Help Free My Camera So I May Create
Donation protected
Not so long ago, I ended the many years of introspection and self doubt experienced while trying to find my voice and discover its path as a photographer. That path both ended and started a new when I accepted myself as an artist. My name is Bob Evans (aka RC Evans) and I am a Black and White Fine Art Photographer.
Making a commitment to fully embrace your passion, engrossed in the process of bringing your vision to life and then exposing it and yourself for all to see is an amazing feeling. One that's hard to put into words that fully encapsulates the emotional roller coaster ride all artists share. But, it's freeing, rewarding, challenging and very very scary. I now, whole heartedly, understand what it means to be a struggling artist and am at peace with my decision.
Unfortunately, living life has a price and financial obligations still have to be met. About a year ago I had to make a difficult decision. I found myself a couple months behind in rent, with no foreseeable income and decided to take a loan out on my beloved and terribly missed camera. Part of me now sits on a shelf, in the back room of a local San Mateo pawn shop. The $1,500 loan I took out against my Leica M Monochrome definitely kept me from being homeless and I truly believed that we would be reunited in a short few months. I believed that I would find a new job, where I could meet my financial obligations, save money, retrieve my friend and start creating again. Almost a year later and I'm still searching for that job. I recently started working as a checker for a local grocery store in order to stop the financial bleeding. Although I'm thankful for the job, I will continue my search. It's not where I want to be and gets me no closer to a reunion with my camera.
I'm reaching out to you and asking for your help. Can you help me reach my goal of $2,000 and free my camera from its dusty confines? The cost (including interest) to release Leica is $1,800. The remaining $200 will be used to cover the service fees associated with this campaign.
If you are interested in seeing some of my work please stop by my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/KickAssArt .
My camera only shoots black and white and the day Leica announced it I knew I had to have it. Even as a kid, I loved B/W photographs. I always admired their timeless and nostalgic nature.
Looking back now I realize that I've always wanted to be a photographer, but for some reason or another believed it was no more than an unobtainable fantasy. It wasn't until 2000/2001, when the dot com bubble burst, I took a look at exploring a more creative career path. I decided to go back to school and study Film and TV Studio Broadcasting. One of the first courses I took was a course on photo story boarding. Creating photographs to create a story board to visually outline the composition of each shot in the telling of a story. Suddenly that unobtainable fantasy was now completely demystified and something I knew I could do. And so began the ongoing learning process of having a vision, studying light and composing a shot. Also known as photography.
I started with basics, learning to shoot with b/w film, developing the film, creating a contact sheet and printing in a darkroom. My first digital camera was the Nikon D70s a 6MP digital SLR. I loved that camera and enjoyed shooting with it, but something was missing. I loved all of the time saving innovations that the digital era brought to photography. It saved time shooting, processing, editing and printing. What's not to love? Well...what I truly loved about photography was the b/w image. Many will argue; "Just desaturate the color." And sure that is a method to get b/w images from a color digital camera, but it's just not the same. Even with todays advancement in editing tools, filters and b/w conversion apps; it's just not the same.
So, when Leica announced they were introducing a b/w only digital camera, I knew, some day, that is the camera I will grow old with. With a hefty $8,000 price tag for just the body and lenses running $2,000 and up I could only admire from a distance for several years.
In November of 2010, my mother and my friend passed away shortly after being diagnosed with lung cancer. A day I prayed would never come and a day I don't want to remember filled with heartbreak I'll never forget. She left a small inheritance for her five children and her ten grandchildren. I used my inheritance to buy that Leica M Monochrome, a lens, a computer, some software and set my mind on becoming the b/w fine art photographer I once thought an unobtainable fantasy.
I know and completely understand that a percentage of people will view this campaign as just another lazy freeloader trying to scam a buck. I get it. Deciding to try this and then actually doing it came with a lot of trepidation because of that. I made the decision to go ahead with it, because I need that piece of me back. It was a huge hurdle to overcome to show my images and expose myself to the world around me. I enjoy sharing my art and look forward to creating and sharing more in the future. I hope you enjoy and appreciate what I do and ask your help in getting back to it. For those who don't, that's ok too. I appreciate your time and only ask that you please; Enjoy The Day.
For everyone who donates, you'll receive a 4x6 print of one of my images along with my sincere thanks and gratitude hand written on the back.
Anyone who is in a position to donate $100 or more, I will send you an 11x14 print of the image of your choice.
I print using archivable inks on museum grade 100% cotton archivable paper. I compose, capture and edit all of my photographs with the intent of printing large format museum quality prints. They look freaking awesome!
For those who are not in a position to donate, I thank you for your time and would appreciate any positive energy you could send my way.
Thank you all and Enjoy The Day!
Bob Evans
RC Evans Photo
Making a commitment to fully embrace your passion, engrossed in the process of bringing your vision to life and then exposing it and yourself for all to see is an amazing feeling. One that's hard to put into words that fully encapsulates the emotional roller coaster ride all artists share. But, it's freeing, rewarding, challenging and very very scary. I now, whole heartedly, understand what it means to be a struggling artist and am at peace with my decision.
Unfortunately, living life has a price and financial obligations still have to be met. About a year ago I had to make a difficult decision. I found myself a couple months behind in rent, with no foreseeable income and decided to take a loan out on my beloved and terribly missed camera. Part of me now sits on a shelf, in the back room of a local San Mateo pawn shop. The $1,500 loan I took out against my Leica M Monochrome definitely kept me from being homeless and I truly believed that we would be reunited in a short few months. I believed that I would find a new job, where I could meet my financial obligations, save money, retrieve my friend and start creating again. Almost a year later and I'm still searching for that job. I recently started working as a checker for a local grocery store in order to stop the financial bleeding. Although I'm thankful for the job, I will continue my search. It's not where I want to be and gets me no closer to a reunion with my camera.
I'm reaching out to you and asking for your help. Can you help me reach my goal of $2,000 and free my camera from its dusty confines? The cost (including interest) to release Leica is $1,800. The remaining $200 will be used to cover the service fees associated with this campaign.
If you are interested in seeing some of my work please stop by my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/KickAssArt .
My camera only shoots black and white and the day Leica announced it I knew I had to have it. Even as a kid, I loved B/W photographs. I always admired their timeless and nostalgic nature.
Looking back now I realize that I've always wanted to be a photographer, but for some reason or another believed it was no more than an unobtainable fantasy. It wasn't until 2000/2001, when the dot com bubble burst, I took a look at exploring a more creative career path. I decided to go back to school and study Film and TV Studio Broadcasting. One of the first courses I took was a course on photo story boarding. Creating photographs to create a story board to visually outline the composition of each shot in the telling of a story. Suddenly that unobtainable fantasy was now completely demystified and something I knew I could do. And so began the ongoing learning process of having a vision, studying light and composing a shot. Also known as photography.
I started with basics, learning to shoot with b/w film, developing the film, creating a contact sheet and printing in a darkroom. My first digital camera was the Nikon D70s a 6MP digital SLR. I loved that camera and enjoyed shooting with it, but something was missing. I loved all of the time saving innovations that the digital era brought to photography. It saved time shooting, processing, editing and printing. What's not to love? Well...what I truly loved about photography was the b/w image. Many will argue; "Just desaturate the color." And sure that is a method to get b/w images from a color digital camera, but it's just not the same. Even with todays advancement in editing tools, filters and b/w conversion apps; it's just not the same.
So, when Leica announced they were introducing a b/w only digital camera, I knew, some day, that is the camera I will grow old with. With a hefty $8,000 price tag for just the body and lenses running $2,000 and up I could only admire from a distance for several years.
In November of 2010, my mother and my friend passed away shortly after being diagnosed with lung cancer. A day I prayed would never come and a day I don't want to remember filled with heartbreak I'll never forget. She left a small inheritance for her five children and her ten grandchildren. I used my inheritance to buy that Leica M Monochrome, a lens, a computer, some software and set my mind on becoming the b/w fine art photographer I once thought an unobtainable fantasy.
I know and completely understand that a percentage of people will view this campaign as just another lazy freeloader trying to scam a buck. I get it. Deciding to try this and then actually doing it came with a lot of trepidation because of that. I made the decision to go ahead with it, because I need that piece of me back. It was a huge hurdle to overcome to show my images and expose myself to the world around me. I enjoy sharing my art and look forward to creating and sharing more in the future. I hope you enjoy and appreciate what I do and ask your help in getting back to it. For those who don't, that's ok too. I appreciate your time and only ask that you please; Enjoy The Day.
For everyone who donates, you'll receive a 4x6 print of one of my images along with my sincere thanks and gratitude hand written on the back.
Anyone who is in a position to donate $100 or more, I will send you an 11x14 print of the image of your choice.
I print using archivable inks on museum grade 100% cotton archivable paper. I compose, capture and edit all of my photographs with the intent of printing large format museum quality prints. They look freaking awesome!
For those who are not in a position to donate, I thank you for your time and would appreciate any positive energy you could send my way.
Thank you all and Enjoy The Day!
Bob Evans
RC Evans Photo
Organizer
Bob Evans
Organizer
San Mateo, CA