorming session, fuelled by wine and goodies, got the creative juices flowing. They chose the name f8: Focus of Eight Photographers. The collective explains, “f8 is the sweet aperture spot on a camera lens, and because there were eight people in the group, it seemed an appropriate name. Our first exhibition was mounted at the Dignam Gallery in April 2010.” There have been a few changes in membership since the original creation of the group, but six of the members have been there from the beginning, creating a strong sense of belonging. The f8 Photography Collective has also invited guest photographers to participate in their exhibitions: “An interesting element of f8 is that it has a ‘feeder group.’ We have a small list of photographers
