This is what it looks like when I start a project.

Let’s call it Startup Portraits

An introductory sketch of a new personal project

This is the first of three posts covering my pre-launch thoughts for a personal photography project. Part two covers my motivations; part three covers editorial goals and logistics.

I recently made a list of things I like doing — the first action I’ve ever taken on account of my horoscope. My fiancée was reading it to me on her phone. “A period of transition” is what I’m in, it read, and to my chagrin, I related.

I’ll say more about this transition in part two, but for now, let me outline my plan for a new personal project. I’m very excited about it, and I hope you’ll be, too. I’ll then wrap this up with some words on next steps. How about a name, you ask? Let’s call it Startup Portraits.

The plan is to photograph Bay Area startups I care about, give them all the images for free, and then blog about them. Conceptually, it’s one part each of tech blogging, photojournalism, informational interviews (for me), and publicity (for the startups). But the details make it interesting. Here’s a list:

1. I’ll spend a single day with each startup, from dawn ‘til late night. Ideally, this means meeting a cofounder at home for breakfast and pushing through to a post-work activity.
2. The companies will be product-driven and have missions that interest me. Or in other words, they’ll be do gooders, probably consumer focused, and have shameless ambitions to effect massive change. … Or maybe I’ll just get along with the cofounders.
3. I’ll work with each company to answer two questions. First: How is your product impacting the world? And second: What is your company learning? I’ll say something like: “You’re my guide. Let’s tell the story of why your product looks like it does today.”
4. The photographs will be of execution, from team members working (preferably not just at computers), to user interviews, to people using the product. I might include the users’ stories, too. Suffice to say, I'll focus on teams that value getting out of the office.
5. For some of the day I'll just observe. At other moments I’ll work with the team to make a certain photo. And for a one-hour period, I'll hand over creative direction and photograph anything—new profile pics, marketing shots, whatever the company needs.
6. Finally, I'll publish the day’s best images on Medium. Each post will follow a standard format, kind of like The Setup. I'll include photos and captions, and a body with the company’s answers to three or four standard questions.

Alright, that’s a long enough list. Now, why am I on the verge of doing this? I've outlined my motivations in part two, but as a tease: This project combines almost every skill set I've ever used in a professional setting.

What about money? Good question. Could I spin this into a business? Is this lead generation for photographing corporate clients? The answer: Maybe? Whatever happens, I can at least say that cash isn't the point right now.

I hope you think this is a good idea, but if you don’t, I’d love to know why. Even better, if you’re a founder and would like to have your company photographed for a day—and be given a stack of images for a song—please read my post on logistics and drop a line.

Part two: Personal motivations. Part three: Editorial goals and logistics.