Fernandina Beach Photographer Turns to Alternative Online Funding to Raise Funds Independently

Fernandina Beach Photographer, John E Adams has turned to the Internet to raise funds for his lagallery.adamsviews.net/artofsteel2015/ project, An American Brushstroke - The Trawlers of Texas, a photography study of the Shrimp Trawlers of the South along the Texas coastline. With funding as the first major obstacle to getting any project off the ground, current economic conditions don't make the job any easier. Artists have to become more innovative in their fundraising tactics, and many Photographers have embraced sites like Kickstarter.com.

In line with Kickstarter.com guidelines, artists have a set number of days to raise all the funds, or the project receives nothing. Adams’ project has a 33-day fundraising window, from start to finish and if the allotted budget is not raised before February 20, all pledges are cancelled and the project will not be funded.

When asked about why Kickstarter was appealing, Adams noted, "The ability to spread the word quickly online to a lot of people, and keep them updated on the status of the project is invaluable." An added advantage for artists is Kickstarter's merchant partner Stripe, which enables each project the convenience of receiving funds from anywhere in the world.

Adams Project, An American Brushstroke - The Trawlers of Texas, consists of a photographic study, future exhibits and book featuring as many of the remaining Working Shrimping Trawlers that have been such a big part of the industry’s history and the Wood Hulled Boats that have been disappearing at an alarming rate. Northeast Florida used to have some of the largest Trawler building ports in the Southeast for many years, now those skills have long passed and the only reminder remaining of this amazing heritage are a small scattering of rapidly declining vessels spread throughout the Southern Shrimping regions and ports. Today there is another amazing layer of commercial working craft in the Shrimping industry today, built on experience, necessity and with just as much pride, but the industry is still fiscally challenged and many of these vessels are also falling into serious disrepair.

The projects plans include traveling over 2,900 miles while travelling the Gulf Coast of Texas to try and capture and preserve images of as many of the remaining Working Trawlers as possible this summer. Adams believes that by continually drawing interest and attention to the Industry it creates an increased awareness that helps support and revive not only a passing American Treasure, but the livelihood of thousands of families and communities. He expects to complete the project and have the final prints and book before the end of the August. To learn more about the project, readers can visit the project's pitch page online at:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thepres/an-american-brushstroke-the-trawlers-of-texas 

About John E Adams:

John E Adams is an award-winning fine art photographer from Fernandina Beach, Florida.

He started his career working on small wooden craft in Northern California as a commercial Salmon Fisherman and Sea Urchin Diver, then spent 20 years in the Navy on a number of other vessels traveling the world and never lost his love for boats. His works have been published in EasyRiders, V-Twin and Shutterbug Magazines, Australia’s Red Bubble Book Gaia, The Nature Conservancy and Ferrell McCullough’s top selling photography book the Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography.