Dina Goldstein is rare indeed. Not only is she a successful, Vancouver based commercial photographer (remember her “real” photography which garnered an ADCC win- discussed here) she’s also a mother.
Recently, Dina sent me a note to alert my attention to a new series of hers that was going gangbusters in a viral way. The series entitled Fallen Princesses reinvisioned life after the fairy tale. In Dina’s version of the Disney classics, we see Cinderella drinking alone on Hastings; Snow White at home with a good for nothing husband Prince.
Here are some images from that series, to see the rest, go here.
© Dina Goldstein
© Dina Goldstein
© Dina Goldstein
Because her experience is unique, I thought it might be interesting to hear Dina describe the challenges of balancing work and life:
Its been quite hectic to say the least. I started my project Fallen Princesses a year and a half ago, then I got pregnant as I was shooting the series. My pregnancy was difficult and I was sick throughout the almost 10 months. I had a commitment to my gallery , which booked the show after seeing only 3 pieces, so I had to continue and complete 7 more. Did I mention that I also have a four year old and was funding the series on my own (after not getting a Canada Council grant), So I had to continue pursuing and shooting commercial jobs as well.
The work was coming in but the economic downturn made an obvious difference and that added to the stress. I managed to shoot all but one of my pieces, the last one a week from my due date in the record temperature heat of Vancouver at the garbage dump ( I almost fainted). I had my baby on August 26th , printed and framed the show and just made it for the opening on Oct.15th at Buschlen Mowatt gallery in Vancouver. I’m lucky that my husband is also a freelancer so we’re both balancing our work with the new baby…thanks to him I survived!
Now that baby #2 is here life as a female commercial photographer is going to be more complicated. Let me clarify that being a female has never stopped me, ambition and talent have no gender. Nothing can keep me from going after my photographic aspirations. I love Photography because it offers an equality of the sexes (until you start going for the high paying gigs and then its a much different game…at least here in Vancouver where those type of accounts are rare). Also the ADs want to use your ‘specific style’…I just want to scream out….I can shoot anything dumbo!
However things will have to change. I’ll have to get a lot more organized and I won’t be able to take every job that comes my way….I’ll have to get more discerning. I used to take jobs for various reasons…money was not always a factor…but now that will change as well. Vancouver is a tough market and being able to survive here as a photographer is a feat in itself. I’ve been shooting here for 17 years and thought of moving to a bigger market many times. I’ve been told over and over again how successful I would be in LA or NY…and yes maybe that could have been a path to take but family is important and they are here in sleepy rainy Vancouver.
I always wanted to be a photojournalist and shoot wars…so i tried some of that at the beginning of my career. I went to Gaza and the West Bank , spent the days with a fixer and the nights on my own in a hotel. I was lonely and miserable. That’s when I realized that this was not the life for me. I needed to be around my friends and family….I’m glad that I noticed that early enough and didn’t end up 40 , a successful photojournalist and miserable.Vancouver is saturated with talented photographers, many of whom are just graduating and fresh faced. My assistant just told me that she’s going to follow the Olympic torch and travel throughout Canada….sounds great….If that job came my way now I wouldn’t be able to take it….sounds great though! I’m sure that there will be lots more of that in the coming years and I’ll have to get used to it. I’ll have to depend on editorial and ad gigs…but they are rare as well. My studio partner has been shooting here for 25 years and has worked with every AD in town…he’s not shooting the $100,000 gigs that he’s used to and has decided to start up a video production company with his Canon 5D Mark II.
My Fallen Princess Series went viral on the web a few months ago and my site has been inundated since. Journalist from all over the world have been contacting me for interviews…so I’ve been busy with that. The world seems to love the series. Will this mean new and interesting prospects from the States and U.K. ? Oh can’t think of that now my husband has a meeting, the house is a mess and my kid has to eat some kind of healthy dinner tonight.
On that note, I’ve got to rebalance my own work/life/Christmas relationship and so will be slowing the blog down for the next few weeks. But, you can follow me on Twitter if you’d like.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
What a great piece. As a travel photographer for more than 10 years I’ve recently taken off some extended time to be a full-time Dad to my two young boys, taking on assignments when I can and moving to more stock licensing. It’s been a real challenge to have my photographic identity kind of dwindle and diminish as I just become ‘Dad’. But it’s a really rewarding thing and has been great fun – and hopefully given me sensibilities that will influence my art as well. Enjoy the ride!
Thanks for presenting Dina’s story here. Love her candor and humor. I can totally relate. We just had our second child in August as well, and I was shooting right up to the last week. Priorities certainly shift, as they should.
I can see why the fallen princess project has gotten so much attention. It must strike a chord with so many people. It’s a great concept and beautifully executed.
i saw this series many months ago, it’s cool to see them get some renewed attention.
rocksteady,
danno~
great, she’s is partnered with some of the best photographers and agencies, she is a successful photographer herself, and yet she needed a grant from the government to fund her project involving portraits. Another reason why this system fails and sucks for up and comers. The embellishment on the talent pool as well, is stating that old photographers are choked they no longer make sweet coin (100k gigs)so he merges to video with a 3k camera..omg…sorry for the rant, just an observation.
That is lamest rant I have ever read (hyperbole here – but damned close). Stop your whining and do something. Either create good work or learn how to network and walk the walk. This boo hoo attitude is so tiring.
I would recommend this: Learn to read first. No where in the post does it say she received a Grant. In fact it says she “was funding the series on my own (after not getting a Canada Council grant)”
Then I would learn to check your ego.
Thanks for coming to my defense.
:)
great work, really moved me… i´ve put in on my blog (sorry, my english is too poor to say all the things I wold!)