Home > Culture > Mentor Showcase > The 2006 Best-of Series: Arthur Grace
The 2006 'Best Of' Series
For the second annual Best Of issue of the ASMP Bulletin, we selected twenty projects from a field of nearly sixty candidates. It was a tough decision and we thank all those who submitted their work. We hope you will enjoy reading about the projects featured in print and here on the ASMP Web site.
State Fair book project
In his latest book, Arthur Grace documented his odyssey through state fairs in ten states: California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Virginia. The culmination of nearly thirty years of work, the black-and-white images in State Fair capture the mixture of the traditional, the kitsch and the off-the-wall unique to these quintessentially American events.
Portrait of Arthur Grace & copy; Bill Pierce
All other images in this article © Arthur Grace
ASMP: How long have you been in business?
AG: Since 1972.
ASMP: How long have you been an ASMP member?
AG: Since the late '70s.
North Carolina State Fair (Raleigh), 2003
All images in this article © Arthur Grace
ASMP: What are your photographic specialties?
AG: Documentary photography and portraiture.
ASMP: Please summarize the equipment used in this work.
AG: I shot State Fair with a Leica M-6 and a Rollei twin-lens reflex camera using Tri-x film. The last year of the shoot, I also used a Leica Digilux 2 digital point-and-shoot camera.
Minnesota State Fair (St. Paul), 2004
ASMP: The State Fair series was something you returned to after starting it early in your career. Why was it important to go back to this project?
AG: State fairs always fascinated me and stayed in my mind over the years as a personal project to be shot when I had the time and resources. Everything came together in 2003 and 2004, and I was able to get out on the road and complete the book.
Florida State Fair (Tampa), 2004
ASMP: in the time you’ve been shooting state fairs, what do you find has changed the most about this subject matter?
AG: Nothing has really changed significantly with state fairs over the years, and that’s one of the main reasons for their appeal — they’re timeless, traditional and comfortable, and people know exactly what to expect.
North Carolina State Fair (Raleigh), 2003
ASMP: Tell us about any procedures you established to obtain permissions to photograph or introduce the project to your subjects.
AG: I was issued official media credentials from the individual fairs, and whenever possible, especially with the portraits, I explained to people about my book project. Beyond that I made sure that all the photographs I took were of individuals in public areas and public spaces and, of course, the book itself is an editorial project.
Ohio State Fair (Columbus), 2004
ASMP: What is the most significant or important aspect of publishing books for your career as a photographer?
AG: Besides personal satisfaction, the most significant aspect of book publishing for my career is that it gives people in the industry and prospective clients the opportunity to see a representative body of my work in a single publication. In strictly business terms, a book is an excellent promotional tool which, if used correctly, can bring in other work.
California State Fair (Sacramento), 2003
ASMP: Besides the book, are you marketing this work through other avenues, such as exhibitions, editorial stories or other forms of image licensing? Please describe your approach to this.
AG: There has already been one exhibition of work from the book at the Center for American History at the University of Texas in Austin. I’m in contact with other museum and gallery venues about possible shows over the next few years.
State Fair of Texas (Dallas), 2004
ASMP: Tell us about your search for a publisher for this project.
AG: I was lucky; the first publisher I showed the project to (the University of Texas Press) decided to publish the book. I was helped by the fact that my project was presented to them by Don Carleton, the director of the Center for American History at the University of Texas, which is where my photojournalism archives are being housed.
State Fair of Texas (Dallas), 2003
ASMP: Why did you set up an LLC for this project? Please describe this process.
AG: My lawyer suggested I set up an LLC for tax reasons and as a business tool for the book’s other ancillary prospects.
California State Fair (Sacramento), 2003
ASMP: What is the most important advice you would give to other photographers about publishing a book of their work?
AG: Hire an experienced intellectual-property lawyer to oversee your book contract and try to keep as much creative control as possible over the final form of the book.
