End of the Road to the GRAMMYs
I am ending my Road to the GRAMMYs. This decision isn't based on one moment or one person. I can proudly say I given it all. I turned over every rock I could. I've done things and met some wonderful people who I would have never met without pushing forward towards my goal of photographing the 2019 Grammy Awards. Reached out to photographers that I've met who have photographed the Grammys and are involved with them. None of them responded back with advice. I get it and I'm not even mad.
The facts are there is one company that they use to photograph the GRAMMY Awards. It is a contract with Wireimage. The truth is I never really wanted to work with a company that puts photographers on assignments. Most of them I know are miserable and do not like almost all of their assignments. Some are really wonderful people. My own opinion and a collection of what I've heard is it is standard photographs shot in bulk blasted out for media outlets to purchase at low cost. When I heard this is the only way in I've tried to get in. Phone calls to Wireimage, emails and more emails. Passed around and seemed like I was getting approvals. Then a few months ago is the last I heard from them. Basically, I was told if they do not contact me back then they are not interested in having me on board. Fair enough.
Now at the same time, I was trying to also see if there were other ways in. I kept reaching out, climbing the ladder. Finally given a name to whom is the final decision. It is the same conclusion I have come to. There is no other way in or around the contract Wireimage has with the Awards. I once again like many other times was offered to photograph the Red Carpet. Which in my original writing and in my heart is not my goal. I cannot be smashed in with mostly paparazzi photographing just the red carpet. It's just not me or the goal.
Look I am a proud freelance music photographer. Most in my position started their own blogs so they can get approval to interview bands and photograph concerts. I continue to choose to get work through magazines, record labels, instrument companies, venues, production companies, and musicians. The list goes on and there are many ways. I still write over 100 emails a week just to even remind others I'm still in the game. I literally do something every day with my business. My brother reminded me that being freelance takes real heart. It takes a lot of will and determination. The best artist work outside of companies. Which is true, I love what I do. I love the musicians I've had the opportunity to photograph on stage, backstage and photo shoots. I am grateful for the over 250 musicians who created one of my Musician Portrait Project videos.
For most of last year while I was reaching out to various members of the Recording Academy I was creating posts on just the winning artist I've photographed. When I started doing this I figured it would be around 50 winners. All said and done if including every individual person I photographed in winning bands and solo artist. It has been well over 200 winning artists!
The support has been overwhelming this past year. I've had many people around the country, around the world write me telling me that my goal inspired them. Who me? I have not even made it to the GRAMMY Awards. I failed. No matter what anyone says to me in my heart and my mind I still failed at getting to my goal. But I tried, I went for it, I put it out there in the world. Anyone who has met me or followed my online knows about this goal. I have no regrets. There is a friend that told me I'm not allowed to write this post. I like to keep things real. I'm at the end of the road and the door is closed on me. I will wait at the closed door to see if it ever opens. But in the meantime, I have a few other amazing goals and opportunities that have come up.
I would like to thank my parents and siblings for their amazing support and things they've done for me so I could get towards this goal. My longtime friends that helped me out so much during this time. My new friends, I've made because of this process and me getting myself in places I would've never been without this goal. The amazing musicians and other artist believing in me, I will forever be thankful.
To those of you who love my photography, CALL ME!
Here is the original Road to the GRAMMYs goal that I wrote during the 2016 Awards and posted the following day