Working to achieve the maximum

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

I had posted earlier about a Facebook Marketplace prom girl project I was working on that was an offshoot from my efforts to sell / downsize at the Marketplace. I thought I was done with the prom girls, but I kept seeing new offshoot collection prospects, as I organized it for storage and archiving on M-Disc. 

So, begrudgingly I delved deeper into it. (I say begrudgingly because I have countless projects that need completing and I don't need any more. Plus being an ADD I get bored quickly.) Still, I must be true to the subject matter, so I delved a little deeper.

 

I had complained about not finding enough black prom girls to make a black collection. After looking through another couple thousand photos, I found enough black girls to make a small collection. 

 

 

I also saw that many of the prom girls had photos taken from behind. When it comes to gals, I like more of what is front. Even so, I made a collection of verso shots.

 

 

I also made a collection for mermaid dresses and another for casual photos during shopping for prom outfits at the store. 

 

 

Well, eventually I added another 1782 photos to the original 2347 photos, making the completed project 4129.

 

Some collections were small, but still interesting...like the bodybuilder prom girls.

 

 

In my earlier days of work, I didn't work to the maximum. My M.O. was to get one great shot for my portfolio and move on to something else. Once I started to work with archival material, I learned that there is a big picture involved and the concept of extended projects came about. 

 

We can learn an important lesson about maximization from photographer Josef Koudleka 

“…What interests me is taking photographs to the maximum – the maximum that exists in a situation and the maximum that I myself can produce from it.” Koudelka goes on to say he will re-shoot a project repeatedly “to reassure me I have in-fact achieved the maximum.”   ~  

From World Photography by Bryn Campbell

Another example of maximizing our work is that of Ken Burns. He explores a topic from the alpha to the omega and back. He leaves no stone unturned. Of course, this does not always work out if you are an ADD like me. For me I know I am headed for trouble when I become sick of a project and can't go on much more. Then I know I've reached 'my' maximum, irrespective of the project status.

Daniel D. Teoli Jr. Archival Collection
Daniel D. Teoli Jr. Small Gauge Film Archive
Daniel D. Teoli Jr. Advertising Archive
Daniel D. Teoli Jr. VHS Video Archive
Daniel D. Teoli Jr. Popular Culture Archive
Daniel D. Teoli Jr. Audio Archive
Daniel D. Teoli Jr. Social Documentary Photography

Edited January 30 by Daniel D. Teoli Jr.

[Simon Wyss]

On 1/30/2023 at 11:05 PM, Daniel D. Teoli Jr. said:

Of course, this does not always work out if you are an ADD like me.

You’re not ADD, you’re DDT.

[Daniel D. Teoli Jr.]

That is right, but an ADD DDT.