For anyone who's been playing along on my SG instagram (@kyla.photographer), I did a retrospective of all the sets I've shot since my time with Suicide Girls, which began in November 2013.
In 22 months, I have shot 90 sets. Just two of which have been Sets of the Day.
Around half of the 90 will make it onto the site, some were rejected in the early days, some have been taken down, and others yet to be submitted. It's probably time to start taking down some more sets too, so if you're one of the models I've worked with where our set has been out for a year or more, it's something to think about.
I have 12 sets left to edit which I plan to have done before the end of the year, I have about 3-4 reshoots I owe, and there's still a couple of Aussie girls on my SG bucket list who I haven't yet had the chance to work with. In my own time, I'll contact those particular girls and make sure something is set up in future should they want to work with me.
It would be nice to eventually hit 100 sets, that's for sure.
Aside from the reshoots and those few girls I'm personally interested in working with, this is the end of my photography run with Suicide Girls.
It's been a wonderful two years, it really has. I've made the best friends I could've ever possibly asked for, in particular @shark, @emmameow, @twitchling, @soho_ ,@angelgore, @nimoy @camisado, @christina @vorpal @laceyy, @victory @exkyu, @gotham @peggysue, @stardusst.
Really I could tag twice that amount just then, there's a very good chance I've left crucial people out just then, but these guys I talk to regularly, see weekly/frequently, and we've developed relationship that goes a little deeper than just 'know them from SG.' It's been special.
That said, the amount of time, energy and effort that I've put into SG over the last two years... There hasn't been a single day that I've not had SG editing on my plate. Each set takes me anywhere from 4-10 hours to edit. in 2014 I worked full time, in 2015 I've studied Photography full time and worked on the weekends. I've sacrificed my sleep, time with friends, my love life has entirely died and I'm so content with being single it's almost a concern (especially when I'm snobbing off perfectly decent guys in favour of editing...), I've given up my relaxation time, holidays and a lot more to make sure I'm smashing sets out in good time, and keeping my models happy. And you know what? Some of these sets have brought me happiness too. I'm proud of what I've done.
Before I was okay with dedicating all my free time to it, but things are changing. I don't have time to focus on my photography course anymore, I'm turning down shoot opportunities because I'm drowning in SG editing, and time to pursue my own personal projects is absolutely out of the question. I just couldn't say no to anyone asking to shoot with me.
If I didn't have the drive to go places with (non SG) photography, I would be content with continuing how I have been, but it's time to call it quits.
No more shootfests, no more saying yes to everyone who asks me. I've never shot a Hopeful Multi, and I never will.
And now an open letter to SG Staff, or to anyone who cares really. So for the first time ever, I'm tagging @missy, @lyxzen and @rambo. Lyxzen and Rambo in particular have been a huge part of my SG experience, I can't even put into words how grateful I am for all their help over the years. From my name change, to general enquiries, to set submissions and everything else in between. It's been incredible, thank you.
But now it's time to verbalise my feelings, and sadly, these aren't just mine. These also come from maybe 30-40+ fellow Aussie members who I've personally discussed these things with. I say this all with a very matter-of-fact attitude, not bitterly, or to be conceived as whinging, these are all points I've had a lot of time to mull over and think about carefully.
Honestly, what's the point in working myself so hard if Suicide Girls are going to continue turning a blind eye to Australia? We should have at least double the amount of official Suicide Girls than we currently have. Have you heard of @opheliah? @shark? @twitchling? @angelgore? @ambra? @sunflower? @gotham? I've met a lot, and this is just naming a few....
All girls who should be pink who are all starting to feeling the sting of rejection. Believe it or not we all notice when sets are bought within the week, or month. We notice when sets with 1,500 likes are bought, but ones with 2,600 are ignored.
There are 365 Sets of the Day per year, to yearly have a single digit number representing SOTD in one of the largest continents in the world..? It's unfair, and it's taking advantage of our free content. We have ONE staff photographer in the entire country. Two years ago when I joined, that would've been fair enough. But in Australia alone we now have a huge number of active Hopefuls, and a considerable number of active Suicide Girls. One staff photographer doesn't cut it anymore. @puffin should be staff, @frankndame should've had multiple sets bought, and I'm going to go right ahead and also say that there have been COUNTLESS amazing Aussie sets by many other photographers which have been ignored. Some of my sets included.
Yes, I know it's a competition. Becoming a Suicide Girl isn't easy and it's never guaranteed (unless the instagram famous model has been asked specifically, oh yes, news travels fast around here, especially when no one is going pink and everyone is wondering why.)
New Hopefuls are popping up like daisies in Australia, it's more than tripled since I've been a member, and some of these poor girls are still blissfully ignorant to what's been going on. There's so many Aussie Hopefuls ticking all the boxes, and are ignored in favour for instagram famous "models" who are potentially going to drive some activity to the SG site and cause a jump in memberships and tickets to the Blackheart Burlesque show. Sure marketing and online presence is important, but you know what's more important than that? The real girls, using the real site, following all the rules and jumping hoops hoping you notice them.
Everything has become so instagram and viral based that now the ones who truly deserve to be pink are all dropping like flies when they realise you don't care about them. Whatever happened to embracing the girls who commit social suicide...?
If things change for the Aussies, by all means I might slowly start shooting sets again, at the end of the day I do love doing it, why else would I have gone as far with it as I have for so long? I'm definitely not committing to a permanent leave of shooting sets.
Maybe speaking my mind is going do damage, it might ensure another one of my sets never is selected as Set of the Day again, but with the way it's all going the chances of that were slim to none anyway.
The money has never been all that important to me. Sure I'm severely undercharging as a photographer and as a student it's been a struggle to afford food most weeks, but for the most part my SG Photography journey has been about the experience, the community, and seeing girls who deserve pinkdom to succeed.
So until that happens, this is farewell to SG Photography.
I intend to still keep my account, and to be apart of the community as I've always been, maybe a little less, but I'm not up and leaving entirely.
A huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone I've met and worked with, like I said earlier, it's been special.
