Anyone ever shoot under a pseudonym?

[Janie]

I'm working on a Goth exhibit right now and it's a little nerve wracking because I don't want anyone to think the images (or my brain) are too disturbing - they are very dark. To seperate my luxury real estate photography biz and my goth work, I actually use a pseudonym for the goth work - it's pretty cool and keeps me veiled in mystery! lol I've had some agents, in the past, who seemed disturbed that I shoot a lot of dark photos, as if it makes me evil or something. I just like freaking people out! lol I have a pretty warped sense of humor and have a deep love for really old horror movies, so that basically inspires my work a lot.

Just curious if anyone else ever shot under a pseudonym?

[Arctirus]

I have two sites, a formal business website and my personal gallery site which I keep separate.

[Asylum Steve]

Janie,

IMO, that's actually a good way to seperate your photo "personae", especially if they need to have a certain viewer or customer perception, and the various aspects of your different types of work may conflict in that regard.

I had a German fashion photographer friend in Miami that became a sort of mentor to me some years back, and he said established Euro shooters would often use aliases to do "mimic" work (IOW, copying another photographer's style) for lower end magazines, primarily where using their real name would hurt their reputation.

What I think is funny is that you mention the obvious real estate clients possibly being put off by your goth work, but have you considered the flip side of that coin: your "legitimacy" as a goth shooter might be irreparably harmed if they knew you shot, ohmigod!, REAL ESTATE for a living...

[Janie]

lmao you are too funny! Although, some of the luxury homes look like tombs sometimes - guess if you spend to much on a house you can't afford electric! lol So, my Goth work is under the name.... Lush VanRipp ! How's that for comic book goth! lmao I had to put my funny spin on it, ya know? The kicker is that I don't show up for some of the gallery shows of my work and when I do, I don't say i'm Lush. I like to hear what people think without trying to appease me.

Janie,

IMO, that's actually a good way to seperate your photo "personae", especially if they need to have a certain viewer or customer perception, and the various aspects of your different types of work may conflict in that regard.

I had a German fashion photographer friend in Miami that became a sort of mentor to me some years back, and he said established Euro shooters would often use aliases to do "mimic" work (IOW, copying another photographer's style) for lower end magazines, primarily where using their real name would hurt their reputation.

What I think is funny is that you mention the obvious real estate clients possibly being put off by your goth work, but have you considered the flip side of that coin: your "legitimacy" as a goth shooter might be irreparably harmed if they knew you shot, ohmigod!, REAL ESTATE for a living...

[almo]

I'm working on a Goth exhibit right now and it's a little nerve wracking because I don't want anyone to think the images (or my brain) are too disturbing - they are very dark. To seperate my luxury real estate photography biz and my goth work, I actually use a pseudonym for the goth work - it's pretty cool and keeps me veiled in mystery! lol I've had some agents, in the past, who seemed disturbed that I shoot a lot of dark photos, as if it makes me evil or something. I just like freaking people out! lol I have a pretty warped sense of humor and have a deep love for really old horror movies, so that basically inspires my work a lot.

Just curious if anyone else ever shot under a pseudonym?

I actually have a female persona for the images I don't want to claim. She even has her own account her on PR...;)

[McMadCow]

I actually have a female persona for the images I don't want to claim. She even has her own account her on PR...;)

And sometimes I go into chat rooms saying that I'm a 13-year-old girl.



Wait, that isn't what this thread is about...?

[Arctirus]

I actually have a female persona for the images I don't want to claim. She even has her own account her on PR...;)

Ok, I tried to let this go but it still creeps me out. Firstly why not post all your work under the same name here. It's not like you're not already using your "almo" pseudonym. Do you have that little self respect and respect for your work that you have to hide your pseudonym behind yet a second pseudonym? Why can't you be honest with us and honest with yourself by claiming all of your work?

Secondly why did you choose a female pseudonym for your pseudonym? Are you a closet homosexual or transgendered? It's ok if you are but I have to be curious why else you would impersonate a woman online? I've heard about these people that pose as the opposite sex on the internet for whatever reason but I can't say I've ever seen someone admit to it before.

Things like this make me sick.

[almo]

Ok, I tried to let this go but it still creeps me out. Firstly why not post all your work under the same name here. It's not like you're not already using your "almo" pseudonym. Do you have that little self respect and respect for your work that you have to hide your pseudonym behind yet a second pseudonym? Why can't you be honest with us and honest with yourself by claiming all of your work?

Secondly why did you choose a female pseudonym for your pseudonym? Are you a closet homosexual or transgendered? It's ok if you are but I have to be curious why else you would impersonate a woman online? I've heard about these people that pose as the opposite sex on the internet for whatever reason but I can't say I've ever seen someone admit to it before.

Things like this make me sick.

To be perfectly frank, its none of your business why I chose to have a female counter identity on PR. Its not an account that I activly use in the community, so you don't have to wonder who it might be. I have it for my own reasons and that is all that matters.

To answer the insulting comments you made, I an not homosexual or trans, and it has nothing to do with how I feel about my work. Its more about certain people perception of it.

What makes me sick are people that have kneejerk reactions when they have no clue what they are talking about.

[Arctirus]

To answer the insulting comments you made, I an not homosexual or trans, and it has nothing to do with how I feel about my work. Its more about certain people perception of it.

You may not believe this but I didn't mean the homosexual or trans comments to be insulting. It was pure conjecture as to why someone might do that. If someone happens to be gay or trans that's fine with me.

[McMadCow]

Geez, Arctirus. You're so insensitive. Jerk.

[Arctirus]

Geez, Arctirus. You're so insensitive. Jerk.

Like I said, I have nothing against homosexuals and you should know.

My friend McMadCow lives just outside the Castro district in SanFran and is as gay as a birthday tablecloth. We've been friends for years.

[McMadCow]

Like I said, I have nothing against homosexuals and you should know.

My friend McMadCow lives just outside the Castro district in SanFran and is as gay as a birthday tablecloth. We've been friends for years.

Oh sure, I'm the gay one and you're straight as an arrow. Like anyone believes that sham of a marriage you're in!

[almo]

You may not believe this but I didn't mean the homosexual or trans comments to be insulting. It was pure conjecture as to why someone might do that. If someone happens to be gay or trans that's fine with me.

I'm sorry. I took that as though you meant I must be gay or trans to do that. Point taken.

Though the idea that producing work under an assumed Identity means I do not have pride and love for my work, this I do find insulting. I have a reason. I do not do it for kicks. I do not get my jollies off on it. I wish I didn't have need of it. But I do and that is reality.

[Arctirus]

I do not do it for kicks. I do not get my jollies off on it. I wish I didn't have need of it. But I do and that is reality.

Are you sure you don't get naked and cover yourself in peanut butter before posting as this female pseudonym? Just kidding man, I guess you have to do what you have to do for whatever reason it may be.

Oh sure, I'm the gay one and you're straight as an arrow. Like anyone believes that sham of a marriage you're in!

I'm not the one about to shack up with a bunch of guys.

[almo]

Are you sure you don't get naked and cover yourself in peanut butter before posting as this female pseudonym? Just kidding man, I guess you have to do what you have to do for whatever reason it may be.

Are you implying that there is something wrong with covering yourself in peanut butter and pretending to be a chick??? ;)

[McMadCow]

Are you implying that there is something wrong with covering yourself in peanut butter and pretending to be a chick??? ;)

Just so there can be no question about my stance on the subject, I am saying that there is something wrong with that.

[Arctirus]

Just so there can be no question about my stance on the subject, I am saying that there is something wrong with that.

Geez, McMadCow. You're so insensitive. Jerk.

[McMadCow]

Geez, McMadCow. You're so insensitive. Jerk.

This from the guy who poured water down a handicapped ramp in Mid-January.

[Arctirus]

Its not an account that I activly use in the community, so you don't have to wonder who it might be.

By the way, that's ok.. I don't come here surfing for a piece of cyber ass so I don't think I would run into your female persona on a personal level anyway.

This from the guy who poured water down a handicapped ramp in Mid-January.

Do you really think any handicapped people would have tried to attend the pole vault team try-outs? Why don't you stop posting useless comments here and go back feeding laxatives to the puppies at the humane society like you do every weekend?

[Arctirus]

That is SO sig worthy.

[McMadCow]

I perform a valuable service! How else are those puppies going to poop?!

[Arctirus]

Ok... I posted that AFTER he did! I think we have forum software issues.

[Arctirus]

Well almo is a mod, although not of this forum. Megan is however and for all I know they could be one and the same.

[McMadCow]

Hey! How did you get your reply in above my post?! You find another crossdressing food fetishist to be friends with and all of a sudden you get preferential treatment? This thread is getting really creepy.

[Arctirus]

It happened again!!!!