Home > Culture > Mentor Showcase > The 2006 Best-of Series: Jack Lenk
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.
Self assigned project on Pro Lakota Productions
Freelance photographer Jack Lenk volunteered to document the first in a series of media-based cultural exchange projects initiated by the nonprofit organization Vth Season. They traveled to a Lakota Reservation in South Dakota to photograph, videotape and record music with a Native American group that was starting a multi-media studio. The songs they recorded can be heard at www.myspace.com/midnightstrongheartsociety and the video can be viewed at www.lenkphoto.com.
Self-portrait of Jack Lenk
All images in this article © Jack Lenk
ASMP: How long have you been in business?
JL: I began earning money as a photographer in 2002.
ASMP: How long have you been an ASMP member?
JL: I joined the ASMP in Spring 2005, when I decided to improve my business practices.
ASMP: What are your photographic specialties?
JL: I’m a documentary photographer at heart; I like telling stories. I’m interested in people and I love travel. I also work with film — to me there is very fuzzy boundary between still and motion capture — it’s all about the subject and the light. Sometimes I engage in other kinds of photography, commercial, event and fine art. It helps pay the bills and keeps me fresh.
ASMP: Please summarize the equipment used in this work.
JL: My entire workflow is digital. I shoot on a Nikon D2x with Nikon lenses and strobes, a Gitzo tripod with an Acratech Ultimate ball-head, and Lowepro all-weather bags. To stay comfortable and effective in varying weather conditions, I also carry a headlamp, rain gear and Smartwool socks. For processing RAW files and catalog management I use Apple computers, AdobeBridge and Photoshop. Prints for display are output on Epson inkjet printers. Video was also shot for this project on a Sony PD-150 and edited on Final Cut Pro.
ASMP: How did you first get involved in this project?
JL: A friend of mine, Manex Ibar, founder of the non-profit Vth Season and music producer for Vurse, invited me to join him on a journey to the Reservations in South Dakota to document the first in a series of media-based cultural exchange projects he was initiating with a group of Lakota guys he had met who were interested in starting a multi-media studio of their own.
ASMP: Is your work on this project a volunteer effort? If so, do you do anything to account for this work in terms of scheduling and financial planning?
JL: The work I’ve done was a volunteer effort. It was the kind of project opportunity that doesn’t come knocking very often, so I took it and gave it all I had. Working on a freelance basis allows me to dedicate stretches of time to projects as needed. Beyond the will to do things that will make this world a better place, I also consider this project an investment in my own career, in building a reputation for social documentary work.
ASMP: Did you have financial support for this project? From what sources?
JL: I had a little savings and some assistance from family and friends.
ASMP: Were there specific usage terms agreed upon for these images and, if so, how was this negotiated?
JL: In this case, no specific terms were negotiated. The rights for promotional use in general have been given to those involved in the project, free of charge, as a donation to help jump-start the Pro Lakota Productions initiative.
ASMP: What kind of research did you do before beginning this shoot?
JL: I did very little research before leaving. The pre-production to establish the trip had already been done by my travel partner, so I just showed up and threw myself into it. I’m glad it happened that way, because it was a great experience with no preconceptions and no expectations. Three weeks later, the day we got back to New York, someone sat me down and screened the documentary film Trudell (about John Trudell and the Native Rights Movement) which shocked and scared me in its exposé of fairly recent political turmoil in the very places I had just visited. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. I believe I was warmly received because I came with an unbiased and open heart.
ASMP: Please describe the collaborative aspect. What was most appealing about this?
JL: This project was a collaborative effort on two levels. On one, my travel partner and I were determined to produce a lot of media in a short amount of time, including music recordings, a video and photographs. There’s nothing better than having a good crew, where you can evolve ideas quickly and move the production along smoothly. On the other level, we were there to collaborate with our new friends on the Rez, giving them an opportunity to work out some ideas and showcase their talent. That was the most rewarding part — the immense transformation that happened as we crafted the recordings over a two-week period.
ASMP: What was the most challenging aspect of this project for you?
JL: For me, the hardest part of it has been on the back end — getting it out to the world, putting it to good use in terms of raising awareness and raising funds to help our friends (and ourselves) keep the creativity flowing. The music we made has been playing on the radio across America and in Europe, the video and photos are up on the Web and have been shown locally (most notably at the Nieman Foundation at Harvard University), but a consolidated fundraising effort still needs to be organized for this adventure to continue.
ASMP: Please describe the rapport you had with your subjects. Did this change over time?
JL: At first our subjects were friendly but shy. Only when we set up our gear and demonstrated the process of creating music and visual recordings did they get fired up. There was an enormous feeling of trust and enthusiasm throughout the production, and that lead to great moments being captured. Communication since then, however, has been sporadic, though positive, and mainly due to understandable factors like mobile lifestyles and weak communications infrastructure on the Reservations.
ASMP: Will you be continuing this work in the future or doing other similar projects?
JL: We intend to reconnect for another session, during which I would like to lead a photography workshop, but the plans are still in the works. I look forward to developing this relationship further and working on other projects like it in the future.
ASMP: What did you learn from this project that you can apply to future work?
JL: I learned to be more efficient in the documentary production process in a remote location. I learned how deeply rewarding it can be to connect with others through the work that I do. I also learned that, although I wear many hats as a freelancer, I need to connect with others to make bigger things happen.
