Good day, Steemit…and it is a good day! I’ve been waiting to make a big announcement but wanted to wait for my 1,000 followers milestone, which was reached this afternoon! Thank you, friends! This last 10 months has been life changing. Steemit has given me a platform to share my work, an audience that can reward it, and ushered in a creative renaissance for my art. Previously, my following has amassed in the tens of thousands on Instagram and Facebook. I love and value those folks. They’ve been with me from the beginning, so I don’t want to turn my back on them now that I’ve found a site that deserves my time…I want to bring them here! Going forward, towards 2,000 followers and beyond, that is my goal. I’ll do whatever I can to port my Facebook and Instagram fanbase to Steemit. So many of my followers there are artists, photographers and models themselves. I want to see the same change Steemit brought to my life in theirs.
A quick word on my art, in relation to Steemit. In previous posts, I’ve written about how deep down in my soul, I still want to be doing comic book illustration. When I look to my future and see myself as an old man, I still see myself drawing and writing comics and graphic novels. Throughout 2015, I was burned out and jaded with photography. I was going to try and make the transition to comics and launched a massive campaign fueled by Patreon. I did everything right, but it didn’t work. After six months, I conceded that I wasn’t going to be able to make a living doing comics and began shooting again full time. Fortunately, the break and a new network of artists revived my love for photography; it wasn’t near as painful as the toxic circle I was working with before.
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been seeing something remarkable happen. My illustration and comics posts here on Steemit are doing as well, if not better than my photography posts. The art community is thriving and it shows up in rewards. The last drawing I did for my Steemit inspired comic, “Steemit inspired "Cryptopia" comic; the Graves campaign for top witness sketch!" was the highest rewarded post I’ve made since my introduction post last August. It’s more than the page rate for a professional comic book artist! The news I have to make is photography-centric, so I want trail off to far in to comics, but it does open the very real possibility that I may, one day, be able to make a living here doing the one thing that has been a dream job my entire life.
So, here’s the announcement! After years of deliberation and obstacles, I’m doing my first photography book! I’ve been talking with Bob and Kelly of Working Class Publishing and as of this month, I signed the contract to bring “Dark Pinup” to print! This is a huge, huge career milestone for me! I’ve wanted to do a book for years but approaching the printing myself deterred me every time. While at a book signing in Las Vegas for my friend Shannon Brooke’s second book, “VROOOM!”, through WCP, Bob approached me and said “You’re Lars, right? We’d love to talk to you about doing a book with us!”. As it turned out, he and Kelly live in Wisconsin and earlier this month, they both met me at The Triple Rock in Minneapolis. We discussed a theme and the terms and just before hitting my one thousandth follower here on Steemit, I signed the contract!
It’s extremely humbling to be offered this partnership and I’m grateful for their faith in me as an artist, and my ability to sell books. Shannon Brooke has done two incredible coffee table books through Working Class Publishing, and with their success, photographers and models in the pinup scene have been beating down their door with proposals. Although the road I took was longer, and much harder, learning to shoot with only available light has strengthened my style and esthetic. There’s no “shortcut” to do what I do. It’s a unique way of seeing the world, subject and surroundings refined after 15 years of creating photos under minimal light.
The release of “Dark Pinup” will be next Spring at a book singing event during Viva Las Vegas. I’ve attended two of these events for my friend Shannon’s books with Working Class Publishing and they are overwhelming! Hard to even wrap my head around what it’s going to be like for me. Part of the terms of agreement, however, is that a portion of the books are mine to sell as I choose. With that in mind, I’ll setting up a cart to accept STEEM payments and listing them in the @steemshop.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for helping me reach this Steemit milestone and supporting me as I approached a massive career milestone. This is the most excited I’ve been about the future. Steemit has brought so many possibilities to my life and my work. I have no idea where we’ll be as a community in a year or two, but I’m endlessly grateful to be here, leaving my mark on the blockchain while Steemit is still in beta. Love you, all! Follow my blog @kommienezuspadt. 1,000 Steemians can’t be wrong!
Congrats! Both on the followers and career milestones! Super exciting!
Hell Yeah buddy! It's so exciting to hear people realizing their accomplishments and dreams. You seem to have put in a ton of effort and I am very happy to hear that it is finally paying off in a big way for you. Seems like you completely deserve it. Congrats!
By the way: MOAR commics!
Oh, fuck yes, more comics @elderfinancial!
Thanks @edlerfinancial! I've been really excited to make the announcement. I can't wait to work on this book. The publishing company is outstanding. Extremely fair and hard working. They represent their artists so well.
Congratulations @kommienezuspadt! Well done!
Incredibly exciting man, that is a huge career milestone and one to be incredibly proud of! It's well deserved as your photography really speaks for itself, and it's great to hear such happy news especially after hearing about your struggles with photography in the past years. Massive congratulations @kommienezuspadt!
Wow!Great story and shots!All the best in future!
Thanks very much @foodlink! Things are going well for a change of pace. I'm welcoming it.
Great to hear such a positive success story from a steemian. Keep that sweet content coming at us!
Thanks a lot @moneybags! This book has been a long time coming. I'm excited to work with the publisher. They're great people.
I am glad to see your success. You are a very talented artist!
Thank you, kindly @nenad-ristic!
f-kin Hot!
HA! Thanks @bek.
Congratulations @kommienezuspadt! Keep up the good work with Steemit. Upvoted, resteemed & DPS.
Thank you so much @photo-trail! You've been a great friend since I came across you on Steemit. The support you've given with DPS has been great and a large portion of those 1,000 followers came from @photo-trail.
That's great! When did you find that you were doing really well on Steemit? At the 800 follower milestone?
Contest entries seem to make a big difference @jameshsmitharts! I'd enter as many as you can.
Yeah, I was asked if I could do a pixel art contest but I didn't have time. Ive done two ArtstyleArt contests and won third prize on one.
Congratulation on your endeavor with 'Dark Pinup' . It sounds like work however well worth it. Yes there is the crowd up there that enjoys comics and caricatures. However another audience appreciates photography. Thanks for sharing and hope to see more.
I love that I can do both @enjoywithtroy. When I'm feeling burned out with the camera I can always start drawing, and vice versa. Thanks for the kudos and comment!
Damn, some seriously incredible work here and congrats on your success! I think what you're trying to do is awesome and can't wait to see you achieve it : )
You on Discord by chance?
Thanks @iamjustincscott! I'm not on Discord, but I suppose I should be. Isn't there a bunch of channels? I wouldn't even know where to start. Can you link me to a group or channel for art or photography?
Hmmm.. well I'm currently active in the PAL channel which is all stems users and you could start an art/photography channel within that group (and I'd absolutely be willing to help you!)
Would you like me to link it to you?
Yeah! Please do @iamjustinscott!
https://steemit.com/minnowsunite/@hypexals-spiral/minnow-support-project-how-to
there ya go man! Hope to see ya there : )
Great work as always and look forward to seeing more of your comic work! I love doing the same so may be biased :) congrats on 1000 followers btw.
Thank you @steemitadventure! Oh, believe me....I would LOOOOOOOVE to gain a following on here as passionate about comics as us! I'll be working on the comic soon. I have a mini vacation coming up. Thanks!
Congrats on your success! I just recently started following you, but your photography and artwork are simply stunning!
Thanks @melodyrussell! That means a lot! You and @jasonrussell are both incredible talented. I'm humbled by all the support. Thank you!
That's a very inspiring story, and just what I like to hear about on Steemit. I shows others that this is a very good place to be spending our time. It's building community, building friends, and building wealth.
Absolutely @stephmckenize! And it's not a cheesy cliche. This place has made a giant impact in my life, for the better. I can hardly bring myself to log in to Facebook or Instagram any more. It's a chore.
It's much more fun here. And, it's a bit addictive, too. ;)
Thank you for sharing your work with us!
I really like your posts ;-)
Thanks so much @anonimau5!
I understand how it feels to not do what you love because of financial restraints. But I believe Steemit helps artists gain value from their work, so you're on the right path! I wish you the best!
hope print quality will be up to quality of your work! ;) good stuff man:)
That's absolutely fantastic! Congratulations @kommienezuspadt!
Proof the Steem Dream can open doors of opportunity to us all if we follow true ambitions and set goals. The community environment Steemit offers is undeniable. Best of luck in in your continued journey to comic art master.
Your work is wonderful sweetie. Maybe you should start a magazine? Greeting cards?
I love your photo technique. The colors you are capturing are amazing. So much of this seems to be natural and available light. I really enjoy doing those types of photos.
Wow thats huge 1000 followers!! Congrats!! You deserve it and goodluck with your new project.
This is SO AMAZING!! Congrats!! I can't wait to have one of these books in my life!! So excited for you & amazing for getting the recognition you deserve!
Bravo! On so many accounts... I haven't known you for long but I know you're one of the most hard-working creatives I've ever met! I think it's safe to say you deserve every shred of recognition and reward. Looking forward to more comics, and the book! Long may you run my friend... Happy One Thousand!
I'm so looking forward to your book! I want it, I need it and I wish to have it personally signed by you when I buy it :D And you better have shipping to Finland ;D
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Congratzz!!
1k followers is a great accomplishment. Keep rocking it !
Your shots are so good :)
Awesome posts! great to see that this platform is helping Artists. I hope you can check my posts and check out my brother's first post, he is really talented and I kept nagging him to posts here in Steemit @realitylvn
I absolutely love the dark pin up. I did a little modeling and never got to do a pin up. The dark pin up is so intriguing! Following and resteeming.
Your photography is sexy, classy and creative! Can't wait to see more, and since I'm a comic book nerd at heart I'll have to head over to your comic work now for a browse!
That is amazing news!!! I've been following your work a bit through Micheline Pitt and Doris Mayday over on Insta, and have always admired your minimally-lit photos.
I'm brand new to the Steemit community, but very excited to discover you here and can't wait to follow along on your journey. :)